Adidas and kit firm join forces for NUFC deal

ADIDAS have signed a ‘groundbreaking partnership’ with Sela as Newcastle United’s future kit supplier and current front of shirt sponsor join forces.

Newcastle not only announced a lucrative agreement with Saudi Arabian events company Sela last summer but, also, a huge deal with Adidas, which could be worth hundreds of millions of pounds over a five-year period.

Adidas and Sela’s logos will both be present on Newcastle’s shirts from the start of next season.

Interestingly, before Newcastle’s collaboration with Adidas officially launches, on June 24, Sela have ‘unveiled a ground-breaking partnership focused on strategic collaborations and joint developments’ with the sportswear giant.

A statement said both companies recognise the “tremendous potential for growth by leveraging their respective strengths to co-create products and experiences that will resonate with consumers globally”.

It continued: “This partnership is rooted in the belief that combining their experience can enhance the competitive edge of both organisations and set new standards for industry collaboration.”

Newcastle, like Adidas, are looking to strengthen their links in Saudi as the Magpies bid to grow a global fanbase.

In fact, it was just last month that Jonathan Kane, Newcastle’s director of partnerships, visited the country alongside club legend Shay Given, who took part in a meet and greet with fans in Riyadh.

Peter Silverstone, Newcastle’s chief commercial officer, previously described the Magpies’ own agreement with Sela as ‘key gateway’ in a bid to become the most followed Premier League club in Saudi, and Adidas will also help take the club into a global market.

Adidas already supply kit for the Saudi national team and Silverstone felt there was ‘good synergy’ there even before Sela teamed up with the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe.

“Adidas are going to be marketing to capture this 35 million young demographic in Saudi,” Silverstone said in the ‘We are United’ documentary on Amazon.

“As we grow our fanbase in Saudi, that will lead to more commercial revenues, which again from a football perspective, it is money to be invested by Eddie [Howe] and Dan [Ashworth] in the team.”