Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct loses bid to appeal Newcastle United kit row
The Court of Appeal has rejected Mike Ashley-owned Sports Direct’s permission to appeal a decision over Newcastle United 2024/25 season kit.
Back in March, Sports Direct filed a claim last month to the Competition Appeal Tribunal for an injunction against Newcastle United over it refused to supply its replica kit for the upcoming season.
Sports Direct, part of Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group was at a hearing last month stating the club refused to supply Sports Direct with its upcoming replica kit as it now has an exclusive retail arrangement with JD Sport.
Its argument alleges that Newcastle United abused their dominant position in the market for by entering into an exclusive sales arrangement with JD Sports
The lawyers for the retail giant said it has been a supplier for the replica kit for decades.
The Premier League club used to be owned by Mike Ashley until 2021 when it was taken over by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.
Shortly after the hearing, the Tribunal handed down its judgment by an unanimous decision Sports Direct application for interim injunctive relief was refused.
Sports Direct filed an expedited application to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal this decision.
On Friday, Sir Geoffrey Vos, Sir Julian Flaux, and Lady Justice Andrews said the CAT was wrong to find it had no serius case to be tried as they ruled Sports Direct had established that they had a serious case.
Despite that, the Court of Appeal ruled against its appeal and dismissed its application.
Sports Direct and Newcastle United were approached for comment.