Fans have noticed that Chelsea do not have a front-of-shirt sponsor during the 2024-25 season, despite Infinite Athlete appearing on the kits last year.
Even last season, Chelsea played the first seven matches of the season without a sponsor as questions loomed as to who would appear on the front of their shirts.
Fans were able to purchase shirts with no sponsor on them, with the promise that a sponsored version of the kit would become available in due course.
Infinite Athlete stepped up and appeared on their kits from the end of September to become the Blues’ front of shirt sponsor for the rest of the season.
With Infinite Athlete’s deal expiring at the end of the campaign, Chelsea were without any branding on the front of their kits going into the 2024-25 season, with fans purchasing jerseys with a plain front.
Into November, Chelsea remain without Infinite Athlete, or any sponsor, on the front of their shirts this season, and there is a reason why.
The Blues are the only Premier League side who are without a shirt sponsor, having failed to agree terms with any sponsors this season.
Infinite Athlete’s deal expired in May, seeing the Blues don kits with sponsors in their pre-season matches, but not since their 1-1 draw with Inter Milan ahead of the start of the Premier League.
It was reported by iNews that Chelsea were under the impression that if they secured qualification for the Champions League ahead of 2024-25, they could sign a long-term sponsorship deal.
They were hoping that any sponsorship could be larger than Arsenal’s deal with Emirates which is worth £50m per season – or Manchester City’s £400m, 10-year agreement with Etihad.
However, failure to secure Champions League football in back-to-back seasons has left Chelsea behind their rivals both on and off the pitch.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea were expected to reach a new agreement in the same region as the £40m deal that Infinite Athlete had with the club last season.
Riyadh Air, a Saudi Arabian airline, were believed to have held talks over the sponsorship opportunity, but as Chelsea head into a new month they are still without a sponsor – 10 games into the Premier League season.
Premier League regulations state that each team can only have one shirt sponsor during the season, with one change permitted for a single match day in the season so that clubs can promote a charity partner. While special dispensation can be granted to clubs experiencing exceptional circumstances.
However, with Chelsea not having a sponsor on their shirts this season there is still an option for somebody to pick up on this sponsorship.
It remains to be seen as to whether the Blues will complete the season without a shirt sponsor.
