Sports Direct has failed in its quest to have Newcastle United sell its kit for the upcoming season kit in its stores.
The Frasers Group-owned retailer filed a claim last month to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) stating that the football club refused to supply its replica 2024/25 kit.
Newcastle United’s reasons were that it had agreed to an exclusive retail arrangement with JD Sports to sell the upcoming season’s replica kit.
The football club’s kit is currently made by Manchester-based Castore, but it has a new partnership with Adidas starting in the new 2025-25 season.
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The sports retailer – owned by Mike Ashley, the former owner of Newcastle United – sought an injunction against the move at a hearing at the Tribunal last week, claiming the arrangement with JD Sports was an abuse of the club’s dominant position in the wholesale market and is “based on unlawful anti-competitive agreements”.
However, the Tribunal has dismissed Sports Direct’s application for an interim injunction relief.
The judgement said: “To suggest that there was some obligation on Newcastle United FC and Adidas to ensure in their arrangements (i.e. between the Club and Adidas) that supply to Sports Direct be maintained over time represents a significant fetter on competition, not an enhancement of it.”
The judgement added the injunction refusal made “a speedy trial more, and not less, urgent”.
“We expect speedy (and, ideally, agreed) proposals from the parties, failing which the Tribunal will, in short order, make its own proposals,” it said.
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