West Ham United and Umbro have finally announced their five-year commercial agreement which will see the global sportswear company become the Club’s official technical partner from next season, producing all the Hammers’ official kits, from first team to youth level, as well as training products and leisure wear for players and fans.
The announcement was hardly a surprise as we covered the story back in October last year www.westhamtillidie.com/posts/2014/10/29/hammers-to-replace-adidas-with-umbro
The picture used to promote the new deal features five locations from around the Boleyn Ground, namely the Q U eens Pub, Boleyn Cine M a, B obby Moore statue, Boleyn Ground tu R nstile and B O leyn Pub.
Umbro will take on the task of producing the special commemorative kit that West Ham will wear for the Club’s final season at the Boleyn Ground, as well as the kit the team will wear when playing for the first time at the new Stadium on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Umbro have a long-standing association with West Ham, having produced the Club’s first ever replica kits for sale to supporters during the 1960s, when they also famously designed the England kits worn by West Ham’s World Cup winning heroes in 1966. Umbro were West Ham’s official kit suppliers from 2007-10.
Umbro was sold by Nike in 2012 to the Iconix Brand Group for £140m and February last year Umbro announced Everton as their first new Premier League club to start from the beginning of the 2014/15 football season in a deal thought to be worth £6m per year or £30 over 5 years. Hull City became the second Premier LEague club to sign a deal with Umbro at £3m per year for 4 years netting £12m starting from the 2014/2015 season.
Andy Carroll is also on the books of Umbro, he signed a deal back in 2011 while still playing for Newcastle.
West Ham’s commercial department are thought to have negotiated a £4m per year deal worth £20m over 5 years which is double that of the current Adidas deal which earned the Hammers £2m per year and £4m over a two year contract.
When added to the £20m deal the Hammers already agreed with Online betting company Betway this year it brings an impressive extra £40m of funding to the club.
Talking about the lucrative deal West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said:
“As we approach two historic seasons for West Ham United, we are delighted once again to team up with Umbro, a company which – like West Ham – is steeped in the heritage of English football but also a fast-growing global brand with an exciting future ahead. It is especially fitting that – during our final season at the Boleyn Ground – our players and fans will wear a brand synonymous with one of the finest moments in West Ham’s rich history: England’s 1966 World Cup triumph.It is our determination to bring back those glory days of the 1960s when we move to our magnificent new Stadium, and we look forward to doing so in partnership with Umbro, whose commitment to the highest standards of excellence and quality matches our own.”
Paul Nugent, Vice President of Global Marketing for Umbro, added:
“West Ham United is an incredibly exciting and significant signing for Umbro. This is a special period in the club’s history and we are delighted to be part of it. We know the last season at the Boleyn Ground will be an emotional one and we have worked closely with the club – with input from Hammers fans – to create a memorable set of kits to commemorate the final season.Our kit designs for West Ham are unique to the club and celebrate the rich traditions of the club whilst incorporating all the modern performance properties required for today’s game. We’re looking forward to sharing our 2015/16 kits and hope players and fans will be proud to wear them both home and away.”
Here is a mock up of what an Umbro shirt might look like courtesy of Adam LeatherBarrow from adamswhufcbadges.blogspot.co.uk
