Song Lam Nghe An abandons Kappa kit: Both are disappointed.

After a season wearing the high-end Italian brand Kappa jerseys, the SLNA players have returned to their traditional, domestically produced kits. The reason is that after a year of cooperation, both sides were not keen on renewing the contract.

Speaking to a reporter from Sports & Culture about why Kappa previously wanted to partner with SLNA but has now withdrawn, Mr. Hoang Phuc, Kappa's representative in Vietnam, said: "We decided to sponsor SLNA because we thoroughly researched them. This is a team with a rich tradition and the strongest fan base in Vietnam, making them a good fit for developing our image and brand in Vietnam."

That was the goal. But the reality was different. Kappa was no longer interested in expanding its market in Nghe An, because they hadn't sold a single jersey to fans in the province. The brand's official store in Vinh City also didn't appear.

It has been learned that many SLNA fans are not enthusiastic about Kappa's jersey. They believe that the jersey is too similar to Hanoi T&T's jersey, thus detracting somewhat from SLNA's identity.

This year, Hoang Thinh's SLNA has returned to using domestically produced jerseys, instead of branded ones like last year. Photo: VSI

In discussions with SLNA's leadership, the sponsor's explanation to the club was the negative image of Vietnamese football in general: "In 2014, the image of Vietnamese football deteriorated in the eyes of the international community when a series of match-fixing cases involving players were brought to light. Therefore, from Italy, the company requested that Kappa Vietnam's office not renew the contract. However, contracts that have not yet expired, such as with Hanoi T&T, will continue to be implemented."

To secure the sponsorship contract signed on January 5, 2014, between Kappa and SLNA, the parties had been holding preliminary discussions for three years prior, since SLNA won the V-League championship in 2011.

The contract between the two parties was signed for approximately 2 billion VND, including cash and the equivalent of playing kits and accessories for the SLNA first team. In return, Kappa not only has exclusive rights to use its image on SLNA's jerseys but also gets to place 6 billboards at Vinh Stadium and 8 billboards at the training ground. Kappa's image will also appear on the team's transport vehicles.

Conversely, SLNA Club itself was disappointed with the contract. SLNA hoped to be fully sponsored for jerseys, training kits, and accessories for the youth team, but Kappa only sponsored the first team.

Therefore, the SLNA management is not keen on renewing the contract, even though SLNA had previously offered the sponsor many unprecedented preferential policies during negotiations.

Mr. Ho Van Chiem, CEO of SLNA, said, "Of course, I still wish the players could wear high-quality jerseys when playing, but it's okay if they don't, because SLNA builds its brand with fans not just through clothing."

Since the beginning of this season, SLNA players have been using jerseys custom-made for the club in Ho Chi Minh City, at a cost only about one-tenth of the price of the jerseys supplied by Kappa.

According to the Cultural Center