Inside Newcastle's kit-launch video: First-teamers dancing, a fan flown in from Japan, and Plato philosophy

New York Times

4 hours ago

'Was that any good?' Alexander Isak asks, hoping for an acting appraisal from the director. 'Estuve excelente,' comes a voice.
Tino Asprilla is chuckling to himself. The Newcastle United cult hero, famous for his acrobatic celebrations and off-field antics, is sat beside Isak in the downstairs bar of the Tyneside Irish Centre, a pub-turned-social-club directly opposite St James' Park.
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April 30 has delivered the hottest day of the year, yet Asprilla is wearing a thick fur winter coat and is visibly sweating.
It is not quite that iconic fur coat he wore in the snow upon his arrival in England in February 1996. The original was auctioned off and, when attempts to contact the current owner proved fruitless, a replica costing thousands was commissioned using multiple photographs. Underneath, only just visible, Asprilla is donning Newcastle's new blue and orange third kit for 2025-26.
'The shirt is nice, but the coat is better,' Asprilla says in broken English, winking. Isak laughs — which comes as a relief to the crew, who were unsure how he would embrace half an hour of amateur dramatics — and chats to Asprilla in Spanish, one of several languages he speaks fluently.
Fortunately, a crew member is also well-versed in Spanish. Earlier, Asprilla had nodded along to acting instructions provided in English, but evidently had no comprehension of what was being said.
'They're absolute legends,' the director says as filming finishes. Isak walks around the room and shakes hands with the 100-plus extras, while Asprilla hastily changes into a stylish blue shirt, ready to head straight out and (re)sample the Newcastle nightlife. Chants of 'Tino, Tino' follow Asprilla and he signs a few beer mats (which display the specially made 'Newcastle Originals, Est 1892' logo) as he goes.
'Please, no asking for autographs with the players,' comes the directive. 'We have a limited time with them.'
Time may be short, but money, it seems, is little object for Adidas here.
The company understandably regards its budget for this two-minute advert for Newcastle's third strip as too commercially sensitive to disclose — even to The Athletic, which has been granted rare behind-the-scenes access to the filming of a Premier League kit-launch video.
But alongside Asprilla's airfare from Colombia is Jonas Gutierrez's from Argentina and a fan's from Japan, while the entire Irish Centre has been booked out for an initial three days (with another added later) and completely transformed by the 60-plus crew members with purpose-made decorations.
Conservatively, tens of thousands must have been invested for just one of the three annual kit launches.
The promotional kitty dwarfs that of Castore, Newcastle's previous kit supplier. A rekindling of the Adidas partnership last year was celebrated by fans as confirmation of the club's 'return' to the elite.
Adidas boasts Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich among their top-grade stable, yet bespoke adverts such as this, alongside long-sleeved shirts being reintroduced, provide further evidence of Newcastle's increasing commercial pull.
Standing on Gallowgate in the baking sun, Irish Centre regulars are unimpressed.
'I'm here every Wednesday for a Guinness or three!' a grey-haired man exclaims to the security guard, having just read the 'CLOSED' signs. 'Howay, I come in here every f***ing day,' says another, ironically wearing a Newcastle United cap.
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Externally, the pub looks no different, the white equipment van permanently parked up notwithstanding. Inside, however, the usual decor — basic and ageing — has been transformed.
'Sam Fender, Live at The Irish Centre — for one night only' posters adorn the walls. The North Shields-born singer is a world-renowned rock star with black-and-white-striped credentials. He played three sold-out St James' gigs last month.
A regular wearer of Adidas retro outfits, Fender is part of the company's 'talent' and this fictional gig provides the advert's theme, with players past and present, male and female, in attendance and providing 'Easter eggs' by recreating moments for which they are renowned.
On the bar, 'Mackem Tears' cider and 'Newcastle Originals, 1892' beer are 'available' on draught. Above, scarves celebrating March's Carabao Cup final victory — 'We're going to Wember-lee, Tell me ma, me ma' and '2025 League Cup winners: Newcastle, the Geordie Boys' — hang proudly. Throughout the room, blue-and-orange flags, a nod to the kit's colours, and a framed 1997-98 shirt — the one which inspired this latest jersey — are hanging.
Behind the makeshift stage, garish golden glittery ribbons droop down. Someone (accurately) comments that 'it's like a scene from Phoenix Nights', a British sitcom set in a working men's club.
Unfortunately, Fender's schedule has changed, meaning he cannot make the first two days of filming, so 'Scam Fender', a popular tribute act, is entertaining the crowd between takes.
Before the players arrive, the director outlines his vision to the extras, who are not being paid and have had to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to be involved. 'We're going for an intimate Sam Fender gig vibe,' he says. 'Make the footballers feel part of your family.'
The 100-strong crowd are dotted around the room, some in their own Newcastle shirts, others wearing the new retro tracksuits (with some asked to change because they are donning clothes from rival brands), and are told to 'act as normal as possible'. They are warned not to 'turn and look' whenever someone famous enters the room, but few can help themselves and first takes are always unusable.
