Real Madrid are on the cusp of agreeing a new kit supply deal with Adidas that is reported to be worth a staggering €1.1billion.
In what MARCA are calling “the contract of the century”, Adidas will pay a truly incredible amount of money for the privilege of changing the colour of the trim on Real’s home shirts every 12 months for the next 10 years – from black, to gold, to purple, to blue; lather, rinse, repeat.
To put those obnoxious numbers in some kind of perspective, Manchester United currently boast the biggest kit deal in the Premier League – also with Adidas – that is worth but a puny £75million-per-season for five seasons (£375million in total).
Over in the United States, Nike have a contract to supply 21 different NBA basketball teams which is ‘only’ worth $1billion over eight years.
In other words, Nike pay around €110million a season to furnish 21 teams, which will be roughly what Adidas are going to be paying to Real alone.
In fact, Los Blancos’ new endorsement deal will very nearly double the size of the club’s existing contract with Adidas.
Adidas did supply Real briefly in the early 1980s, but the current rolling partnership between the two parties remains unbroken since 1998.