Will Barcelona manufacture its own kits rather than Nike?

Amid ongoing reports of dissatisfaction between Barcelona and their long-time kit sponsor, Nike, the Catalan club is now reportedly considering the option of manufacturing their own kits internally.

The relationship between Nike and Barcelona has been strained recently, with undisclosed issues arising over the past few months. This has led Barcelona to contemplate ending their contract with Nike, which is currently set to run until June 30, 2028. As a result, other sportswear brands like PUMA, New Balance, and Hummel are vying for Barcelona's attention, but there are indications that Barcelona might reject these offers. Instead, according to a recent report from Spanish media outlet Sport, the club could explore the possibility of establishing their own brand and producing kits "in-house."

While the idea of producing kits in-house seems attractive at first glance, offering the club the potential to retain 100 percent of the profits from sales, it would not be without its challenges. While manufacturing the shirts could be relatively straightforward, achievable through a strategic partnership with a reputable textile company or even through Barça Licensing Merchandising (BLM), which already handles the production and distribution of the club's non-sports apparel and other branded items, the real hurdle lies in distribution.

Relying solely on local distribution channels would likely fall short of reaching the necessary sales figures to cover Barcelona's material and manufacturing expenses. One of Nike's strengths lies in its global distribution network. While matching Nike's current distribution capabilities could lead to increased revenue, there is also the risk of not achieving current sales figures.

The fact that no major European club has opted for this strategy is a clear indication that it's not a straightforward solution.

In a recent interview with Rac1, Joan Laporta presented the options the club is considering: "There are three options: to continue with Nike, to accept more lucrative offers from the market, which would bring us greater financial gain, and there is the option of producing the kits ourselves through BLM, as we already do with other types of clothing," he stated. "When you consider the production costs of the shirts compared to the selling price... in terms of profitability, establishing Barcelona's own brand is not out of the question, although there are safer options offered by the market."

Barcelona wouldn’t be the first club in recent La Liga history to pursue this path. Athletic Club chose to establish its own brand and sustained it for almost a decade in the early 2000s, while Mallorca and Betis followed suit, although their ventures were not as long-lasting.