Nike to Sponsor Fictional Team AFC Richmond - First-Ever Kit Inspired By FC Barcelona Champions League-Winning Shirt

Nike have announced a deal with AFC Richmond, the club managed by Ted Lasso in the Apple+ tv series of the same name.

Throughout the first two seasons, AFC Richmond were sponsored by fictional sports company Verani Sports. Their kit in the first two seasons was mainly blue with a red vertical stripe bordered in gold running down the left side.

Nike To Create Kits For Fictional Club AFC Richmond

Ted Lasso is a comedy-drama series following an American football coach (Jason Sudeikis) who gets hired as the manager of fictional Premier League side AFC Richmond. Its third season is due to come out later this year.

The American sportswear giant tweeted a close-up photo of a red and blue jersey featuring the Swoosh and the AFC Richmond badge, with the word “believe” in the center. The design evokes memories of the Barcelona 2008-09 Champions League-winning kit.

Nike had a deal with the Space Jam remake which saw them produce basketball kits for the teams of the film which were also made available to buy, as well as a range of other Space Jam products. This marks their first time working with a fictional football club.

AFC Richmond will be kitted out in Nike gear. The Nike AFC Richmond kit could also be available to buy when the new season comes out, although, considering the much larger cultural significance of Space Jam, we won’t be expecting a collection of products of the same scale for Ted Lasso.

Concept designer @ensemble.fc created a mock-up of what a Nike AFC Richmond kit could look like

The Athletic reported in October that the Ted Lasso producers had inked a licensing deal worth up to £500,000 (around $680,000 USD) with the Premier League. The deal allows the show to use archive footage, Premier League logos, club kits, and the league trophy, the site explained. Having Nike gear in addition to all of this will make the show look the part even more.

What do you think of this unusual deal? Will you be buying a Nike AFC Richmond shirt?