Barcelona Kit Chaos Continues
Update: Eleven days ago, FC Barcelona revealed its new 24-25 away kit. However, fans eager to purchase the kit are encountering significant confusion.
Barcelona has sold out of the 24-25 away kits, while on Nike's website, they are listed as "available soon." To make matters more complicated, the same kit is available with three different sponsor options:
- One featuring the old sponsor (available via Nike and most independent retailers),
- One featuring the new sponsor (sold out on Barça’s official store as it was produced in limited quantities),
- And a sponsor-free version (sold via the Spanish retailer Fútbol Emotion).
This situation has left fans uncertain about which version of the kit they can get, as each sponsor variant is being distributed differently across platforms.
4 September 2024: Barcelona Launches New Away Kit, Only Available via Club and Sold Out in Most Sizes Except for One
Significant issues have marred FC Barcelona's kit launches for the 2024-25 season, leading to what many are calling "kit chaos." After weeks of delays and multiple postponements, the club finally unveiled its 2024-25 away kit designed by Nike. However, the launch has again been far from smooth.
FC Barcelona 24-25 Away Kit Launch - Key Issues
First and foremost, the Barcelona 24-25 away kit has been incredibly well received by fans and the global football community. This overwhelming popularity brings further attention to the issues with the launch due to the high demand - there are many.
Neither Nike nor an independent retailer can sell the away kit yet
Spotify Logo Change:
One main reason for the problems and confusion is Spotify's new logo—it was launched in mid-production, leading to severe problems. The home kit (and the away kit as well) had already been produced with the old logo. Barcelona sold the home kit with the old logo and now sells the away kit with the new logo. It's like the club did not want to make the same mistake (selling the home kit with the old logo) twice.
Nike accidentally uploaded the Barça 24-25 away kit with the old Spotify logo on a local site before removing it. This indicates that only Barça will sell the away kit with the new Spotify logo.
Restricted Availability
Unlike typical launches where kits are widely available, Barcelona's 2024-25 away kit is currently only available through the club itself, not through Nike or independent retailers. Even worse, the kit is already sold out in most sizes for the authentic version.
This unusual move might be related to the aforementioned logo issues, with the potential of kits with the old Spotify logo being sold by retailers. However, while there's uncertainty, Footy Headlines is quite sure that the Barça away kits with the old Spotify logo will hit markets later this month.
Tense Relations with Nike
The chaos is exacerbated by the strained relationship between FC Barcelona and Nike, which has been troubled since the beginning of the year. This tension surely has contributed to the mismanagement of the kit launch. It is the first time in years that a major Nike jersey will not be available through Nike on the same day as the club.
Delayed Dispatches:*
For fans purchasing authentic Barça 24-25 away kits via the club, there's more bad news—FC Barcelona will only begin dispatching these kits in late September 2024.
Third Kit Delay
Barcelona was also the only Nike team whose 24-25 third kit with the vertical Swoosh has not been released in late August 2024.
This situation has left fans and retailers in limbo, with no clear global launch date and ongoing confusion regarding the sale of kits featuring the old Spotify logo. The chaos reflects broader issues between the club and its sponsor, as well as potential logistical missteps by Nike.
Is Barcelona having the worst-ever summer of kit launches ever? Let us know in the comments below.
