Rangers fans have suffered another blow in their long running saga to secure a stable and satisfactory merchandise deal with news that the club are pursuing current providers “Elite” for nearly £3m owed to them from the sales of strips and other Rangers products.
In a short statement on the club’s website the club revealed that:
“The Rangers Football Club Limited (Rangers) has served proceedings on LBJ Sports Apparel Limited trading as Elite for payment of the sum of £2,840,236.75 plus interest and expenses.
The payment relates to sums that require to be paid to Rangers by Elite in terms of the Agreement between Rangers, Elite and Hummel A/S for the manufacture and supply of Rangers Kit and other products.”
Gers fans had believed that proceeds from kit sales were going to the club but will now think twice if Elite continue to be stubborn in releasing what is owed.
Will you boycott buying Rangers kit until there is a resolution to latest legal row?
Yes
No
They took to Twitter at the announcement, looking for clarity and to speculate as to when there may be a resolution to the seemingly never ending drama, with rumours of Mike Ashley’s continued involvement it may not be any time soon.
Another merchandise boycott ahead then ?
— Alan May (@alan_may) February 14, 2020
unofficial retail boycott it is then?
— Scott Cameron (@Cammy26_2) February 14, 2020
So should we stop buying from thegersstoreonline?
— ℂ𝕩 (@C_bearx) February 14, 2020
Our retail situation needs sorted, it’s a shambles, I actually think next season we will need to wear this seasons kit 😳 2021 our elite contract ends, hopefully SDI are out the way, then I hope we can sign up to a decent brand because we sell most tops in Scotland
— Ross (@rfcrossko) February 14, 2020
That’s correct. Neil Burke brokered the deal with Puma/SD/Charles Green. Neil Burke is the commercial director for Elite.
— Chris Bett (@chr1sbett) February 14, 2020
Believe they have former Sports Direct directors involved. @4ladshadadream will correct me if I’m wrong
— NC (@NC_994) February 14, 2020
The current Rangers board has done a lot of good work behind the scenes but not getting free of Ashley – when they thought they had – and having a “normal” merchandise deal remains a huge bone of contention amongst fans and one that continues to damage the club financially.