Messi and Neymar's exit leads to major brand ending PSG deal

At the conclusion of the 2024–25 season, Paris Saint-Germain and Jordan may split ways, according to a French newspaper.

Despite PSG‘s lackluster performance in their quest for European glory, their commercial influence has expanded substantially off the field.

Approximately 50,000 shirts were sold annually prior to their acquisition by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in 2011.

Today, you can’t go anywhere without seeing one of their shirts. Additionally, members of the club have boasted that, since 2019, annual ticket sales have topped one million.

PSG ranked first in all of soccer in terms of commercial income, according to the Deloitte Money League. The club’s record-breaking 2022-23 season brought in $879 million.

Even if the figure made some scratch their heads, the Parisians are obviously more than simply a soccer club now. Also, they aren’t content to be known only as one.

Among the world’s most famous fashion capitals, Paris is home to PSG, the most prominent club in the city. By teaming up with the French side, Nike and Jordan keep their foothold strong in the booming fashion industry, which they are keen to get into.

Long-term sponsorship standing on edge

However, the club may now feel the effects of losing key players like Neymar and Lionel Messi. More importantly, Kylian Mbappe‘s future is uncertain, and he is expected to go in the summer.

The Parc des Princes outfit further solidified their position as one of Europe’s premier clubs by acquiring the Argentine in addition to Neymar and Mbappe. Next up was the deal with the Jordan Brand.

One of the most profitable partnerships in sports marketing history started in September 2018. As far as the club’s marketability was concerned, everything was well for the first two seasons.

Both PSG and Jordan benefited from the contract when Messi and Neymar were teammates there. With the Parisiens’ meteoric rise to fame, Jordan were able to break into the soccer world. However, the good news, meanwhile, seems to have stopped there.

PSG’s marketing pays toll for Messi and Neymar’s exits

Due to recent player departures and UEFA Champions League underachievement, PSG’s reputation has taken a major hit. Since then, sales have reportedly been steadily falling.

Thus reports indicate that Jordan have begun exploring other options, namely a Nike-sponsored English team, in light of the declining sales. Given the rumors surrounding Mbappe’s possible transfer to Real Madrid, the Parisian club is unlikely to have the same level of market dominance it formerly had.

It only seems to have prompted Nike to take action. French outlet Footmercato claim that Final Jordan x PSG collections might drop in 2024–25, with the partnership perhaps terminating at season’s conclusion.

“For several months, the machine has stalled. The fault lies in the multiple poor performances of PSG in the Champions League (successive Round of 16 exits), the recent departures of Neymar and Lionel Messi from the French capital, without forgetting the significant drop in popularity in recent months of Kylian Mbappe”, the report says.

Meanwhile, Nike’s agreement with the Ligue 1 winners will remain unaffected by Jordan’s rumored departure until the latter half of 2032.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Sebastian Frej.