The End of Venezia's Renaissance? Chief Brand Officer and Media Director Both Leave Club
Two key figures responsible for creating Venezia's new image and reputation have left the club. Brand director Ted Philipakos and media director Sonya Kondratenko have left their positions at Venezia to work full time with Greek division two club, Athens Kallithea.
The End of Venezia's Reign as World's Trendiest Club?
Until a few years ago, Venezia FC were virtually unknown to football fans around the world. They had played three seasons in Serie A around the turn of the century, their first since the 1960s, and had spent most of their history in Italy's lower divisions. In 2020, however, their kits started to garner attention in the football kit community. The following year, their first Kappa jerseys were launched to massive fanfare with a marketing campaign more typical of a luxury fashion house than a provincial Italian football club.
Venezia were relegated to Serie B at the end of the 21-22 season but the hype around their 22-23 shirts, complete with new crest, did not diminish. German design agency Bureau Borsche were responsible for the new crest, part of a visual rebrand that had really begun a couple of years prior when Ted Philipakos joined the club as Chief Brand Officer.
As he puts it on his own LinkedIn account, Philipakos "led the transformation of Venezia FC". By leaning on the culture, history and beauty of the city of Venice, the club has been presented as a lifestyle brand more than a football club, and the strategy has worked incredibly well. It's not just the kits that got a makeover. Their social media feed is carefully curated with artistic graphics a regular feature, their website was given a sleek redesign (also by Bureau Borsch) and they've released a photography book as well as fashionable rain and swimwear collections in Venezia's unique colour combo. They've also partnered with universities and cultural institutions in the city, giving them an appeal beyond football.
Artistic endeavours like the photography book and elegant matchday posters have become the norm at Venezia.
All of this has been under Philipakos' leadership, but he is not solely responsible for the transformation. Philipakos brought in Sonya Kondratenko as media director when he joined the club in August 2020, and the coverage Venezia's kits and various initiatives have received from renowned media outlets is thanks to her work. What's most impressive is that the club's footballing performances over that time period have been in stark contrast with their commercial growth. Being relegated from Serie A last season and currently sitting three points above the drop zone in Serie B does not seem to have affected their appeal.
Now after two and a half years, both Philipakos and Kondratenko have left their roles at Venezia to work on Philipakos' other project, Greek club Athens Kallithea. He has been president of the club since 2021 and has been recycling some of the techniques that proved so successful for Venezia; partnerships with Kappa and Bureau Borsche, kit launches stylishly shot around the club's home city, a new letter-based crest that doesn't look like a typical football club badge have already been introduced.
He has already succeeded in breathing new life into Athens Kallithea, and with his full attention and the expertise of Kondratenko they will surely continue to prosper and reach a status similar to that of Venezia. The Italian club however, will be keen to find replacements capable of continuing their progress. Significant groundwork has been laid, but it will be interesting to see if Philipakos and Kondratenko's successors will be able to maintain the trajectory that the club have been on for the last couple of years.
Do you think that the loss of these two important figures will impact Venezia's image and status going forward? Or has the hard work already been done? Can you see Athens Kallithea surpassing them in the cool stakes? Let us know in the comments.
Adidas Unveils All Major 26-27 Club Home Kits in Epic Group Shot
Adidas has officially kicked off the new campaign by uniting its global roster of partner clubs in a massive group photo celebrating their 26-27 home kits. Shared across the brand's social channels with the tagline "we are so back – new season, new chaos, same love for the game," the promotional shoot gathers standout players from European heavyweights and top American clubs against a bold pink studio backdrop.
The star-studded visual highlights key brand ambassadors including Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) seated at the front alongside Bayern Munich. They are joined by players representing Manchester United, Liverpool, Juventus, and Newcastle United, as well as European and South American powerhouses such as AS Roma, Aston Villa, Ajax, Benfica, Lyon, Fenerbahce, Flamengo, Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Club América.
Featuring a mix of traditional colorways, bespoke patterns, and the brand's latest 2026-27 design templates, the united showcase underlines the German sportswear giant's extensive elite portfolio heading into the new season. All of the 26-27 home jerseys featured in the campaign are now rolling out through official Adidas channels and club retail stores worldwide.
SC Gjilani 26-27 Kits Released
Kosovar Superliga club SC Gjilani and German brand Jako have unveiled their new kit collection for the 26-27 season. The lineup embraces a clean, retro-inspired aesthetic characterized by centered iconography and classic detailing.
All jerseys in the collection follow a unified template built on subtle vertical jacquard pinstripes. A standout feature is the centered alignment on the chest, showcasing a retro oval Jako Sport logo placed directly above the club crest and the ELBAU sponsor. The shirts are finished with distinct contrast tipping along the ribbed V-neck collar and sleeve cuffs.
The 26-27 collection introduces a variety of colorways, led by the traditional red and white options alongside sleek navy and black editions. The dark versions have already seen on-pitch action, featuring stylized white name and number sets.
CE L'Hospitalet 26-27 Away Kit Released
Spanish Tercera Federación side CE L'Hospitalet has officially unveiled its new away kit for the 26-27 season, crafted by long-time technical partner Hummel. The club introduced the new shirt through a neighborhood-centered campaign shot inside local markets and newsstands, paying homage to the city's community spirit, local commerce, and everyday workers.
