Watch out, Nike. New Balance is coming in as a kit supplier for one of the biggest teams in world football: Barcelona.
According to Barcelona newspaper Diario Sport, the Catalan giants aren't satisfied with their existing deal with Nike.
The 25-year partnership has produced some of the club's most iconic kits, notably the 2008/09 home kit that saw the Blaugrana win their first treble in Spanish football. That kit featured deep blue and vertical stripes and was one of the last times Barcelona featured the UNICEF logo on the front.
Barcelona's kit deal with Nike was one the most lucrative in football at $109 million per season before Adidas tied a long-term $115.2 million deal with Manchester United this season.
But Nike's relationship with the Blaugrana may end after five more years. American footwear and apparel company New Balance wants to accelerate its football brand's visibility. The Boston-based company thinks it can take advantage of Barcelona's frustrations with Nike and offer a more lucrative fresh new start worthy of one of the biggest names in football.
New Balance has been making strides in world football, having rode the Liverpool launchpad to the Reds' 2019/20 Champions League triumph and subsequent Premier League title. In 2020, Liverpool announced a new massive multi-year kit deal with Nike.
Yet, New Balance is betting on the future. The brand signed exclusive boot deals with Premier League stars Bukayo Saka, Harvey Elliot, Raheem Sterling, and, most recently, Brazilian sensation Endrick. The 17-year-old Endrick debuted in Brazil against Colombia earlier this month and can feature for Real Madrid next summer.
While New Balance lost Liverpool to Nike, striking a deal with Barcelona would more than make amends. Shouldn't Nike be worried?
