Liverpool, and other clubs with sportswear brand Nike signed as their official club kit manufacturer, could reportedly be set to wear the same shirt designs for two years; marking the end of extravagant annual kit launches.
As it stands, the likes of Liverpool, PSG, Barcelona, Chelsea, and Tottenham, replace all three editions of their match day uniform on an annual basis. With each new season clubs are supplied with fresh iterations of home, away, third, and in recent times, even fourth kits.
This could soon change as according to PSG insider La Source Parisienne, Nike are debating implementing a new policy in which clubs would be offered kits for two seasons at a time.
π¨[ INFO LA SOURCE ] Nike envisage sΓ©rieusement de proposer pour plusieurs clubs dont le PSG un maillot domicile qui serait portΓ© 2 ans. Dβun point de vue Γ©cologique cβest intΓ©ressant, du point de vue portefeuille aussi. Acheter un seul maillot domicile qui ferait 2 saisons β³
— La Source Parisienne (@lasource75006) June 20, 2022
Ecologically the decision would be beneficial, as according to the European Parliament, the textile industry is responsible for ‘10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.’ This is more than ‘all international flights and maritime shipping combined.’ A reduction in the manufacturing of global football attire, even if it is by one company, will combat this.
From the perspective of football fans, the prospect of not having to fork out multiple times a year for their teams latest merchandise will be a welcome one. Nike in particular offer supporters two choices when purchasing club kits. Each shirt comes in two varieties; Stadium and Match. The former costs just under Β£70 whilst the latter is around Β£100, with the difference being the Match jersey is constructed from the same materials players will wear on the field. The possible reduced financial impact of biannual kit releases on fans can surely only be seen as a positive, particularly in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League side Brentford have already committed to the idea of retaining kits for more than one season, launching their rollover initiative to save fans money last November.
πππ€π’π§π ππ§ππ¨π«π ππππππ₯π πππ¦π¨π«π’ππ¬ ππ§ππ’π₯ ππππ
Our first ever @UmbroUK #PL Home kit will roll over to be our first choice kit for the 2022/23 season as well
π https://t.co/l3BJdBagCY #BrentfordFC #BeeTogether pic.twitter.com/DTv8eoJ0S9
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) November 24, 2021
Whether Nike actually bring this proposed shift in approach to fruition remains to be seen, however with clubs already revealing their strips for the coming season, any change is guaranteed to remain a way off.