Chelsea FC announce a new sponsorship agreement with Swiss watchmakers Hublot
Chelsea FC have made what is arguably their biggest move of the transfer window so far, by signing watchmakers Hublot to a sponsorship deal effective from this season.
POPULAR: 5 Promising Chelsea FC Players Let Go By Jose Mourinho
Chelsea previously had sufficient cover in the telling-the-time department, having had a deal with Rotary. However, the Swiss brand has rapidly become disillusioned with the club, and has apparently opted to end its time at Stamford Bridge prematurely.
It is not exactly known what has caused this split, but rumours suggest that personal matters may be at play. Rotary, much like a large chunk of South American players, is not exactly independent, and is in fact owned by group led by the watchmaker’s founder, Robert Dreyfuss. However, this parent company was recently acquired by China Haidan, thus causing the brand’s future at Stamford Bridge to be uncertain.
With the announcement of the Hublot deal, it appears as though Rotary will be advertising somewhere else.
This also-Swiss brand rose to prominence in the footballing world about seven years ago, when it started each game of the Euro 2008 tournament in the official timekeeper role. As is often the way in modern football, a string of good performances at an international tournament led to Hublot signing a big money deal domestically.
Manchester United were the club impressed enough to sign the company to a three-year contract and it has since featured for a range of top quality teams including Barcelona, PSG and Juventus.
Now, Hublot is set to bring its talents to West London and the club are delighted with their new member.
"We are delighted that Hublot is joining Chelsea Football Club’s group of world-class partners. As the first luxury brand to invest in football back in 2006, Hublot has an illustrious history and reputation, and shares our values and a commitment to excellence. – Christian Purslow via chelseafc.com"
This reinforces Jose Mourinho’s policy in which only players that fit in with his philosophy are signed. Besides, having worked with the brand before (as a global ambassador), it was only a matter of time before it became a part of the Chelsea set-up.
The exact terms of the agreement remain undisclosed but the club announced the deal via Twitter (of course) and shared a photo of their new signing already mingling in with its new teammates:
We are delighted to announce @Hublot as our new official timekeeper and official watch... http://t.co/MdLrzqcCEn pic.twitter.com/Qj2qqqZ85X
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 13, 2015
Hublot will look to bring the wealth of experience that it has acquired throughout the years to its new team. Having appeared at two FIFA World Cups, there is no doubting the brand’s ability to perform on the biggest stage.
Chelsea fans will undoubtedly be eager to see when their new signing will first feature. Hublot is most likely going to play a role on the flank furthest away from the TV cameras, and occasionally behind the goals. It may also be employed in a more fluid position, dancing up and down the touchline every five minutes or so. This, however, will depend on what the animations department come up with and the amount of other brands that will need game time as well.
Until then, we wait with bated breath.
Next: Premier League Picks: Matchday 2 - Man City To Beat Chelsea