January 25 – Premier League club Manchester United has unveiled a second appareil sponsor with Columbia Sportswear becoming the club’s first official outdoor appareil sponsor. The club’s main kit deal is with Adidas who took over from Nike in a 10 year deal that started this season.
Columbia Sportswear will launch their first Man Utd branded product in the autumn of this year. No figure was announced for the deal.
The adidas deal is believed to be worth more than $600 million over 10 years, but the Columbia hook-up will not reach those numbers.
Columbia Sportswear, based in Portland in the US, has been creating outdoor products since 1938 and is a well established outdoor brand, especially in the US.
The Manchester United deal will see it “design and create dual branded outerwear for outdoor endeavours, including hiking, climbing, mountaineering, as well as water and snow activities”, according to a Man Utd statement.
“Manchester United is proud to be partnering with Columbia Sportswear to bring our fans a new and exciting range of club branded products,” said Man Utd managing director Richard Arnold.
“Like Manchester United, Columbia is steeped in history and has a reputation for creating innovative premium products. Available in over 100 countries, Columbia enjoys an international reach that matches the Club’s.”
It is the opportunity to use the Man utd brand to expand Columbia Sportswear’s presence in international markets that is the driver of the deal from their perspective. Senior Vice President of Columbia Merchandising and Design, Joe Boyle, said: “We are excited by the opportunity to unite the pinnacle franchise in sport with the global leader in the outdoor industry.
“Manchester United and Columbia share a commitment to performance and innovation. Together, we will deliver to Manchester United fans around the world an attractive line of outerwear featuring Columbia’s most advanced proprietary technologies.”
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