Chelsea rubber stamps tyre manufacturer as official shirt partner for £40m per year
Chelsea Football Club has named The Yokohama Rubber Company as its latest official shirt partner in what it says is its largest ever commercial deal, ending a 10 year partnership with Samsung.
In a five year deal the tyre manufacturers branding will appear on player’s shirts from the 2015/16 season onwards after Yokohama’s chairman, Tadanobu Nagumo, flew into London to sign the deal alongside Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck, Manager José Mourinho and Captain John Terry.
Buck said: “We believe that Yokohama will play a key role in helping us drive our global expansion in international markets such as the US, where they have operated with distinction for many years. Also, of course, Chelsea having such an esteemed and historic Japanese company as our partner enables us to accelerate our development in their home market too.”
Nagumo added: “This shirt partnership with Chelsea will give Yokohama an opportunity to showcase our company to a huge worldwide audience thanks to Chelsea’s ever-growing popularity. We see our partnership with Chelsea as an integral part of our global expansion plans as we enter Phase IV of our Grand Design 100 plan. We look forward to launching our iconic new Chelsea Yokohama shirt this summer.”
The sponsorship deal is worth £40m a year to the London club.