Former Toon owner Mike Ashley has been handed his date for a court battle with Newcastle United after the Magpies agreed a deal with JD Sports to sell Adidas merchandise earlier this year.
It means that Sports Direct have been left with no Adidas gear to sell since the manufacturers Ashley got rid of in 2010 returned to the club by popular demand.
Ashley will attempt to take on the German giants, Newcastle and JD Sports in a Competition Appeal Tribunal case with a date set as far forward as February 2, 2026. New court papers have been made public today and read: "By way of background, these proceedings relate to a dispute between the Claimant and the Defendants as to the decision of the First and Second Defendants (together “the Club”) having appointed Adidas U.K. Limited (“Adidas UK”) to manufacture the Club’s “Replica Kit”, and granted certain exclusive rights to market and sell the Replica Kit to the Third Defendant; and to no longer to supply Replica Kit to the Claimant.
"The Claimant commenced its claim by a Claim Form issued on 14 March 2024, and alleges that the Club held a dominant position on markets for the retail and wholesale supply of its Replica Kit in the United Kingdom and that its conduct amounted to an abuse that dominant position; further or alternatively, that the Club’s agreements with the Third Defendant and/ or Adidas UK were in breach of Chapter I of the Competition Act 1998.
"The Claimant alleges that its inability to sell the Club’s Replica Kit would cause it to suffer loss of profit and reputational harm; and would harm consumers by restricting their choice of outlet and price competition."
The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) previously stated that Sports Direct had no 'legitimate reason' to expect Newcastle to continue supplying shirts to Sports Direct. Ashley's lawyers then requested an injunction to prevent Newcastle selling through JD Sports but this was rejected by the panel.
Thomas de la Mare KC, representing Newcastle United, had previously said that Sports Direct did not produce a "scintilla of evidence" that the deal with JD Sports would harm competition.
It was also argued that clubs such as Celtic, Leicester City and Leeds United, and even the Wales and Scotland national teams had agreed deals with JD Sports which Ashley had not objected to.
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