Three UK, Hyundai ‘resigned’ to remain ‘associated’ for free with Chelsea — report

Shirt sponsors Three UK and shirt-sleeve sponsors Hyundai were the two most prominent companies to jump ship after the sanctions levied on Roman Abramovich, and in turn, Chelsea, by the UK government, suspending their multi-million sponsorship deals and in the former’s case, also demanding that their logos to removed from the Chelsea shirts.

But Chelsea have continued to play in the branded shirts just the same since then, and it sounds like we will have to finish out the season like that as well. While the UK government have relaxed some of their nonsensical restrictions on the club — ticket sales, for example, or cash reserves to be able to actually operate day-to-day — they continue to prevent Nike from supplying us with clean new shirts.

Nike, unlike the two sponsors running for their moral high ground, have stayed to support the club, but they are unable to supply shirts without logos on them, and alternative methods of removal or covering have proven unfeasible or unviable. Taping over the logos has been suggested, but according to the Daily Mail, “a thin layer would be see through, whilst a thick tape would make the shirts too heavy and potentially uncomfortable for the players”. Covering the logos with a spray of some kind has rejected as “too messy” meanwhile.

I would humbly suggest cutting out the eyesores that are the Three logos, revolutionary “hollow flag” style, and thus adding not only some visual relief but extra ventilation to the already highly advanced breathable sports science fabric that’s used — though that might violate competition rules regrading proper kit.

The Mail’s report concedes that, having been informed of this Catch-2022 situation, Three UK “are resigned to continuing to be associated with the club”, and seeing their stupid logo paraded around on the national and international stage for some free advertising. Gee, how magnanimous of them.

Photo credit should read ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP via Getty Images