September 17th 2023.
Chelsea's new kit designs have been well-received by fans, but there is one noticeable absence - the front of the shirt does not have a sponsor. This makes Chelsea the first 'Big Six' team in Premier League history to have a shirt without a main sponsor.
The club have been trying to secure a new agreement since their last deal with the telecommunications company Three ended in the summer. So, why exactly don't Chelsea have a sponsor on the front of their shirts? Here's what we know so far.
The Premier League giants have been unable to strike a new front of shirt sponsorship deal. This is partly due to several deals falling through in recent months. Paramount+ were all set to become the new sponsor, but the Premier League blocked the deal over fears that it would upset existing broadcast partners and break their rules.
Chelsea then turned their attention to online casino Stake, and a one-year deal had been agreed, but this led to a backlash from fans who were uneasy about having a gambling company emblazoned on their kit. Negotiations with an unnamed cryptocurrency company have also broken down, and they also reportedly turned down an offer from Allianz.
With no deal in sight, Chelsea decided to launch their new kit regardless. However, reports suggest that the club have now finally agreed a shirt sponsorship deal with American technology giants Infinite Athlete. The deal is thought to be worth at least £40m a year and could be announced soon.
It looks like Chelsea's shirt sponsorship saga is finally coming to an end, and supporters will be hoping that the new deal meets their expectations. We'll have to wait and see!
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