Barcelona has announced the start of a new multi-year partnership with global giant Nike, commencing this season. Though the deal’s duration and financial specifics remain undisclosed, sources involved in the negotiations indicate that the deal is worth up to $107 million per year making Barça the top-earning sponsorship in sports. The deal is also said to be incremental and will also include add-ons, making the deal worth significantly more.
“Barcelona and Nike, two leading brands in the sports industry, are pleased to announce a new start with a multi-year partnership agreement, starting effective this season, that brings a new collaborative strategic partnership model between the two organizations,” Barcelona said in an official statement.
“This new partnership consolidates Nike as a main partner of the club and the official technical partner across all professional and amateur teams, bringing a unique model that strengthens the brand association and fuels the global retail and licensing business growth.
“Nike has a key strategic role in the club’s retail operations and together with Barça Licensing & Merchandising will join forces in the development of specific plans related to product creation, supply chain and global distribution.”
🚨✅ OFFICIAL: Barcelona and Nike — DONE DEAL!
➡️ Official statement: “FC Barcelona and Nike, two leading brands in the sports industry, are pleased to announce a new beginning with a multi-year collaboration agreement, effective this season, which provides a new model of… pic.twitter.com/i5bay1xzEt
— Managing Barça (@ManagingBarca) November 9, 2024
Earlier this season, Laporta revealed in a press briefing that they had enhanced the deal’s terms, calling it “the best contract in football” once finalized. He highlighted that the agreement would enable Barcelona to maintain a 1:1 spending ratio and freely sign players, stating, “Our aim is to secure the optimal contract for Barça, and we’re progressing well toward that goal.”
The new Nike deal is set to offer Barcelona significant financial relief following years of economic hardship. While precise figures haven’t been disclosed, the contract, potentially including a signing bonus, could bring in around €120 million annually. The deal’s value will rise after 2028, when the existing contract was due to expire, and will continue increasing through 2038 when the new agreement concludes. Talks also included negotiations over e-commerce rights, with Barça aiming to take control of its online sales, which would further enhance revenue in that sector.
Barcelona and Nike have been partners since 1998, and this new agreement provides essential support to bolster the club’s finances as it works to meet LaLiga’s spending cap.
In September, Barça’s spending limit was set at €426 million, with Laporta acknowledging that the club was surpassing it by roughly €60 million. While it’s uncertain exactly how much the new Nike deal will help reduce this gap, it’s a crucial step toward enabling Barça to make signings more freely, following recent challenges with player registrations.
Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
