Breaking: Rangers serve notice on retail agreement with immediate effect

[BlueMazza 0]

2 MIKE ASHLEY turned troll in his ongoing war with Rangers this afternoon when his Sports Direct firm splashed the new CELTIC kit across the top of their website's homepage.

The company, whose controversial retail deal with Rangers is to be torn-up by the Ibrox club, were also offering cut price Gers strips with the tag 'Must Go'.

The Celtic promotion was accompanied by the words 'Like No Other'. "

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/mike-ashley-trolls-rangers-sports-7999337?

 

 

This is AMAZING!

[aweebluesoandso 290]

Rangers should return the SD serve, by having one of it's own sales, ''BOGOF'' UNWANTED STOCK.

[ian1964 10,447]

Sports Direct owner Mike Ashley could go to prison if he doesn't answer politicians' questions

 

Politicians have refused an offer from Mike Ashley, the billionaire founder and majority shareholder of Sports Direct, to visit one of his warehouses in return for answering their questions.

 

But if he doesn't appear before parliament, then he could go to jail.

 

On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Ashley, who has been under pressure to appear before MPs for more than two months, finally agreed to speak to members of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee on June 7.

 

But he said he will only do so if members of the Committee come to see Sports Direct's warehouse facility in Shirebrook, Derbyshire the day before.

 

British politicians dismissed the offer.

 

Peter Kyle, a Labour member of the committee, told the Financial Times: "This is not a deal, it is a process, [which] starts with him getting his backside on a chair in a room with elected members of parliament and let’s take it from there.

 

“To do anything other than that is not bravado, it is just cowardice,” the FT quotes Kyle as saying.

 

Politicians have been chasing Ashley for months, and he has previously refused to speak to them, calling them a "joke" in an interview with Sky News in March. That snub prompted a "formal summons that could result in the Sports Direct founder facing jail if he fails to appear," reported the FT.

 

Politicians have the power to officially summon individuals to parliament, should they refuse to attend a committee hearing. If someone did refuse a summons, they could be held in contempt of parliament and face a prison sentence.

 

"We can confirm that Mike Ashley has agreed to attend Westminster - provided that the committee members visit the Shirebrook premises in advance to see employment conditions and practices with their own eyes," a Sports Direct statement emailed to Business Insider on Tuesday said.

 

Sports Direct has faced a series of scandals in the past couple of years, but Ashley's BIS Select Committee appearance will most likely concern allegations made in late 2015, including that the company is effectively paying workers less than minimum wage, and that some workers were so scared to take sick leave that they called ambulances to the office.

 

Since those allegations were first made in The Guardian newspaper, Sports Direct has committed to paying at least minimum wage to all staff, costing the company £10 million ($14.5 million).

 

The allegations have also destroyed Sports Direct stock over the last year, which led to it being thrown out of the FTSE 100:

 

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/money/news/sports-direct-owner-mike-ashley-could-go-to-prison-if-he-doesnt-answer-politicians-questions/ar-BBtbr4i?li=BBoPMmp&ocid=mailsignoutmd

[Waltersgotstyle 297]

ah Thira....did you come in from the big port at Athenion or up the steps from the harbour in the town ?

 

We actually flew in from Newcastle mate. Great little island - there is a Scottish bar down in Fira - Hopefully showing the game on Saturday!!

[Bearman 9]

This is tremendous news!

 

Question: Could this mean all the SD ads getting ripped down in the Stadium? Or has it nothing to do with that?

[ian1964 10,447]

RANGERS fans have been urged to keep up their boycott of official merchandise – despite the latest twist in the tale with Sports Direct.

 

The Ibrox board have served notice on Rangers Retail Limited to terminate the Intellectual Property Licence and Rights Agreement with immediate effect.

 

The move prevents any merchandise with Rangers’ trademarks, such as the famous club crest, being sold and comes after Rangers had previously triggered a seven-year notice period to sever ties with Sports Direct.

 

RRL is jointly owned by Rangers and Mike Ashley’s firm and controls the Light Blues’ merchandise streams, but the commercial contracts that were signed during the Charles Green era have left fans furious at the cash the club receive from retail sales.

 

A Rangers statement read: “The Rangers Football Club Limited has today served notice on Rangers Retail Limited terminating the IP Licence and Rights Agreement with that company with immediate effect.

 

“The Club now needs to speak to its commercial partners to agree the next steps flowing from the termination and will make no further comment on this matter whilst discussions are ongoing.

 

“The Club will endeavour to communicate further with its supporters and customers for Rangers Kit and other Rangers products as soon as it is in a position to do so.”

 

Puma, who manufacture Rangers’ official kits, declined to comment when approached by SportTimes last night, while no reply was received from Sports Direct.

 

Rangers will now hold key discussions with a range of partners as Ashley considers his next move in what has become a lengthy battle with the Ibrox board.

 

And Craig Houston of the Sons of Struth has urged supporters to stand firm in their boycott until the situation is fully resolved.

 

He told SportTimes: “If you walk into the Superstore just now or buy online just now then that still doesn’t help the club. Fans need to be aware that it hasn’t changed.

 

“Ashley will not take the signs down today. He will spin this out for as long as he can, so anybody buying anything right now won’t help Rangers.

 

“I think the most important aspect of the whole statement was the last paragraph. The club will update supporters when they can.

 

“If that is not a hint from the board as to what they wish Rangers supporters to do then I am shocked and surprised.

 

“I am sure fans will read the situation for themselves. This is certainly not an end to this situation and I would hope fans take that on board.

 

“Nothing has changed. Yes, Rangers are trying to get things back in order but, today, if you buy merchandise, your money goes to Ashley.

 

“If you do that, you are not supporting the club and nothing has changed in terms of the boycott at this time.”

 

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/14501724.Rangers_fans_urged_to_stand_firm_in_Sports_Direct_boycott_as_Mike_Ashley_battle_takes_another_twist/

[Darthter 542]

from a legal stand point, this isn't a move by RFC against Sports Direct.....it it 100% between RFC Int & Rangers retail (it just so happens that Rangers retail is directly connected to Sports Direct)

Rangers retail is a stand-alone company in legal terms, and I believe it's Rangers Retail that has the agreement to sell exclusively through the Sports Direct stores - this agreement is still 100% in place.....it's just that Rangers Retail no longer has any official merchandise to sell.....

 

RFC IP/Trademarks -> Rangers Retail -> Sports Direct

now becomes

Rangers Retail -> Sports Direct

[gisabeer 409]

Am i reading this right? Rangers retail go bust and we can sell our own stuff again?

[RANGERRAB 3,299]

Am i reading this right? Rangers retail go bust and we can sell our own stuff again?

 

That's the way it looks to me, longer term.

What I don't understand is why wait until now to do this? Why wasn't the agreement with RRL terminated before now?

[the gunslinger 3,366]

That's the way it looks to me, longer term.

What I don't understand is why wait until now to do this? Why wasn't the agreement with RRL terminated before now?

Maybe because ashley can't take us to court now Newcastle have been relegated.