Inter signs record-breaking sponsorship deal

The Milan-based team now has the most lucrative sponsor in Italy — Nike will pay €200 million over ten years.

After thirteen years, Italian giants Inter Milan will not feature in European competition. Almost no one remains from coach José Mourinho’s 2010 Champions League–winning side, and the club finished only ninth in Serie A. Despite this downturn, Inter has scored a major business victory — signing the most valuable kit sponsorship deal in Italian football history. According to sportsbusiness, U.S. sportswear giant Nike will pay the club €200 million over the next decade. The previous record was Nike’s €167 million contract with Juventus. “The driving force behind the partnership is the project to open specialised retail stores, which is a new strategy for developing the Inter brand,” the club said after signing the deal.

Breaking into the global elite
This €200 million agreement not only surpasses all previous sponsorship deals in Italy, but also puts Inter among the world’s elite. Higher sums from kit manufacturers have been earned only by Manchester United, Barcelona, and Real Madrid. “It is admirable that Inter has secured such a lucrative deal. Italy regularly struggles with corruption scandals, stadium infrastructure lags behind, and clubs achieve fewer successes,” said football agent Jozef Tokos for Economic Daily. Inter’s advantage, however, is that since the 2006 match-fixing scandal, the club has stayed clear of controversy. Moreover, with Juventus excluded from competition at the time and local rivals AC Milan struggling, Inter won five consecutive league titles (2006–2010). “Inter is a trustworthy club and also boasts the highest attendance in the league. More people attend Inter matches than those of AC Milan, which was unthinkable until recently,” noted Vratislav Greško, the only Slovak to have worn the Inter shirt in Italy’s top division.

Business boost from Indonesia
Just a month ago, Inter’s top sponsor became Deutsche Bank, and now the record Nike deal has been sealed. According to Italian media, both developments are linked to the imminent arrival of a new club owner — Indonesian media magnate Erick Thohir — expected this week. “It proves that the trend of wealthy Asian and Middle Eastern businessmen investing in top European clubs continues. And with football followed by tens of millions of fans every week, it remains an attractive investment,” commented Jozef Tokos. Outgoing owner Massimo Moratti has spent the last two years searching for a suitable buyer for the club; he plans to retain a minority shareholding. According to the Slovak agent, this major change in club ownership comes at an ideal time, as the team begins a new era under coach Walter Mazzarri and after one of the worst seasons in its history. “Short-term failures such as finishing ninth in the league do not affect the economic strength and popularity of clubs like Inter Milan,” Tokos added.