According to freelance journalist and Chelsea correspondent Andreas Korssund, new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly will not resume the club’s halted deal with mobile network Three and will instead look to the United States for a new main shirt sponsor. Three decided to suspend their sponsorship with the Blues this year after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government due to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
The term “suspended” seems to imply a temporary pause, but new American owner Todd Boehly is apparently ready to look elsewhere rather than try to salvage the arrangement with Three. According to Korssund, Boehly will look for new partners in his native country. Chelsea’s takeover by Boehly ensures that the club can again function much more freely financially after the difficult period following Abramovich’s sanctions, with conversations on matters like sponsorship deals once again viable.
Three has been Chelsea’s principal sponsor since the 2020-21 season, and the arrangement was worth around €52 million to the club per season. Despite the suspension, Three’s logo is still on the Blues’ jerseys since the club did not have enough stock without the 3 logo. Although no prospective successors have been named, Chelsea announced yesterday a new sleeve partnership with cryptocurrency firm WhaleFin.
Not all Chelsea fans were happy with the 3 logo on the shirts with the kit looking ordinary compared to the Big Six teams’ jerseys. It’ll be interesting to see who will be the next sponsor in the Todd Boehly era.
