Rangers in trouble as Castore dream turns into a nightmare

When is an exclusive right to sell kits available to several businesses? Only in the wonderful world of Rangers kit deals.

After several years of struggle, argument and court cases about the exclusivity and rights held by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct, most Rangers fans and a few in the media were ecstatic when the new deal with Castore came about. They celebrated the escape from Mike Ashley’s grip and saw a bright future, also asking it would be orange.

Over recent weeks we’ve seen all sorts of odd arrangements with public disagreements over who had exclusivity to sell the kits. Sports Direct placing Facebook messages claiming they had exclusive rights from 1 August. Castore and Rangers indicating that wasn’t the case and Sports Direct remaining firm.

The confusion and lack of clarity continues with delays to the opening of shops, an online site selling the kit being taken down to be refreshed and more ambiguous statements.

Journalist Phil Macgiollabhain in his blogs of 21, 22 and 23rd July set out what he had heard from sources and subtly questioned whether perhaps Castore had really completed thorough due diligence on the existing Sports Direct arrangements (and court cases) with Rangers. Did they really manage to escape from Sports Direct?

Phil’s research left him considering whether Sports Direct has got exclusivity horribly wrong OR do they actually have exclusive rights to sell the new Rangers Castore kit. His view summarised:

"“On the balance of probabilities, I am forced to conclude that this is not an own goal by Sports Direct.Rather, it is merely Big Mike reminding the other side of the deal that they have…well…a deal!”"

With Rangers and Castore announcing the new away kit this week it’s likely we’ll have to wait and find out more at the start of August. However even if both parties decided to crash on ahead and ignore any exclusivity, there was a sobering thought from Phil’s Sports Direct source who told him:

"“There are more injunctions on the way”"

Nothing more than that. But in addition to sending a shudder through whoever looks after the cash flow at Rangers and Castore, that could shed a light on exclusivity deals if someone gets prevented from selling by an injunction.

A court case on Rangers kit wouldn’t be exclusive, would it?