Rangers’ kit deal with Castore is the subject of much scrutiny as it prepares to run out come the end of the current season.
The Gers are also entering a new era of retail at Ibrox after finally settling a tumultuous period of court cases and retail wrangles by shaking hands with Elite and Hummel.
With the influence of Sports Direct and the threat of long-running court battles now officially over, Rangers’ largely successful initial five-year deal with Castore is almost up.
But as Rangers fans eagerly await an update on the situation, Castore have now lost yet another official footballing partner just months after posting substantial losses.
Castore’s growth is driven by Rangers’ success.
Castore was open about using the Rangers deal’s success as leverage when negotiating with other football gear suppliers.
Although the retailer, who is supported by Andy Murray, has expanded into several sports, Rangers was the ambitious group’s first football venture.
In the midst of those retail conflicts with Mike Ashley and Hummel/Elite, Rangers struck the arrangement, which at first proved to be very successful.
Rangers and Castore have both achieved retail records in recent seasons, with Castore managing the challenges of the Covid epidemic in 2020 to meet the huge demand.
However, Castore’s life has not gone as planned outside of Ibrox, as his reputation has suffered with the loss of two significant Premier League contracts.
Rangers has now entered into talks on the future of the club’s retail activities, shattering another of their significant European alliances.
Castore loses a key Bundesliga partner
Initially, Newcastle United terminated their agreement with the retailer to sign with Adidas, and then Aston Villa severed their relationship with the brand because of problems with the material’s ability to retain players’ perspiration.
With Kicker saying that the retailer’s agreement with the German champions from the previous season has been “ripped up,” it appears like Bundesliga powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen may soon follow suit.
In order to join with New Balance, Bayer Leverkusen has negotiated an early termination with Castore, even though their contract with the Bundesliga team was set to expire in 2027.
With Bayer Leverkusen expected to earn between €6 million (£5 million) and €7 million (£5.85 million) every season from New Balance, the new agreement is expected to feature a “seven-figure” annual rise on the Castore contract.
The predicament follows Castore’s shocking £29 million losses for the previous fiscal year, which the UK retailer attributed to problems with the “supply chain.”
Heart & Hand, a prominent Rangers fan media outlet, has previously asserted that the Ibrox retail arrangement has been “put out to tender” with no contract decision having been made.
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