May 3 – Stoke City have unveiled their new kit for the 2015-16, the first kit that will be produced by New Balance. Last month New Balance unveiled Liverpool’s new strip for next season as it expands its brand presence in British football.
Stoke City, like Liverpool, was previously supplied by Warrior, a subsidiary of New Balance. With the US company realigning their brand marketing strategy, so their football assets have been switched to New Balance as part of a more aggressive push into the football market.
No figure was put on the Stoke City deal but it is unlikely to match the estimated minimum of $40 million (£26 million) per year for the Anfield-based club – a figure that could rise based on club performance.
New Balance have also picked up kit sponsorship of Scottish Premier League leaders Celtic in a deal estimated to worth $5.8 million per year, the biggest ever for the club and easily the largest sponsorship in club football in Scotland.
In Europe New Balance sponsors Portugal’s FC Porto, and Spain’s Sevilla FC while internationally it has Costa Rica and Panama.
Stoke City’s new kits have been unveiled as part of the New Balance ‘Like Nothing Else’ campaign and, says the press release, “celebrates the distinctiveness of The Potters and their fan base.”
The home kits feature the traditional red and white stripes, “updated by 11 tonal pinstripes incorporated within the red, signifying the strength and unity of the 11 outfield players”.
When announcing the switch to New Balance in February, Stoke City chief executive Tony Scholes emphasised the international draw of working with their new supplier: “Working with a brand with the global appeal of New Balance offers the Club a chance to widen our fan base internationally, which is a very exciting prospect for us.”
At the kit launch Scholes emphasised the importance of the club’s history and tradition. “Whilst we are a forward-thinking club, we also treasure our past and for that reason we are thrilled to see that New Balance has perfected the mix of celebrating our traditional club values and showcasing future ambitions with these new kits,” said Scholes.
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