Sports Direct fails to secure injunction against Newcastle United over replica kits

Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has been unable to secure an injunction against Newcastle United Football Club (NUFC) that would have allowed the retailer to sell the club’s replica kits for the 2024/25 season.

The sportswear retailer filed a complaint against NUFC with the Competition Appeal Tribunal during March, in which it had alleged that the club had “abused its dominant position in the market” by refusing to allow Sports Direct to sell replica shirts.

According to the claim, NUFC had granted rival JD Sports the exclusive rights to sell the replica kit alongside the club’s own channels and Adidas, NUFC’s official kit partner for the season.

As such, Sports Direct was calling for an injunction to restrain the alleged breaches while further requesting for a reported 1.5 million pounds in damages as well as other forms of relief.

A tribunal panel ultimately refused the claim, however, on the grounds that Sports Direct was unable to “show there is a serious issue to be tried”, so no interim action was to be taken.

In the ruling, the panel cited a number of reasons that defined their conclusion, including a “potential fragility in Sports Direct’s supply chain that has nothing to do with NUFC”.

As a result, Sports Direct and NUFC are to go to trial in order to resolve the case.