The Hummel CE L'Hospitalet 2026-27 away jersey features a clean white base paired with a retro-inspired red polo collar and matching red Hummel chevrons along the shoulders. A red diagonal sash runs across the front, neatly divided by the club's "L'Hospi" text across the chest. The design is finished with a monochrome black club crest, black sleeve cuffs, and Catalan flag detailing integrated into the collar.
Songkhla FC 26-27 Home Kit Released
Thai League 2 club Songkhla FC and new technical partner EGO Sport have officially unveiled the club's new home shirt for the 26-27 campaign. The launch marks the beginning of the club's deal with the Thai brand, taking over from previous manufacturer EightyEight Sport under a "Rise Again" campaign.
The Songkhla FC 26-27 home jersey features the club's traditional red and black vertical stripes. Sublimated across the black stripes is an intricate tonal graphic inspired by local folklore and maritime heritage, paying tribute to legends surrounding junks, magical gems, and the famous Koh Nu and Koh Maew (Mouse and Cat) islands.
A classic black polo collar adorned with subtle geometric detailing, white shoulder accents, and the club's Samila mermaid crest complete the look.
Manchester United Forced to Modify Third Kit Front-of-Shirt Sponsor for UEFA Champions League
Manchester United's newly released third kit made headlines with its unique vertically aligned crest and logos: the Adidas logo, the simplified Red Devil icon, and a minimalist Snapdragon emblem. This sleek arrangement was a creative collaboration between Manchester United, Adidas, and Snapdragon.
However, in the UEFA Champions League, the Red Devils will be required to add the "Snapdragon" wordmark beneath the fire ball emblem. This change comes down to strict UEFA Equipment Regulations, which mandate that main front-of-shirt sponsor branding must remain consistent across all registered match kits (home, away, and third).
Big thanks to @jerseystory_vn for the comparison graphic.
No More Joma: Adidas CD Marchamalo 26-27 Home Kit Released
Spanish Tercera Federación outfit CD Marchamalo has officially unveiled its new home kit for the 2026-27 season. The release marks the beginning of the club's new two-year kit supply agreement with Adidas, delivered in partnership with retailer 11teamsports.
The Adidas CD Marchamalo 2026-27 home jersey features a vibrant green base paired with refined gold accents. The front of the shirt incorporates a distinctive graphic pattern made up of repeating circular and diamond elements, contrasted by darker green sleeves. Gold is applied across the crew-neck collar, the Adidas Three Stripes along the shoulders, and the performance logo on the chest.
Completing the bespoke look, the jersey displays both the municipal coat of arms and the club crest on the chest, positioned just above an eagle-crested 'Gallardos Marchamalo 1950' insignia. The primary shirt sponsor Hercesa is applied in gold below, while local government branding finishes off the back of the shirt.
Niki Volos 26-27 Third Kit Released
Greek Super League 2 club Niki Volos has officially unveiled its new third kit for the 2026-27 season, produced by returning technical partner Macron.
The Macron Niki Volos 26-27 third shirt introduces a clean and vibrant aesthetic dominated by a bright yellow base. Subtle tonal vertical stripes run throughout the front of the fabric, adding subtle depth and texture to the design. The jersey is detailed with royal blue accents, notably on the sleeve cuffs and the overlapping V-neck collar, which features two-tone blue and yellow striping.
A monochrome blue version of the club's traditional crest, depicting the Winged Victory alongside the founding year 1924, is placed on the left chest. It is paired with a matching blue Macron Hero on the opposite side, while blue player names, numbers, and sponsor applications finish off the back.
Qatar SC 26-27 Home & Away Kits Released
Italian sportswear brand Macron and Qatar Stars League side Qatar SC have officially unveiled the club's new home and away kits for the 26-27 season.
The Qatar SC 26-27 home jersey embraces the club's iconic visual identity, sporting traditional vertical stripes in black and yellow across the body and sleeves. The shirt features a striped crew neck collar and matching sleeve cuffs, along with a minimalist shield crest and yellow sponsor detailing across the chest.
For the away jersey, Macron delivers a sleek and clean aesthetic built around an off-white base. The look is framed by a stylish dark grey polo-style collar and matching cuff accents, with monochrome logos completing the kit. Alongside the outfield shirts, the release also introduced new goalkeeper jerseys in dynamic sky blue and maroon graphic designs.
Arsenal Expands Google Partnership to Include Gemini AI in £7m/Year Deal
Arsenal have renewed and expanded their commercial partnership with Google, securing Google Pixel as the club's Official Smartphone Partner while introducing Google Gemini as their Official Consumer AI Assistant Partner. According to sports business reports, the lucrative three-year contract is valued at around £7 million per season.
The agreement builds on the collaboration originally established in August 2023, which saw Google Pixel produce matchday digital content and exclusive behind-the-scenes access for supporters. The new phase will see Google Gemini integrated into the club's digital channels to provide AI-assisted fan experiences and matchday engagement across both the men's and women's teams, alongside continued Pixel camera activations.
Arsenal's renewal is part of a coordinated push by Google across elite European football. Over recent weeks, the tech company has rolled out similar multi-year partnerships incorporating both Pixel and Gemini with top clubs such as Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Barcelona.