November 11 – FC Barcelona have announced a record $1.82 billion, 14-year deal with Nike, just six months after club president Joan Laporta publicly threatened to end their long-term partnership.
The new deal will be the highest paid kit contract in football worth £105 million ($136m) a year and the highest club sponsorship deal in soccer history.
The contract also includes a £131 million signing bonus for Barca, which will be paid over the duration of the lengthy deal.
Though the agreement was initially expected to be finalised next week, Culemania reports that events “sped up” on Thursday night, prompting president Joan Laporta to call an emergency board meeting on Friday to approve the deal, which was officially announced on Saturday.
Barca have won LaLiga 12 times and the Champions League on four occasions since their first deal with Nike in 1998.
The deal between the two sides has been updated several times since then, and the previous one was due to expire in June 2028.
Earlier this year it was reported that Barcelona were prepared to move on from Nike and sought several other options.
The new deal comes at an ideal time for the Catalans amid their financial difficulties in recent years – but it is unlikely that the cash injection from Nike alone will resolve Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns regarding summer signings Dani Olmo and Pau Victor.
On the pitch, FC Barcelona have proved to be one of the outstanding sides in Europe. Despite an uncharacteristic loss to Real Sociedad on Sunday, the Catalans are still six points clear at the top of the LaLiga table, although second-place Real Madrid have a game in hand.
They will hope to replicate their best form after returning from the international break on the November 23, where they face Celta Vigo away before hosting French side Brest in the Champions League three days later.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1734044838labto1734044838ofdlr1734044838owedi1734044838sni@g1734044838niwe.1734044838yrrah1734044838