EPL club Everton FC “will significantly boost their global presence next season when they sign a new three-year kit deal with Nike,” according to Greg O’Keeffe of the LIVERPOOL DAILY POST. Everton currently wears Le Coq Sportif, but the club will now “enter the big league of kit manufacturers.” The club is also “set to prosper more in marketing opportunities than by an immediate up-front influx of cash.” Supporters are likely to “get their first glimpse of the new home shirt before the end of the season in May, and the team could then be set to wear it in their final home game of the season against Newcastle.” Nike will make “the home, away and third strip” jerseys. The deal comes as a result of Everton’s US$47.4M contract with sports retailers Kitbag "to market the club's merchandise worldwide” (LIVERPOOL DAILY POST, 3/8). It is believed the contract with Nike “is along similar financial lines to the existing one which is about to end and there will be little difference in terms of up-front income.” However, where Everton hopes to benefit is the "utilisation of Nike’s worldwide reach in order to widen their market base.” By aligning themselves “with a premier sporting brand the club hope to be able to profit by expanding sales of other merchandise outside of just team shirts” (DAILYMAIL.co.uk, 3/8).
