Confirming earlier reports, Serie A side Venezia have announced that NOCTA are the club’s new official sporting and technical partner. The first team wore special edition NOCTA kits to commemorate the launch of the partnership during their Coppa Italia match on 11 August.
It was no secret that, like a shooting star, Venezia and Kappa’s time together burned bright, but for only a relatively short time. After only three seasons together, the pair have parted ways, and now confirming earlier rumours and reports, Nike’s NOCTA sub-brand – fronted by Canadian rapper, Drake – has stepped in to pick up the reigns. But, contrary to popular belief, this isn’t something that’s happened overnight.
Following their rapid rise and ascension to Serie A three years ago, Venezia actually racked up some significant debts and were on the verge of bankruptcy. And so it was heading into the 23/24 season that the ball first started rolling on this new partnership with NOCTA. Speaking to GQ, Matte Babel, who is Drake’s Chief Brand Officer and works on the management team, said: “I got a call from Brad (Brad Katsuyama, a Venezia co-owner and also the hero of Michael Lewis’ Flash Boys) a close friend of mine. He laid out the problem, simply — Venezia needs to raise ten million euros in a couple weeks, and then at least thirty million euros in a few months, or the club will go bankrupt. Venice is an incredible city and Venezia has always been a special club, I spoke to Drake, then Brad and I discussed how we could help. Within two weeks we settled on terms, and raised the money needed to make payroll and avoid bankruptcy.”
Flash forward to the end of the season, and not only had the financial side of things been secured, but the team had also secured promotion back to Serie A by winning the playoffs over Cremonese. So now we await the kits, for which Venezia have built up quite the reputation…
In the Coppa Italia match on 11 August against Brescia, Venezia wore a stripped back white kit with signature green and orange trim on the cuffs. It then saw the NOCTA logo riding above the club crest in a central position on the chest. To those of you worried that this was going to be the club’s kit for 24/25 – it’s not. Of course, with the announcement coming so late in the day in a football season-sense, the new kits, designed as a collaboration between NOCTA and Venezia, were completed on a compressed time frame and won’t actually be revealed until the club’s first Serie A match.
“We’re excited to partner with Venezia FC, a team that embodies the rich history and vibrant culture of Venice,” Babel said upon the official announcement. “It’s the perfect intersection of sport and culture and we’re looking forward to contributing to a franchise that stretches beyond the pitch.”
Fabrizia Monteleone, Brand Manager at Venezia FC, added: “One of Venezia FC’s goals is to leverage the global popularity of football and bring international attention to one of the most culturally significant cities in the world. Venezia FC serves as an ambassador for the city of Venice and the club’s relationship with NOCTA will reinforce Venezia FC’s broader mission to celebrate the city’s cultural heritage.”
Watch this space for the official drop of the first Venezia x NOCTA kit.
