Surprise Revelation: New Balance Once Tried to Sign Cristiano Ronaldo
- New Balance's Attempt: Around 2015-2016, New Balance engaged in direct negotiations with Cristiano Ronaldo, attempting to sign him away from Nike as his contract neared its end.
- Unprecedented Offer: To entice Ronaldo, New Balance offered him a direct percentage of the profits generated by its entire football division, moving beyond traditional sponsorship wages.
- Nike's Counteraction: The secret negotiations served as leverage for Ronaldo, prompting Nike to secure his future with a historic lifetime endorsement contract reportedly valued at $1 billion in November 2016.
Cristiano Ronaldo is synonymous with Nike and the iconic Mercurial series, having represented the Swoosh for over two decades. However, a stunning revelation has surfaced showing that the Portuguese superstar came remarkably close to an unprecedented brand switch a decade ago, with New Balance mounting an audacious pursuit to pry him away from the American giant.
The revelation was shared by former New Balance marketing director Ben Haworth during coverage surrounding Kylian Mbappé's monumental exit from Nike to join Swiss brand On.
New Balance Once Tried to Sign Cristiano Ronaldo
According to Haworth, New Balance held direct negotiations with Ronaldo around 2015 and 2016, when the multi-time Ballon d'Or winner was approaching the end of his Nike contract and quietly exploring his options on the market.
A Share of New Balance's Entire Football Business
To entice the world's most commercially powerful footballer, New Balance prepared an unprecedented package that went far beyond traditional sponsorship wages. Haworth disclosed that the brand planned to offer Ronaldo a direct percentage of the profits generated by New Balance's entire football division.
An offer of that scale would have made Ronaldo an integral financial stakeholder in the brand's football venture, giving him immense commercial upside.
At the time, the talks remained entirely behind closed doors, with virtually no public speculation suggesting Ronaldo was on the verge of leaving Nike. However, once Nike executives caught wind of the serious threat and realized they risked losing their crown jewel, the company acted decisively.
In November 2016, Nike secured Ronaldo's future by announcing a historic lifetime endorsement contract, a landmark pact reportedly valued at around $1 billion.
How the Talks Paved the Way for Nike's Lifetime Deal
The secret negotiations clearly served as ultimate leverage for Ronaldo's camp, pushing Nike to lock him down for good. The story also draws striking parallels to today's evolving boot market, where superstars increasingly demand equity and revenue shares over standard endorsement checks.
While New Balance went on to build a respected, selective football roster featuring stars like Bukayo Saka and Endrick, the football boot landscape would look unimaginably different today had Ronaldo accepted their profit-sharing proposition.
What do you think about Cristiano Ronaldo almost joining New Balance? How different would the football boot market look today if he had accepted the profit-sharing offer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.