Arsenal’s new sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines will enable the club to spend on player retention and acquisitions, but the real action is not expected to occur until the summer transfer window. Arsenal’s kit deal with Nike expires in 2014 and they are expected to sign a lucrative new deal with Adidas which should further boost the funds available to them.
Arsenal’s new sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines will enable the club to spend on player retention and acquisitions, but the real action is not expected to occur until the summer transfer window. Arsenal’s kit deal with Nike expires in 2014 and they are expected to sign a lucrative new deal with Adidas which should further boost the funds available to them. It is understood that the club could receive £22m a year compared with the £8m a year it generates now.
Arsenal will earn £30m a year from the Middle East airline, who have extended their shirt sponsorship by five years until the end of the 2018-19 season and secured the stadium naming rights, which were due to expire in 2021, until 2028. This marks a significant increase in revenue on the previous deal but falls short of Chevrolet’s £357m, seven-year sponsorship of Manchester United.
The bulk of the £150m is for the sponsorship of the shirt and training kit, with the understanding that the stadium is now widely known as the Emirates, regardless of any contract with the airline.
Tim Payton, spokesman for the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, said: ‘Trust members now want to see this money spent on strengthening the team. It does give us a sizeable boost but the way you make money is by winning.’
‘What you want is a team that you believe can win the Champions League, rather than in recent years where we have just been competing in the Champions League to earn revenue.’
‘Ivan Gazidis has previously stated that increased sponsorship revenue will lead to lower ticket prices and we hope he will now review this going forward.’