Liverpool Announce Record Kit Sales

Having a kit manufacturer who can actually supply kits appears
to be working!

It is a dispiriting but undeniable fact that money talks in
international football. It is the reason the Premier League can
afford to pay superstars to play for midtable sides, as the annual
promise of a massive windfall from the TV rights to the competition
allows even newly promoted clubs to offer spectacular wage packages
that dwarf those of similar status teams across the continent.

In the pandemic era, however, that money is not promised, with
clubs expected to reimburse broadcasters hundreds of millions of
pounds over the next year, and now more than ever, cash is king.
Clubs have maneuvered this issue in a number of ways: some have
gone the Brexit route and simply pretended it’s not going to be an
issue, others have pleaded with generous owners to loan them
whatever money is needed — or cook up another outrageous
sponsorship deal that will be discovered just too late to suffer
any consequences for — while others still have elected shrewdly
structured payment plans that ensure little money leaves the
coffers just yet.

To the surprise of no-one, Liverpool fall in the latter category, snatching up
Thiago and Diogo Jota last week for a total 2020 outlay of £9.5m,
while picking up that exact same amount in upfront payments for
Ki-Jana Hoever, and half a dozen more player expected to leave over
the course of the coming weeks.

There is also a chance that recent reports on shirt sales has
driven the decision to go out and spend that little bit of money.
According to new kit manufacturer Nike, sales of the new home shirt
are up 15% compared to last season, while this year’s third kit — a
checkered black and charcoal number — has bettered last year’s
effort by a whopping 30%. No word yet on the performance of the
divisive aquamarine away kit.

With the Reds negotiating a lower base fee but a 20% cut on all
kit sales, this is promising news, and with Nike — nearly, at least
— capable of meeting demands, there’s even a chance every kit will
be available throughout the season and not simply disappear in the
wind before Christmas.

“We have seen record-breaking sales of kit again as we start the
new season,” said Mike Cox, senior vice president of merchandising
at the club. “Even higher than the sales we saw during the start of
our previously most successful season last year.

“This exceeds our own high expectations and shows how our
support continues to grow, particularly as our success on the pitch
continues.

“Of course, this hugely significant demand has caused some
operational complexities for us as we continue to operate under
COVID-19 conditions,” he continued. “And it has also meant that we
have sold out of some key home kit sizes.

“However, we’re working very closely with Nike on this and
expect to receive a re-stock in October. We thank our supporters
for their support and patience.”

One expected the number crunchers on Merseyside to have an
accurate handle on the value of points on the package relative to
projected kit sales, but nobody involved predicted the emergence of
Covid-19, so it is perhaps surprising that sales haven’t suffered
more in the current climate.

Now, if only the relevant governments would take responsibility
and the necessary actions to deal with the pandemic at its root,
that would be just swell.