In February, the Nike leader promised they were “ditching the models,” but England have now unveiled the same goalkeeper kit as Liverpool.
Prior to the unveiling of Liverpool’s first uniforms with their new manufacturer, Nike CEO Heidi Burgett responded to fan considerations that the club would get exclusive designs.
As Nike is known for its use of club and national models over the years, Burgett’s comments were reassuring because he stated that they “abandoned” his earlier approach.
“We’re giving up the models,” he wrote on Twitter in February.
– Heidi Burgett (@heidiburgett) 5 February 2020
“For 2020 uniforms, Nike designers had 65 chassis features on other necklines, sleeves, dolls, badge placement, etc.
“From handmade prints to traditional sources, the team’s look will be yours.”
Of course, its use of the word “chassis” is already a red flag, and when Nike deployed its new models by 2020/21, a number of similarities appeared.
This is no more the case than with their goalkeeper uniforms, and with England unveiling its new look on Wednesday, the comparisons were surprising:
A new look at the #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/fVMlpN9FD1 caps
– England (@England) 2 September 2020
Everton’s Jordan Pickford wears precisely the same blouse that Alisson will wear outside Liverpool this season, except, of course, there’s another badge.
It’s the first time this has happened this summer, as Zenit St Petersburg’s goalkeeper’s uniform for the new crusade is the same as the Reds’ house game.
– St. Carson (@sjrcarson) August 9, 2020
When the outdoor box kit was unveiled, many enthusiasts also pointed out the similarities between Nike’s design for the Reds and that of Barcelona.
While it’s not unusual for brands to use models for their creations, it would be difficult to produce kits that are absolutely exclusive to the club, especially for a logo with Nike’s relationships, this runs counter to Burgett’s provocative engagement in February.
Given the costs that are also charged for kits, the obvious lack of creativity seems negligent.
However, Liverpool will be dismayed by the expected benefits of its new agreement with the US brand.
While they are expected to earn a low base rate of £ 30 million on a seasonal basis, the royalties negotiated under their agreement with Nike could increase this amount to £ 100 million.
It remains to be noted whether monetary adjustments in the weather, however, with adult T-shirts sold retail at $70, expect to recover a significant amount when enthusiasts buy their kits by 2020/21.
Maybe Burgett just wanted to say that Nike was abandoning its old models…