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On the first floor, crew members are watching a live feed and relaying information back downstairs, while an array of drinks and snacks are available to all.
The second floor is a maze. One room has been turned into the make-up department, while another contains 'wardrobe' — with Adidas clothing, plus the new kit and tracksuits, hanging up on rails — and three temporary photo booths for promotional shots.
At the end of the corridor, there is a 'breakout room' for players.
Everyone is drinking water, except Johnny 'Bluehat' Davis, Fender's saxophonist, who is living up to his rockstar image by requesting Guinness. As Sandro Tonali and William Osula sit scrolling their phones, Davis plays 'Tequila' on his saxophone and shouts 'Osula', recreating the chant Newcastle fans sing.
Next to them, Bruno Guimaraes is playing pool against Dan Burn. The Brazilian, wearing a bucket hat, flits from decrying that 'this is not my f***ing game' after missing a pot, to 'I'm so good, man' after he flukes one.
While Burn is trying to stay focused, Guimaraes attempts to put his rival off, waving his hands over the pockets. Burn bets Guimaraes that there's 'no chance' he can pot a double, but his captain manages it. 'I'm a f***ing machine, man,' he laughs. 'He's jammy,' Burn says, 'he beats me at everything.'
But Burn, for once, emerges victorious. 'I'm sad, man,' Guimaraes says, laughing as Davis plays them out of the room to a mocking 'bah, bah, bah' tune.
Premier League players usually have a day designated for commercial activities every month. On this Wednesday, six first-team players appear at the Irish Centre.
Even Adidas only has limited access to players and must maximise the time. After Isak and Asprilla, Anthony Gordon is the focus.
The winger religiously reads psychology books and is handed a copy of Plato's 'The Republic'. Three separate covers have been made — in the colours of the new home, away and third kits — and are trialled during takes. Davis, in a blue-and-orange tracksuit, is playing 'Local Hero', a song associated with Newcastle, while Gordon, his hair slicked back, reads to his left.
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For the clip, Gordon has to chat with the fans. The crew comment that rather than pretending to read the book, Gordon is actually doing so and discussing the intricacies of Plato's arguments regarding justice.
Next, Tonali and Guimaraes arrive — and play up to their respective personas, with the former expressionless and the latter geeing up the crowd. The pair are standing at the bar chatting, before Davis stops playing 'The Blaydon Races' and throws a custom-made blue hat five metres to Guimaraes, who must catch it and place it on his head. This is a reference to the 'magic hat' he supposedly wears, according to the chant.
After successfully catching the hat, the extras applaud, ruining that particular cut. 'Come on, I'm Nick Pope!' Guimaraes says. 'We did it in one time!'
Tonali, deadpan, is asked to rub Guimaraes' head for some takes but not others, while Guimaraes continues to thrive in front of an audience. 'I should be having ice cream,' he says, 'but you've got my magic hat.'
The final shot of the day pairs Burn with Osula.
Burn is a regular at Fender gigs and is asked to stand among the crowd. The defender taps Osula on the shoulder and recreates his famous dressing-room dance moves, before the forward is asked to replicate it (badly).
The two players may have contrasting personalities, but they have natural chemistry and bounce off each other well. 'I don't usually dance,' Burn says to Osula. 'But if you give me five pints, I'll do whatever you want.'
Day two sees Gutierrez performing his memorable scarf-waving celebration for Shania Hayles, Beth Lumsden and Jasmine McQuade from the women's team to copy.
Beforehand, Gutierrez dons an 'I've never seen a Mackem in Japan' top for a photo with Satoshi. During Newcastle's tour of Japan last year, Satoshi gained fame when he revealed his support originated from Alan Pardew's headbutt of Hull City's David Meyler in 2014.
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'Let's Get Ready to Rhumble', by Geordie television presenters Ant and Dec, is among the songs to play in the background. A crew member reveals the playlist was sent by the club and claims some feature in the changing room on matchdays. Alongside famous Newcastle-themed tunes, songs that fans have repurposed to be about their favourite players or moments — Abba's 'Gimme, Gimme, Gimme' (Isak), 'Pretty Green Eyes' (Burn) and 'Pump It Up' ('Newcastle's won the cup') — can also be heard.
The advert's tagline is 'Once a local, always a hero', which is why Asprilla, Gutierrez and Satoshi have been flown in. To the right of the stage, photos of other 'adopted Geordies' are displayed, including David Ginola, Laurent Robert and Philippe Albert, as well as the late Gary Speed, Pavel Srnicek and Cheick Tiote.
Before filming has even wrapped, the temporary decorations are being removed, televisions are being screwed back onto walls and pictures rehung. It is a military operation. The Irish Centre reopens for business the next day and, aside from another closure for Fender's cameo, the locals can resume their usual drinking habits.
Four days of filming, dozens of retakes, hours of footage and tens of thousands spent — and all for a two-minute advert. Newcastle may not yet be Madrid or Bayern, but this underlines how seriously Adidas is already taking this relationship.
(Top photos: Newcastle)