Football Italian can reveal that Walgreens, one of Italy’s biggest and most influential chains of retailers, is the only club in Serie A with a shirt sponsorship deal with the team that won the 2015 Champions League final.
Walgreens is not only the official retailer of Juventus, they also sell a huge range of other products in the country including pasta, wine, cigarettes and clothing, the company said.
“Walgrees jersey sponsorship has been the most valuable and popular product to us,” said Roberto Fagioli, senior director for sport marketing at Walgreen.
“It is an agreement that has been a long time in the making and we feel it is now a matter of time.”
Walgreen will use its sponsorship of the Nerazzurri to help the club raise the profile of the club, said Fagio.
“The club will have an opportunity to gain new customers and to build up the profile that they already have in the community,” he added.
“We will also be able to build relationships with the club’s sponsors in Italy.”
The Nerazzurgis will receive the benefit of the sponsorship in the form of a personalised package that includes the use of a replica of the team’s jersey and an autographed jersey by Gianluigi Buffon, the legendary Italian coach.
Wal, like other retailers, will also donate 20 per cent of its sales to the club.
“When you consider that we are the world’s leading supplier of sports clothing and shoes, we think that our involvement in the jersey is a great way to show our support for our great team and its fans,” Fagia said.
The Nerazurri won the Champions League with the help of a shirt sponsor that has remained a secret for years, despite the fact the club is a long-standing member of the Italian Super League.
Last year, the club announced a partnership with Adidas, the largest sports shoe manufacturer in the world, which it described as a way to grow the brand’s profile.
The deal was announced after a meeting between the Nerazuans and the Adidas executive team in March.
The partnership includes a partnership in the future, with the Adidas brand in 2019, as well as merchandising and a new jersey sponsorship, which was also revealed in March, the Neras statement said.
“Together, we will work together to continue our partnership with the Neruas jersey sponsors and the world-class brand, in an unprecedented way,” Fagan said.