Chelsea Announces Infinite Athlete as New Shirt Sponsor in £40 Million Deal
Chelsea Football Club has officially announced that Infinite Athlete will be their new front-of-shirt sponsor for the season in a deal worth over £40 million. The club had been without a sponsor since the expiration of their previous deal with 3 UK at the end of last season. The partnership with Infinite Athlete was finalized just in time for the women’s team to debut the new shirt during their Women’s Super League opener against Tottenham Hotspur.
Infinite Athlete, a biomechanics engineering company, recently formed when Tempus Ex Machina acquired injury analytics firm Biocore. The investment fund Silver Lake, which owns over 18% of the City Football Group, is also an investor in Infinite Athlete. Chelsea’s existing partnership with Tempus has already brought Match View X technology to the club’s app, allowing fans to watch games back and access player tracking, data, and graphics.
The club had initially planned to be sponsored by U.S. streaming service Paramount Plus, but the Premier League rejected the move due to concerns about potential conflicts with the league’s broadcast partners. Talks with Stake, a gambling firm, also fell through after opposition from supporters. Another contender for the front-of-shirt sponsorship was betting website Kaiyun Sports, which secured a deal with Nottingham Forest this season.
During September’s defeat to Nottingham Forest, Chelsea hosted representatives from Saudi state airline Riyadh Air and pitched a potential sponsorship deal. The club currently sits 14th in the Premier League after six matches and will face Fulham in their next game.
Financially, Chelsea has been able to navigate the transfer market without violating UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. The club’s estimated amortized spending in the past three windows comes to £157.2 million, which is offset by an accounting profit from player sales of £149.6 million over the same period. The loosening of FFP restrictions means that clubs in good financial health could be allowed to lose up to €90 million over a three-year monitoring period, triple the previous limit of €30 million.
While it is too early to determine if Chelsea’s current spending will result in a loss or profit, the club will need to start turning a profit soon. This could be achieved through increased player sales, improved commercial deals, or a return to the Champions League. The ownership is buying time with the amortization of transfer fees, but the club will need to focus on generating revenue in the near future.
In conclusion, Chelsea Football Club has secured Infinite Athlete as their new front-of-shirt sponsor in a lucrative deal worth over £40 million. The partnership comes after a period without a sponsor and will see Infinite Athlete’s logo featured on the shirt and training kit. Chelsea will need to focus on financial stability and profitability in the coming years to comply with FFP regulations and ensure long-term success.