Praise is finally starting to come Todd Boehly’s way after plenty of backlash has met his first three years at the helm at Chelsea.
The American has by no means been beloved by his own fans either. Chelsea supporters protested Boehly’s ownership outside Stamford Bridge as recently as February.
However, the big-money signings are starting to pay off for the Blues, and even those that don’t are being moved on swiftly, normally for profit on the fee paid for them.
Trophies will ultimately be what wins over supporters, and the Conference League and Club World Cup triumphs could just be start for the club’s return to the big time.
Todd Boehly looks on ahead of Chelsea FC v Paris Saint-Germain: Final - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
Photo by Arturo Holmes – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
One thing that some may have picked up on in their win against Real Betis was the presence of a shirt sponsor on their kit, something which was only the case for a handful of games at the end of the season.
The Blues have currently not got an agreement for a front of shirt sponsor for the 25/26 campaign, despite their competition victory in the United States reportedly putting them in a strong position at the negotiation table.
Financial expert Kieran Maguire has exclusively told The Chelsea Chronicle that the longer they do not have a deal agreed, the less companies will be interested in paying big money to be represented by the Blues.
He said: “Chelsea’s approach to front-of-shirt sponsorship is baffling. They clearly have a view about their brand value and merchandise. One can only assume that isn’t being replicated by interested parties.
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“The Infinite Athlete deal was quite strange. For a start-up company to spend £40m on a sponsorship deal is unusual. But this is the thing with American tech companies – sometimes they will make strange decisions.
“Going forward for this season, Chelsea’s winnings in the Club World Cup mean they can play hardball with prospective sponsors, but the price will quickly diminish. The big push for kit sales has already taken place.
*“And while in many ways it’s delightful to be able to buy a shirt without a sponsor eclipsing the club badge, having a sponsor there does add value to the overall package as far as negotiations with partners are concerned. One thing is for sure – Chelsea have an idea of the value and they aren’t going to compromise on that.*“
As per GRV’s Adam Williams, the lack of shirt sponsor over the last two years has already cost the club over £100m in potential revenue, a big loss in comparison to other top clubs around them.
Detailed view of the DAMAC shirt sponsor during Chelsea FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
21st century history of Chelsea shirt sponsors
A number of companies have had their name on the front of the Chelsea shirt over the years, with many being a key part of kits seen as iconic in their history.
‘3’ was present for three seasons at the start of the 2020s, with it being on the shirt when the Blues lifted their second Champions League trophy.
‘Yokohama Tyres’ enjoyed a five-year spell as the front of shirt sponsor, replacing the legendary ‘Samsung/Samsung Mobile’, which had been present for nearly a decade.
Before then, ‘Fly Emirates’ were on the shirt before taking their sponsorship to Arsenal, with ‘Autoglass’ taking the Blues into the new millennium after ending the 1990s on the front of the shirt.