FC Barcelona’s €4 Million Stockpile of Unused Nike-less Shirts Reveals Sponsorship Battle
A costly contingency plan by FC Barcelona to circumvent potential issues during fraught sponsorship negotiations with Nike has left the club with approximately 300,000 official shirts gathering dust in a warehouse – a tangible reminder of a high-stakes battle for control. The club spent an estimated €4 million to €5 million on the garments, a move confirmed by club officials, as they braced for the possibility of being without official kit during a critical period.
A Risky ‘Plan B’ Amidst Nike Contract Talks
The order for the extensive clothing range – encompassing all sports sections and thousands of shirts for the first football team – was initiated during tense discussions to renew Barcelona’s long-standing sponsorship deal with Nike. Facing the prospect of being left without apparel if negotiations collapsed, club president Joan Laporta authorized the production of official merchandise without the iconic Nike logo.
“We needed a plan b in case there was no agreement to be able to start the season normally,” explained Josep Maria Meseguer, head of Barça Licensing and Merchandising (BLM), a club subsidiary established in 2018. “It was necessary to provide coverage not only for football, but also for basketball, volleyball, rugby, hockey… And all of that had an added complication.”
From Brinkmanship to Billion-Euro Deal
The gamble appears to have paid off, albeit at a significant cost. In November 2024, Barcelona announced a renewed partnership with Nike, securing a deal reportedly worth €1.7 billion through 2038 – hailed by the club as “a new beginning.” The negotiations, spanning since 1998, were described as intensely difficult, with Barcelona pushing for greater control over electronic sales and a more favorable financial arrangement.
The club even explored alternative sponsorship options, including Puma, demonstrating the seriousness of the dispute. The decision to commission the Nike-less garments wasn’t solely a negotiating tactic, but also a practical measure to ensure all teams had playing apparel and fans could purchase the season’s shirt. The football shirts feature the seal of Bihub Tech, representing Barça Innovation Hub, launched in March 2017, and were priced at €89.
The Shirts Remain in Limbo
Despite the successful renegotiation with Nike, the vast stockpile of shirts remains “conserved, stored,” with no immediate plans for release, according to Meseguer. He emphasized that, as “technical garments,” any use of the apparel requires Nike’s approval due to existing exclusivity rights.
“We needed to foresee all scenarios,” Meseguer stated, expressing satisfaction that “plan a” – the Nike agreement – ultimately prevailed. He also highlighted the strong performance of BLM, reporting “more than double-digit growth” and balanced income across the Camp Nou megastore, e-commerce platforms, and the club’s retail network.
A Controversial Commission and a Landmark Agreement
The finalization of the Nike deal in December 2024, approved by club members, included a substantial commission – estimated by some sources to be around €50 million – for agent Darren Dein, who previously facilitated the Spotify sponsorship.
“Thanks to the mediator we have managed to unravel the conflict; he managed to get both parties to reach an agreement,” said treasurer director Ferran Olivé. President Laporta lauded Dein’s “great work” in resolving the impasse and avoiding legal action, proclaiming it “the best contract in the history of sports equipment in the world.”
However, the size of the commission has drawn criticism from some quarters, with sources skeptical of Dein’s role and deeming the payment “abusive and disproportionate.” The episode underscores the complex financial and strategic considerations that underpin major sponsorship deals in modern sports, and the lengths to which clubs will go to protect their brands and revenue streams.
