The Manchester United home jersey 2014 2015 that is due to be released for general sale later this week will be the last red kit to feature the iconic Nike Swoosh, for at least the next 10 years. This brand new football shirt encompasses a modern look and is focused on youth players and forging a strong future for the team, after last seasons tribulations. You will be able to order this football shirt online at Soccer Box as soon as it becomes available.
Despite the bold, modern look of the red shirt with white collar and sleeve trim, and thin black edging the most noticeable change to the Manchester United home jersey 2014 2015 is the teams brand new sponsor. The Chevrolet logo sits in the center of the jersey. Manchester United has swapped from AON to Chevrolet in the deal that is worth around £53m per year, and is the largest sponsorship deal ever to be agreed, a trend that has continued with their new Adidas football kit deal.
Manchester United Football Shirts
The End of an Era
Nike is an American sportswear manufacturer; the Nike logo has adorned the Manchester United football shirts since 2002. With the Nike logo proudly in-place the club has celebrated 6 Premier League victories, most recently lifting the trophy in 2013 to celebrate their 20th top-flight victory overall.
Last season saw a decline in the performance of Manchester United, following a 26-year stint as manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired leaving boots that were hard to fill. David Moyes, former Everton manager, took over but weak performances, embarrassing loses and lack of team cohesion resulted in him being fired before the season was through. Manchester United eventually finished 7th, their worst ever Premier League performance.
The 2014 2015 football season will see new manager Louis van Gaal step aboard the Manchester United team bus. The club management, team and fans alike will be hoping for a stronger season and better performances with Van Gaal at the helm, particularly with the eyes of heavily financially burdened sponsors looking down on them.
The Cost of Sponsoring the Red Devils
Sponsorship deals and football have become big business over recent years. Manchester United is pushing boundaries and extending that business to its limits. The £53 million a year Chevrolet deal doubles any other similar shirt sponsorship deal. The next biggest deal at present is Barcelona's shirt sponsorship deal with the Qatar Foundation/Airways that is worth £25 million per year.
As if that deal wasn't money enough the Adidas deal for manufacturing the Manchester United football shirts is even more staggering. Adidas has agreed to pay £750 million over 10-years for the privilege of putting their logos on the team's football and training kits, as well as other merchandise and accessories. Equating to £75 million per year that well exceeds the previous biggest deal that was also with Adidas, for Real Madrid and is worth £31 million per year.
Last week Nike pulled out of negotiations after lengthy discussions with the club, and a 6-month exclusivity period that ended in August last year. Nike stated that the terms on offer "did not represent good value for Nike's shareholders"; it is a disappointment for Nike that has spent several years building up a strong presence in the United Kingdom against the dominance of German rivals Adidas. However, it is reasonable to assume that based on recent performances such a large investment is too risky a venture.
As such the Manchester United home jersey 2014 2015 will be the last to bear the iconic Nike Swoosh. Adidas has not manufactured the team's kits since a 12-year stint from 1980-1992. Other than several FA Cup titles and a Community Shield Manchester United did not win any significant silverware the last time they wore Adidas football shirts. At such a large investment Adidas and Manchester United will be hoping for much more over the next 10-years.
With money galore Louis van Gaal should be able to invest in only the best players and boost the team's performance. Manchester United has a history of big sponsorship deals but their largest investment on a single football player was the transfer of Juan Mata for £37.1 million. The current transfer window and those over the next couple of football seasons may see some big name signings, and some transfer fees in the region of the current £85 million record set by Real Madrid and Gareth Bale.