Venezia to Leave Kappa?
Venezia's president has spoken about their next technical sponsor contract, prompting speculation that they could part ways with Kappa.
Venezia to Leave Kappa?
Venezia president Duncan Niederauer (above) spoke on Monday about a wide range of club-related business and touched on the marketing side of things. The club recently announced the departures of key marketing and communications figures Ted Philipakos and Sonya Kondratenko, and Niederauer revealed that Fabrizia Monteleone has been promoted from within to fill the void. Before joining Venezia in 2021, she previously worked with Maison Margiela, Acne Studios and Off-White, three big names in the fashion world where maintaining the desired image is of the utmost importance. Venezia have not yet decided who to team up with her.
Venezia's move from Nike to Kappa in 2021 was made in order to give the club more creative control over their kits, with the resulting designs by creative agencies Fly Nowhere and Bureau Borsche both overwhelming successes and a major factor in their revamped image. Niederauer said that the club is now thinking about their next technical sponsor contract, suggesting that the deal with Kappa may expire in the summer. The length of the contract was not announced when the deal was signed in 2021.
"We will leverage our brand equity as we think about our next technical sponsor contract".
Venezia's marketing strategy heavily incorporates their Italian and Venetian identity and culture, so wearing kits from an Italian brand fits very well with that approach. It is entirely possible that they will renew their deal with Kappa, although they would surely be expecting improved terms given their growth in popularity since the last deal was signed. Having creative control is also likely to remain a big factor for the club when choosing who to partner with.
Other brands may be able to offer more money, but perhaps they wouldn't be as flexible as Kappa have been. On the other hand, potential suitors would see that Venezia have developed a winning formula in that regard over the last couple of years, and may be happy to get in on the action on the club's terms.
Do you think other brands would allow for a similar arrangement to the one Venezia currently have with Kappa? Would you like to see another brand take over? Let us know in the comments.
