In January, Columbia Sportswear became ManU's first "official outdoor apparel partner" in a deal which was signed for an undisclosed fee and "allows the American manufacturer" to plant the ManU badge on its products, according to Mike Keegan of the London DAILY MAIL. The Men’s Heatzone 1000 TurboDown jacket, without the ManU badge, retails on the Columbia website for £350 ($466). But the same jacket, with the addition of the famous crest, retails on the same website for £400 ($532). Following the expiration of its kit deal with previous sponsor Nike, ManU negotiated a world record £750M ($998M) deal with adidas and "took back a host of rights for the club, which allowed such a deal with the likes of Columbia to take place." When asked for an explanation, the American company said that the ManU badge "added value to the product." A spokesperson said, "In determining prices for any licensed product collection, Columbia takes several factors into account including additional costs for club royalty, embellishment, and color customization. Columbia believes the association with Manchester United adds value to the product and we’re confident all fans will be pleased with the performance and innovation of the Manchester United range" (DAILY MAIL, 9/5).
