Barcelona President Joan Laporta declared that the club has terminated its contract with Nike. The Catalan native said that he already warned the Swoosh manufacturer to fulfil any obligations more than a month ago. But Nike never responded to the warning, provoking Laporta to announce a contract termination.
“We have told Nike that based on the violations that were clear to us, we have terminated our contract with them,” Laporta said to Mundo Deportivo via Managing Barca. “They had 45 days to compensate us, and they did not do that and we informed them of the termination of the contract.”
Joan Laporta is looking for the best solution for Barcelona
Barcelona and Nike have partnered for 27 years, making the two parties inseparable entities in the past decades. Speaking to Mundo, Laporta admitted that it was not easy to take this decision considering the relationship they had with each other.
Laporta added that as a person in charge, he had to make any decision even if it’s not popular, for the sake of the club, which is what is happening now with Barcelona and Nike. The current financial situation in Barca also pushed Laporta to think strategically regarding the club’s monetary interest.
“Sometimes easy isn’t always the best choice,” Laporta said. “Right now, what we’re aiming for is the best for Barça, as always. There are many differences, and we find ourselves at a crucial point in our history where we’re overcoming a challenging situation.
“As we work towards economic recovery, it’s crucial that Barça doesn’t fall behind. We need to secure the best contract in the market, just like we did in my first term.”
One of the points Laporta put emphasis on was that he thinks that Nike was not valuing the club the right way. Despite the financial downfall in the last 12 months, Blaugrana is still one of the most valuable clubs in the world. During 2023, they generated more money than any side on earth just from selling the club’s kit.
Barcelona demand more from Nike
“The market is showing us that Barça is worth more than what we have in the Nike contract,” he added. “The current contract we have isn’t the best available, despite Barça being the top-selling club in terms of shirts worldwide. It’s essential for us to have the best contract on the market, and if not, luckily we have other options.”
Puma is reported as one of the potential replacements of Nike as Barcelona’s main kit supplier. The German company offered a staggering €200 million a season to secure the deal. Apart from Puma’s proposition, Laporta is also considered to produce jerseys on their own.
“No worries, it’s a business we’re familiar with,” he said. “We know where the jerseys are made, their prices, profit margins, delivery times, costs, and the financing involved. We have everything under control when it comes to co-producing the jerseys.”