Newcastle United handed the 'greatest sales pitch' to help boost fight against FFP

In a world where revenue and commercial deals are the difference between a team that competes and simply exists - every day and every penny counts. Newcastle United in recent years have sought to grow their revenue - and it's fair to say that any potential new sponsors only have to look back on the last week at the football club to see why a deal with the Magpies is the hottest ticket in town.

In the last few days, the club have been presented the ideal sales pitch to any company thinking about joining up by showing them the footage and images of first the fans waiting through the night for the return of Adidas and the launch of next season's home kit, which was followed up by 10,000 fans flocking to the Quayside for a light display put on by the club's shirt sponsor Sela.

In the space of 24 hours, the city's commitment and loyalty to Newcastle United was showcased in a way few others clubs could do.

On Friday, the day of the kit launch, I got up to the ground at 7am to find people had been queuing all night long and the line of people stretched back to the St James’ metro station. People are all ages - old and young, who were probably very grateful that the rain that had threatened earlier in the morning had held off.

It was a cold and nippy morning but the excitement in the queue undoubtedly kept the spirits high and the adrenaline pumping. There was a tremendous atmosphere, and the security at the shop were even providing hot drinks to some of those waiting.

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The very fact that people had been queuing all night - people like Kenny who had been there since 12.30am - despite the fact you can buy it online, shows you the commitment of these fans - and it shows you the pull of Adidas.

Kit launch day is always a big day but the queues on June 7th were something else, I’m not sure you have seen the reaction for many other kit manufactures.

And the appetite for the new kit was set by the club’s trailer that was released on Thursday evening - a black and white masterpiece narrated by Alan Shearer, showcasing the region's rugged coastline, and the city's dominating skyline as well the club’s modern days heroes ike Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes. It was creative, emotional - the rendition of Blaydon Races pulled at the heart strings - and it set the tone for what as to come.

Goosebumps was the word many used. It’s hard to disagree. Clever marketing? Of course. Let’s not doubt that Adidas have done their research - they will know exactly what makes this fanbase tick, and will use it to make as much money as they can.

But then isn’t that what we want? A club and kit manufacturer prepared to go the extra mile, a company that cares… a company that gets it?

I tweeted the advert feels more than just a deal for both Adidas and Newcastle United - it feels special. The two go hand in hand - this is the deal most fans wanted more than most. My tweet seemingly caught the attention of opposition fans who labelled it weird, and fairytale stuff. They’re entitled to their opinion, as am I and I believe that this is more than just a deal for Adidas.

It’s the little things that suggest so. The investment into the club shop, and while work is going on there the decision not just to point everyone online for six weeks until the project is complete - no they spent money making sure there was a base that fans could came in person to get their shirts.

Yes it’s all revenue for the club and Adidas but they didn’t have to set up a temporary stores - yet they did. The work in the trailer and the rest of the marketing is all very personal, and it just feels special. It's the same for the light show that lit up the Baltic on Saturday.

Hours of work and planning had gone onto it - and again, it's about self promotion for Sela and tapping into the unwavering loyalty of the fanbase. Make the fans feel loved and appreciated, and that this mega rich company from the other side of the world get just how important the club is to the fanbase. Having watched the display, it's hard to argue that they don't get it.

Perhaps in the world of football - where money matters more than anything, I’m naive but hey, it won’t stop Toon fans enjoying the return of Adidas and the effort of Sela. One fan I spoke to on Friday outside of the club shop asked 'which other supplier would do that,' as she reflected back on being part of the security who were on call when the Adidas advert was filmed.

She was bowled over by the detail of the advert, and the fact so much effort had gone in to it to make authentic. That just captures why this feels like a very special deal. It would be very easy for Adidas and the club to take for granted the love of Adidas from the fan base, create a shirt bang it on the shelves and do little else - they know it would sell regardless.

But by going that extra mile, by making the fans feel loved and appreciated, it shows a real understanding of what this relationship could be. As the first person in the queue for the new shirt said on the return of Adidas:‘it’s like brining back an old partner’ - Newcastle’s co-owner Merhdad Ghoussid describe it as ‘two old lovers’...

It just sums up the romanticism of this relationship. But it’s not just the older fans who are excited - the queue for full of youngsters, some who undoubtedly late for school - and others, as their parents pointed out to me, had absentee forms approved!

But these kids weren’t even alive the last time Newcastle and Adidas worked together, yet here they were standing in the early hours for the new shirt.

The vey fact that that love for Adidas has been passed down a generation - the pictures of Alan Shearer scoring against Everton, or Philippe Albert's chip against Man United, all done in the black and white of Adidas, all forming this picture book image of the relationship - again reaffirms why bringing back Adidas was the only logical move.

Two of the youngsters I spoke to could barely contain their excitement about Adidas returning to Newcastle - one spoke about 'missing the Adidas of old' despite only being seven - which again reaffirms just how much this means. I’ve focused a lot on understanding the fanbase, understanding you guys - showing that the club and Adidas get it.

It was a lovely touch to see the club’s CEO Darren Eales and CCO Peter Silverstone come down before the shop opened at 8am and simply thank fans for coming down. They shook hands with them and showed their appreciation.

And it’s not just the home shirt, there’s training tops and tracksuits… although I have to say, and I’ll be in the minority, I’m not a huge fans of the tracksuit tops that everyone seems to love but it’s all about opinion.

Looking at what people were buying from the shop, it’s fair to say the majority of folk are big fans of the additional items, and that is great and all adds up to money in the pot for Newcastle. So what about the money? I’ve talked about the emotional pull of this deal but to put it bluntly that matters little if it doesn’t bring in any revenue.

It’s thought that this deal - before revenue is calculated for shirt sales - will be in the region of £30 million to £40 million. The deal with Castore was worth £5-7m. That shows you the significance of this deal.

The current day ownership came into find that the club’s commercial revenue was alarmingly low - under Mike Ashley things had really slipped - and a successful Premier League club can’t be ran that way. Over the last two and half years, we’ve seen the like of Eales and Silverstone really push for bigger and better deals - and a kit deal worth up to potential 7 times more than the last is certainly that

To put into perspective - Newcastle’s deal with Castore was 8th highest in the league, according to reports - below Everton and just above West Ham. Everton’s deal with Hummel was said to be worth £8m - the jump to Spurs who were 6th in the list - is a staggering £22 million - at £30 million.

United’s new deal puts them above Spurs, still below the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea at £60 million and still a fair bit away from Man United - another Adidas shirt - at £75 million. But the important point here is, it’s a start and very good one at that.

This deal was done with Newcastle having ambitions of the Champions League but knowing that the reality - as the season just gone has shown - of becoming an established top 4 side is a difficult challenge and never guaranteed. Yet Adidas, knowing Newcastle were just at the start of their project, signed up.

Imagine where United will be when European football becomes the norm, top players sign regularly and a cup is won. If the owners’ hopes ring true then the only way is up when it comes to commercial revenue, and this Adidas deal along side Sela sets the bar when it comes to reputation of who is next… as said it’s not a bad little start, is it?

Should any new sponsors really need persuading to join up with Newcastle, show them the last week and just what you get when you put in a bit of effort and make the most of a fan base who just want to feel part of the journey - their effort and commitment to Newcastle is the greatest sales pitch to the next commercial giant who comes on board.