With the debut of a unique uniform, Liverpool will advance their partnership with Nike and basketball legend LeBron James
Plans to maximize the partnership’s potential have been considered ever since Liverpool shifted from New Balance to Nike in 2020 as a result of a High Court legal dispute with the former that the club won in 2019.
The leverage that individuals like James, a previous shareholder in Liverpool who now owns 1% of Reds owners Fenway Sports Group, could bring to the table was one of the deal’s crucial components.
James, who is still an NBA player and a major draw at age 38, is Nike’s most well-known customer. He has also lent his name to collaborations on sneakers and other merchandize because he is a fan of Liverpool and an investor in FSG.
FootyHeadlines.com reports that a special kit cooperation between Liverpool, Nike, and James will boost the ante on the partnership. Liverpool sources the ECHO spoke to were unable to confirm the partnership, but it was suggested that such actions were definitely possible.
Given that they received 20% of sales of Liverpool/Nike branded merchandise, which makes their initial £30 million per year deal with the US sportswear giant worth more than double, according to some industry experts, a special Liverpool x LeBron James kit would open the Reds up to a new market when it comes to the selling of its merchandise globally.
Whether a James and Nike-designed uniform would be worn during Liverpool games or if the partnership was just commercial is unknown.
Tom Werner, the chairman of Liverpool, announced in late 2021 that the club would be collaborating more closely with James and Nike. This would help the club’s efforts to establish a lifestyle brand where club apparel could appeal to both Liverpool and general football fans as well as those who have little or no interest in the sport, potentially reaching James’ rabid fanbase in the US.
Werner stated in an interview with the Boston Globe: “We’re working on a product line with LeBron and Liverpool. LeBron-related Nike products—seven or eight total—are being developed.
Although I don’t yet know the specifics, they’re planning to produce seven or eight items that compete with Michael Jordan’s affiliation with Nike.
Paris Saint-Germain has used Air Jordan, Jordan’s brand with Nike, to boost their marketing potential and appeal to a larger consumer base.
The relationship between James, Nike, and Liverpool was cemented by an investment by FSG, Nike, and 11% FSG partners RedBird Capital Partners into SpringHill Entertainment, a $725 million company owned by James and fellow FSG stakeholder Maverick Carter.