Scottish Premiership side Rangers is "embroiled in a High Court battle" with Sports Direct and its billionaire owner, Mike Ashley, with a trial scheduled for later this month, according to Croft & Rovnick of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The dispute centers on a deal in which SDI Retail Services, a company owned by Sports Direct, sells replica Rangers shirts and other merchandise. Rangers wants to launch new strips made by Denmark-based sportswear company Hummel. SDI "already has a court injunction blocking this deal" and claims it "should be allowed to match any new offer under a clause in its contract with Rangers." On Wednesday, Justice Phillips agreed to continue the existing court injunction, preventing Rangers from signing another deal "until a trial is held." He also said that there would be a trial this month, which will "examine the existing contract and the meaning of the relevant legal clause." Ashley, who also owns a majority stake of Newcastle United, put the Tyneside club up for sale last year after concluding that he "could not compete with wealthy football backers." The outcome of the court battle is "important for Rangers because the period just before the start of the football season in early August is a key time for the sale of new replica shirts" (FT, 7/11).
