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Liverpool will soon make the switch across from Nike to Adidas in terms of his kit manufacturer, with the delay this summer having meant wearing last season's jerseys for pre-season so far.
But the Reds are relaxed about the situation, which came about because the implementation of the Nike deal was postponed because of the Covid pandemic. And Liverpool chiefs are not expecting there to be a major impact in terms of the changeover.
"It’s just the reality of the situation," Ben Latty, Liverpool's chief commercial officer, told The Athletic. "When you think back to when we started the partnership with Nike, it was late because of Covid.
"One thing I will say is that Nike has been incredible. They said they would be good partners until the very end, and they’ve been true to their word. In terms of providing the equipment and kit needed for this tour, they have delivered everything we asked for.
"You tend to launch a new kit in May and potentially wear it for the final game of a season, depending on the significance of the fixture. We haven’t been able to do that, but August 1 will be big for us.
"We were always going to honor the contract with Nike. When we first entered into discussions with Adidas, it was always clear when we could start the partnership, and everyone knew exactly where they stood. It won’t happen again and won’t really impact us."
Liverpool will launch its new kits over the next few days, with the home jersey to be revealed on August 1. Today's game with Yokohama Marinos will be the final time that the Nike strip is worn for a game.
"As Billy Hogan said recently, we’re one of the biggest clubs in the world and we want to act like it," Latty said. "That’s the case both on and off the field."
In its most recent set of accounts, commercial income equated to more than half of Liverpool's total revenue for the first time. The Reds also overtook Manchester United for the first time in the Premier League era.
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"There's been a step-change in terms of our revenue, but there’s still a lot of room for us to grow," Latty added.
"The potential is huge. I believe we’re only just getting started in terms of where we can go as a commercial business. We have got the right people and the right structure in place to really kick on now.
"Controllable revenue — matchday and commercial — is what I’m focused on. We have to be a football club that is sustainable in everything we do."
Liverpool.com says: The Reds are very well run on and off the field at the moment. For all those wondering how Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak is possible in one window, revenues are a big part of the reason.
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