Mike Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct, is suing Newcastle United over next season’s kit. Ashley owned the football club for 14 years, between 2007 and 2021. He has taken legal action against the club for “stopping his Sports Direct empire from selling their replica shirts” in favor of rival retailer JD Sports, as reported by the Daily Mail on March 22.
Ashley filed a £1.533 million (€1.79m) claim in the Competition Appeal Tribunal, arguing that not supplying Sports Direct with 50,900 units of Newcastle merchandise will cost the retailer profits equating to that amount. The claim states that by refusing to supply the new Adidas kit for the 2024-25 season to Sports Direct, Newcastle United has “abused its dominant position in the market.”
The claim includes a demand for an injunction restraining the club from refusing to supply Sports Direct, plus damages, costs and interest, says the report. Newcastle United has until March 28 to respond before a possible hearing on April 9.
