Como bets on making kits as multiclub servicing moves upstream

Como plan to stop relying on a traditional technical supplier after 2026/27 and develop their own kits and sportswear as part of a wider push into football business services.Their three-year Adidas arrangement carries no sponsorship fee and is primarily value-in-kind, with Como purchasing product before handling customisation, distribution and retail themselves.Como president Mirwan Suwarso said: “The majority of our business has been our own distribution and our own customization, and we see that it’s better for us to become more independent.”The decision follows rapid growth in the club’s retail operation. Suwarso says retail revenue has increased from approximately US$62,000 five years ago to about US$16m last season, with jerseys accounting for only around 40%.Most of the business now comes from Como’s own lifestyle merchandise, strengthening management’s argument that product development can become a revenue operation rather than simply a supplier relationship.The club are extending that capability through Sent Retail and its RHUDE 4 FANS programme. Launched in April, the operation began with clubs including Tottenham, Everton, LAFC, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ula and Pisa and has since expanded to around 20 partners.Como ultimately want to add technical-kit production to a services package covering merchandise, e-commerce, creative work, marketing and physical retail.The strategy forms part of what Suwarso calls “multiclub servicing”, an alternative to buying stakes in multiple football clubs. Como instead intend to build scale by selling capabilities developed internally to other teams and sharing in the resulting economics.The club expect revenue of around US$115m in 2026, with Champions League participation providing another substantial boost after their fourth-place Serie A finish.Bringing kit production in-house carries meaningful risk. Sports marketing consultant Peter Rohlmann said: “The main risk is inventory,” pointing to previous club-led kit ventures that failed after misjudging demand.Napoli provide a rare prominent precedent through their EA7 arrangement, while most clubs continue to rely on established sportswear manufacturers for sourcing and inventory management.Como are nevertheless betting that their retail growth gives them sufficient expertise to own more of the margin and eventually sell that capability to other clubs.If successful, the model would turn one of football’s traditional supplier relationships into another vertically integrated B2B revenue stream.