If only it was that simple.
There's a tender process and a number of other factors at play to get a kit provider, as well as getting financially the best deal for the club.
The Just Sport partnership covers everything including the running of the club shop for a set annual fee with triggers involved.
If using Merchandising from the company accounts, here's our income:
2019: £115,000
2018: £109,000
2017: £104,000
2016: £104,000
Now I had a bit of a look around to see if I could find a similar size club currently using Adidas to make a comparison. Out of similar size clubs there is only Birmingham using Adidas this season, but Brentford were using it up to this year. I've used them for this comparison....
Using "Retail" from their accounts:
2019: £387,361
2018: £438,498
2017: £425,715
I agree it's arguably lazy from the club and financially the numbers speak for themselves that giving it to a third-party to run means that commercially it's less profitable than doing it ourselves from the outside looking in.
Out of pure interest, I also had a look at Barnsley. Similar size club. Again under "Merchandise" in the accounts.
2019: £715,405
2018: £720,423
2017: £670,103
I mean, I'm starting to smell a rat here. Barnsley's merchandise income is 7x that of ours?!