It seems that Inter Milan’s one year deal for Socios to be the primary shirt sponsor will not be extended, with the current sleeve sponsor, Digitalbits, set to take their place from the beginning of the 22/23 season.
Inter replaced long-running shirt sponsors Pirelli at the end of last season, ending an iconic era and altering the instantly recognisable visual identity of the club. In their place came current sponsors, Socios.com. The blockchain-based fan engagement company signed an agreement with the club worth €16 million plus performance-related add-ons. But with that agreement only lasting for a season, it looks as though current sleeve sponsors, Digital Bits, will be getting promoted in a deal worth a reported €85 million.
Although not confirmed yet, the sponsorship deal is set to last for three seasons, until 2025. As well as being the current sleeve sponsor, Digital Bits is also Inter’s “Official Cryptocurrency Partner”, with parent company Zytara being the club’s “Official Digital Banking Partner”. Socios.com will stay on until the 24/25 season in a Global Advertising Rights partnership with the club, worth €1 million per season.
If the deal does go ahead then Inter will follow fellow Serie A club AS Roma in featuring the blockchain company on the front of the shirts. If Inter follow suit, then Digital Bits’ logo will not appear, as it currently does on the sleeve, instead opting for a cleaner execution of just the wording. Roma’s deal was signed last year for three years, taking them top to 2024. Their deal was close to €40 million with a signing fee of €6 million, so if the reported figures are correct, then Inter will be doing well out of the deal.
Meanwhile, Inter are also reportedly in negotiations with Nike to extend their kit deal and double its value. The current deal doesn’t expire until 2024, but the Nerazzurri are keen to extend the deal early to improve on the current €12 million that they receive. The club are hoping that their qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League and their continuing form in Serie A will convince the American giants to go ahead. If, however, Nike were not willing to meet Inter’s demands, then it could be another step towards seeing Serie A without any Swoosh representation, a particularly bitter pill following the news that PUMA may be set to take on match ball duties.
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