The Magpies went out of their way to secure a deal with Adidas by flying over to Germany while still in contract with Castore
One of the new Newcastle United Adidas SPZL products
One of the new Newcastle United Adidas SPZL products
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Newcastle United are capable of keeping company with the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Liverpool in the long-term - thanks to their partnership with Adidas.
Along with the likes of AS Roma, Juventus and Manchester United, the Magpies are making the most of their agreement with Adidas to help keep them on the main global stage. Last week, fans queued from 8am to get their hands on SPZL F.C. Newcastle's capsule collection and faced a TEN-hour wait with the launch starting at 6pm.
And while Newcastle may not be in the same ballpark as some of the Champions League winners, club ambassador Shay Given, who witnessed the launch and helped promote the new range, sees similarities to the late 90s and early 2000s when he helped the team challenge for the title and play in Europe.
Given told Chronicle Live: "It's a partnership that went out the way to kind of do, didn't they? They flew over to Germany to get that deal struck.
"That was an easy win, but an important one.
"Well, it was a big deal, I think Peter Silverstone and the powers that be, the commercial team, they are working really hard upstairs and deserve a lot of credit.
"To go ahead and get these big deals done, it's not easy, you're negotiating in the boardroom and going in against biggest hitters who have the pick of the brands so to get Adidas back is brilliant."
Newcastle beat Benfica 3-0 in the Champions League to cement their place in the revamped and expanded competition this week. The dream would be to get into the top eight and guarantee a place in the last 16.
Given says it is great to be at the European party again, but feels that it needs to be permanent in terms of both profile and PSR needs. The former Republic of Ireland stopper said: "It's great for Adidas and their brans as much as it is for Newcastle.
"You're in that same group as, because Adidas have got Real Madrid, Bayern, Arsenal, Liverpool, now we are in that group as well.
"Getting into the Champions League for the second season now in three years in the Champions League for Newcastle as a brand themselves is big."
Shay Given of Newcastle United during the 2003 FA Premier League Asia Cup final held at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur
Shay Given of Newcastle United in 2003
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The ultimate goal for the likes of Silverstone and new incoming CEO David Hopkinson is to ensure that Newcastle can compete in the transfer market.
Given said: "PSR is a huge part of it. I mean, we've seen it Man City've got £700m profit pile from what they've done in recent times and they've set the standard.
"It feels like we're paying a little bit of catch-up, that's come from what happened over the years before this ownership come in.
"And again, yeah, I've got to give the credit to the commercial team."
Indeed in the last three years alone Newcastle have toured Saudi Arabia, the US, Australia, Japan, South Korea and Singapore - and Given has been on board.
He said: "You know, they're working really hard I know I've been on a couple of tours, obviously pre-season tours.
"And these commercial guys are in meetings after meeting with different sponsors and different brands and just trying to push from every angle, you know, because if you want to stay at the top table and Champions League and competing towards the top of the Premier League, you need these, you know, sponsors and their support as it brings the money to balance the books."
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