In a surprising turn of events, the Premier League has barred Chelsea from using American streaming service Paramount+ as their new shirt sponsor. This decision comes despite Inter Milan successfully wearing the Paramount+ logo on their kits during the recent UEFA Champions League Final.
Chelsea had been in advanced talks with Paramount+, hoping to secure a lucrative deal that would see the streaming service pay a significant fee for the prime ad space on the front of their shirts. However, concerns arose about potential damage to the Premier League's relationship with its current broadcast partners if they were to allow this sponsorship deal.
While Paramount+ does not currently broadcast soccer matches in England, it was feared that competitors such as BT Sport and Sky Sports may not be pleased with this partnership. On top of that, there is direct competition between NBC and Peacock (which signed a $2.6 billion six-year contract with the Premier League) and CBS-owned Paramount+. Both platforms offer live sports coverage along with an array of entertainment options.
The Premier League pointed towards its Deed of License as justification for blocking this agreement. The Deed covers various aspects of media and licensing rights within clubs participating in the league. This unexpected decision caught Chelsea off guard, leaving them scrambling for an alternative sponsor.
This setback is particularly disappointing for Chelsea because their previous shirt sponsor, Three – a phone and internet service provider – chose not to renew its contract due to connections between Roman Abramovich (the club's former owner) and Todd Boehly (the current American owner). Consequently, finding another suitable partner has become even more urgent for Chelsea now that they have lost out on having Paramont+ as their new shirt sponsor.
Several potential candidates are being considered by Chelsea as replacements. One familiar contender is Stake, an online betting company; however it should be noted that betting sponsors will be banned starting from 2026/27 season which means any deal with Stake would only last for three seasons. Another candidate is Allianz, who already serves as a principal sponsor for Bayern Munich.
For now, it seems that Stake is the frontrunner in the race to become Chelsea's main kit sponsor. The club needs to secure a replacement quickly and efficiently before the start of the upcoming season. Time will tell who they ultimately choose and what impact this decision may have on their future partnerships.
If they go with Stake on a short term deal, they will have to revisit this issue in short order. If they are able to find a non-gambling related partner, as they thought they had with Paramount+, they can sign a long term deal and put the matter to bed for a while.
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