Chelsea: A suggestion to Nike from a Blues supporter
Chelsea fans shouldn’t have to wait any longer to see next season’s kits, so here’s how Nike should properly unveil them.
Many football kit fanatics around the globe eagerly await this time of year. Not for the trophy chase, but for the releases of the new shirts. I am guilty of being one of those stylish supporters, as are many. We bookmark Footy Headlines and make checking the site a part of our daily routine. We obsess over leaks and talk of timeless threads. We spend our paychecks, our retirement savings and even our pocket money on kits every season. Why? It’s just who we are.
Traditional methods of marketing around football have been scrapped and reinvented due to the impact of COVID-19. As football makes a comeback in England, why can’t 2020/21 kit reveals return with it? Nike should get creative in its release strategy for Chelsea’s three kits for next season.
Late May to early June is the time of the year kit producers usually unveil the newest installment in a club’s jersey collection. Due to Coronavirus, these dates have been pushed back this summer. With no new reveal dates in sight, one can assume Nike—and other sportswear companies—will release each Premier League club’s new kits in late July before the conclusion of the season.
This presents Nike with an alternative to its usual way of presenting the club’s newest get-ups. Ever since Chelsea made the switch from Adidas to Nike in 2017, the Oregon-based company has used distinctive photoshoots and flashy videos to unveil new kits. This may not be entirely possible because of Coronavirus, so Nike needs to find a new way to release the 20/21 Chelsea shirts.
Nike is all about branding; Nike is flashy, Nike is top-notch, Nike is athletics at their core. The best way for Nike to present Chelsea’s brand new kits is to show off the club’s newest players with an opportunity to don the newest threads. As the Blues unveil players like Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, all eyes will be on the west London club. A simple introductory photoshoot will be shared millions of times online through the means of an official communication from the club. This is the best way for Nike to make up for lost publicity and opportunities because of the worldwide pandemic.
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Presenting the two hand-in-hand to supporters cements a legacy. When the top-notch players the Blues are signing become club legends in coming years, these kits will follow them and withstand the test of time. It may not be the flashiest or most creative way of unveiling new kits, but it’s a suggestion Nike should certainly consider.