Published 10:53 IST, March 3rd 2021
Inter Milan and Italian tyre giants Pirelli end 27-year sponsorship deal, fans emotional
Inter Milan Pirelli deal: Italian giants will no longer be sponsored by multinational tyre company Pirelli, bringing an end to 27 long years of collaboration.
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Italian giants Inter Milan and multinational tyre company Pirelli are all set to end their collaboration at the end of the current season. Pirelli has been Inter Milan's shirt sponsor since the start of the 1995-96 season. The end of this iconic collaboration, often regarded as one of the best partnerships between a club and a sponsor lasting 27 years, has the Inter Milan fans emotional.
Inter Milan Pirelli deal to expire at the end of season
Pirelli and Inter Milan joined forces for the first time in the 1995-96 season and the collaboration gained strength ever since. The sponsorship deal was worth £10 million per season apart from the bonuses as add ons. Pirelli has been a witness to Inter's dominance in Europe.
👉 That man. Again. #InterGenoa 1⃣-0⃣#FORZAINTER ⚫️🔵 pic.twitter.com/0rtFxzRZLN
— Inter (@Inter_en) February 28, 2021
Pirelli chief executive Marco Tronchetti Provera has now confirmed the reports. He has revealed that the iconic collaboration will come to an end once the ongoing season concludes. Speaking to Gr Parlamentoc, he said, "We are in talks with (Alessandre) Antonello, (Beppe) Marotta (chief executives) and other Inter directors."
Fans react to end of Inter Milan Pirelli deal
An Inter Milan shirt without Pirelli and will be a new era in shirt sponsorship. This was more than a brand name on a shirt, it was the shirt itself. https://t.co/lhEDVs41zB
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) March 2, 2021
This sounds like a divorce inter Milan is pirelli.Pirelli is inter Milan 😂
— All for God (@iam_moshoodon) March 2, 2021
I thought Pirelli was part of the Inter logo😢
— Ebube Ernest (@ebubeernest) March 2, 2021
No no!
Inter Milan without Pirelli just won't sit right with me. I guess like all good things, it has to end.
— Ademola Kadiri (@AdemolaKadiri) March 2, 2021
Inter Milan and Pirelli end their 26 year legendary shirt sponsorship deal, wow, it’s going to look so akward
— khothatso mosuoane (@mosuoanekm) March 2, 2021
Who will be the next Inter Milan jersey sponsors?
Provera asserted that Pirelli will not be Inter Milan's jersey sponsors anymore. But he did insist that their relationship with the Nerrazzuri will continue. Various reports speculating the new sponsors have been doing the rounds since the previous year. As per a report in the Italian media dating back to September, Chinese property development company Evergrande Group is an option to replace Pirelli.
Interestingly, the end of the collaboration of Pirelli as the Inter Milan sponsors come at a time when the club's owners are reeling under financial pressure. Inter Milan are currently owned by China-based Suning Group. The owners have halted all its commercial operations in China, including at Jiangsu FC. As quoted by Goal, the statement on halting operations at Jiangsu FC read, "Due to the overlap of various uncontrollable elements, Jiangsu Football Club cannot effectively guarantee the continuation of the activity: from now on, Jiangsu Football Club will stop."
Serie A table update as Inter lead the way
Meanwhile, Inter Milan are currently in the driver's seat in the Serie A standings. Antonio Conte's men have bagged 56 points in 24 games. They maintain a four-point lead over second-placed AC Milan and will next take on Parma on Thursday, March 4 (Friday according to IST).
Image courtesy: Inter Twitter
10:02 IST, March 3rd 2021