adidas & Arsenal Forever & Forever, 100 Years
All good things must come to an end, apparently. Well, by the looks of it, that's not always the truth, as adidas and Arsenal FC commit to a further 8 years of their current kit and merchandising contract.
In the game of football, kit sponsors and contracts come and go. They're just as active as Premier League scorelines and, for some fans, can be a pretty make-or-break part of each season.
When you're within the walls of your home stadium, surrounded by fellow fans looking down onto the pitch, the strength of your team's kit really adds to the atmosphere; it's the shared uniform between the team and the fans; if your kits are bad, this falls flat, especially when crammed into the oppositions stands.
Over the years, there have been some beautiful kits across all leagues. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, we saw some bold risk-taking from sportswear brands; Nike, adidas, PUMA, and the like, which did somewhat settle towards and during the 2010s.
For Arsenal FC, from the late 80s through the 90s, adidas showed the world what a winning kit should look like – and no, of course, I'm not biased as a Gooner...
When adidas lost the Arsenal contract to Nike in 1994, the pair would part ways for 25 years. Fortunately for Nike, it was their logo that emblazoned kits during the club's "Invisibles" run.
Following Nike, PUMA would take the reigns in 2014 for 5 years until Arsenal found its way home to Three Stripes for the 2019/20 season.
After a quarter of a century apart, adidas decided to put its best foot forward and show fans what they'd been missing, and they did not disappoint.
While 2019/20 was a strong season kit-wise, 2022/23 has sent a shockwave across the Premier League, as the pair showcase why they're made for one another. A winning home, away, third, and pre-game kit (that even rivals are praising) to match a winning start to the season. Poetry in motion.
Last week, adidas and Arsenal announce the extension of their contract to 2030. The extension will also see a greater focus on the side's women's team.
It's a good time to be an Arsenal fan; let's just hope that lasts. Win or lose, at least we can boast the best kits in the league for – well, like Rick said, "100 years, forever and forever."
