Why Chelsea Is Still Mulling Over Its Next Shirt Sponsor

While rarely sparking conversation or merchandise sales, it’s a staple you can’t help but notice on virtually every soccer jersey.

However, a front-of-shirt sponsor is still elusive for Chelsea. The West London team had advertised the sports technology brand Infinite Athlete from October 2023 until the start of this season. Since then, with an extension not working for both parties, there’s been an abstract, melted chocolatey swirl across the traditional blue canvas and a similarly blank space to fill on the away strips.

Fans are now used to that, as domestic foes Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool each earn well north of €50 million ($52 million) from their visible sponsors this term, according to Statista. Other than Chelsea, the only clubs lacking a main jersey sponsor in Europe’s top five divisions are Sevilla from Spain’s La Liga and Lazio from Italy’s Serie A.

So, why is Chelsea in this position? And, chiefly, what are its considerations while deciding on the perfect partnership for the men’s, women’s and youth setups moving forward?

Chelsea’s Standing

Firstly, there’s a disparity with the Blues.

Under the ownership group led by Clearlake Capital and U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly, the club has spent wildly on players—over €1 billion (around $1.3 billion) since the takeover in 2022. Mind you, there’s not always a clear correlation between how much you spend and what you achieve. Chelsea hasn’t been dining at the top table during this two-and-half-year period, so hasn’t found a sponsor to match its own sense of status.

Indeed, such investment creates expectation: Chelsea belongs in the Champions League (which it’s currently not involved in). Champions League soccer attracts higher-paying sponsors, and competing regularly in the tournament increases the chance of longer-term deals. Holding out for large yearly installments from a better partner—instead of settling for a lower-paying, shorter-term contract from a lesser one—is more appealing to the club, even if that involves sacrificing funds until it’s sorted.

Moreover, forecasting healthy sponsorship revenue over a drawn-out time frame adds stability to the accounts, helping sides know how much they can disburse on improvements to the squad over the coming seasons based on the competitions’ guidelines. That’s important for Chelsea, given it’s had to curb its bold investment by amortizing transfers over several years.

It’s all a dangerous game, though, because—despite Chelsea’s recent progress on the field—there is no promise of consistent Champions League soccer to help strike the best deal, meaning it may have to be more realistic when scouting its options from this point on.

Finding The Best Partner

One may ask whether a lucrative shirt sponsorship deal is necessary for a team with strong financial backing. The answer is yes because having money and being able to splash out on the flashiest players are two different things altogether. Profit and Sustainability and Financial Fair Play rules can be pretty dense, but essentially ask clubs to function more as businesses. That means not far outspending their revenue—rather than clawing deeper into their owners’ pockets.

In light of this, Chelsea is searching for the best suitor to complement its lofty ambitions. It’s been testing. The club has reportedly looked toward the Middle East, notably a bumper shirt sponsor with Saudi airline Riyadh Air—set to begin flying in 2025—which came to nothing after talks in 2023. The job is complicated further by the market; from 2026/27, betting brands will be banished from Premier League jerseys, lowering the number of wealthy organizations to pick from.

It now seems the Stamford Bridge decision-makers are opting for plane travel, assessing Qatar Airways and two other airlines, as per Sky Sports last month. Before attracting the best offers, it must cement itself near the top of English and European soccer. With a top-four place well within reach, dealings off the field are finally poised to take off soon.