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Chelsea FC finish first…in Premier League replica shirt sales

By Ajitesh Rasgotra

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Chelsea replica shirts are sold ahead of the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on August 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Chelsea replica shirts are sold ahead of the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on August 8, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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A win is a win and Chelsea FC have indeed won something this season. The Blues have sold the most replica shirts out of all the Premier League clubs.

Despite an absolutely horrific campaign that failed to elicit any sustained joy from Chelsea FC fans, the club have still managed to make things happen on the commercial side of affairs. The Blues have sold the most replica shirts out of all Premier League clubs in this 2015/16 season.

According to the latest figures, Chelsea conquer Manchester United in a metric that the Glazers usually dominate. In fact, the West Londoners only saw two clubs in football ship more units worldwide.

"The Blues shifted 3,102,000 shirts globally despite a dismal campaign which saw a limp defence of their Premier League title. It means they slot in just under Bayern Munich, who sold 3,312,000, and list-toppers Barcelona, who sold 3,637,000 shirts. – via the Mirror"

The commercial aspect of the game has been growing exponentially over the last decade. Success on the field is no longer taken at face value, but is viewed as a crucial driver of the much lucrative off-the-field business that keeps clubs afloat.

The irony here, though, is that Chelsea’s impressive shirt sales come alongside the worst campaign in recent memory. The Blues have been awful, but this is encouraging news for Head of Commercial Activities Christian Purslow.

Having said that, the effects of this season’s failures will probably be reflected in next year’s figures. The bulk of sales should naturally occur over the summer, as the new kit is launched and the fans gear up for a fresh campaign. Chelsea’s commercial stamina will be tested this time around.

Meanwhile, this is a welcome development as the Blues look to negotiate a shirt manufacturing deal. The club announced that they will part ways with adidas after 2016/17, ending their contract six years prematurely. The fact that they are third highest seller of replica shirts in world football puts them in a good position to squeeze out every last penny from prospective replacements.

While the officials can enjoy a brief moment of glory, the players and coaches will pay no attention to this news. Antonio Conte has a lot of work to do over the summer in order to bring this squad back up to title-contending quality.

Next: Dear Eden Hazard: a letter to the fallen Chelsea FC star

After all, the commercial side of the club certainly needs that to happen as soon as possible.

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