Originally published at: https://www.rangersnews.uk/news/mike-ashley-rangers-court-victory-a-loss-for-football-and-its-fans/
Sports Direct head Mike Ashley has won a victory in the latest, drawn-out legal battle between Rangers and his retail company. The judge presiding over the case has adjudged that Rangers were incorrect to enter a retail deal with Hummel/Elite Group before offering SDI the chance to match it. But whilst the ruling might be…
Here’s a solution, if he forces a termination of Hummel and a return to his dominance.
A fans group should sell replica strips of past strips or indeed we create our own sportswear brand. Each year we vote or the replica tops. We buy those and completely boycott anything that puts money in SDs pocket.
The funds raised are then gifted to the club each year and a portion given to charity.
Ashley is circumvented. He may own the rights for Rangers merchandise but he doesn’t control what we buy from where and to whom that money goes.
1 Like
good idea and fan groups should seriously consider this and get backing from their members to go down this route as we should not be giving fat Ash an easy ride on this one lets hit him in the pocket making sure everything is above board and water tight .
I’m not a lawyer but I don’t think this would work. What you suggest would probably count as pirate merchandise and therefore illegal. Otherwise any dodgy dealer could sell fake shirts and walk away with the profit. That’s why you have contracts. It protects the brand which is what you are selling. Unfortunately it sounds like our club have messed up big time. Why didn’t they let Sports Direct match the Hummel deal if it was as simple as that? That’s the phrase that keeps coming up. “Match the deal”. Sounds good to me. But as I say, I’m not a lawyer.
Funnily enough I suggested something similar on twitter about a year ago. In my idea the fan group agree and sign the contract with the strip supplier, then sponsor Rangers to wear the strips by gifting the income to the club. Ashley can’t interfere into a contract agreed with the fan group and he can’t stop the team wearing the sponsored strips. Rangers would be paid the income as a gift - easy!
1 Like
We are between a rock and a hard place but I for one would be willing to not buy anything until slug face has gone and donate the cash I would have spent to Rangers each year and make do with older Kit’s.
You’re not a Rangers fan but went to the effort of creating an account and commenting. Now that’s obsession.
2 Likes
I see your point but there are already replica strips made by other companies. The 72, Cup Final kits etc. They are not linked to Hummel or SD. And there’s the Lionbrand strips.
My point is that the club are in this Faustian pact with Ashley. The fans don’t need to be. Ashley doesn’t own Royal Blue. If the fans did something that’s never been done in world football and controlled the strips wouldn’t that be something?
The choice is that or allow that workforce exploiting glutton to wring every penny he can out of Rangers. By this point he’s only doing it to show he always wins.
2 Likes
If rangers need cash to repay the debt which rightly or wrongly will need to be paid would it not be in fans interest to buy the strips as this money is currently going to gers i assume it could be used to pay the debt. I would rather it be this than major assets such as players. Boycotting the buying of strips only damages the income gers are receiving.
As I said whoever agreed to that contract had limited vision of the future. Is it 23p per shirt?
why don’t gers make a statement regarding situation with advice for supporters I mean as an example they could say " please supporters do not buy replica shirts but buy our own red white and blue shirt from our merchandise page on our website only 80 quid" then they could get a load of shirts made and sold via website with no sponsor name or brand name with cash straight to club.
Judging by the news today Fat Ash may not be around much longer. The asshole just got a bill for €674 million nobody knows why he should ask his financial guy whoops he’s fucked off must have known the ships about to go down bye snake
How can any judge calculate compensation for Ashley as no self respecting loyal Rangers supporter would have bought shirts from his company!
No sales, No profit, No compensation.