Liverpool win High Court battle with kit supplier New Balance
© Bildbyrån

The Reds have already found a replacement.

Liverpool have been given the green light to switch kit supplier after winning a court battle with New Balance.

Liverpool have won their High Court battle with kit supplier New Balance and are widely expected to announce Nike as their replacement.

The Reds entered a legal dispute with New Balance after reportedly agreeing a lucrative deal with Nike from the start of next season.

Friday’s judgement ruled that Liverpool are free to fulfill an arrangement with an alternative supplier when their existing contract with New Balance expires next year.

A club statement read: “Liverpool FC is pleased with the judge’s decision to rule in favor of the club following the legal dispute with our current kit supplier, New Balance.

“We will continue with New Balance for the current season, in combination with preparing next season’s Liverpool kits with our new supplier.”

Ruling in Liverpool’s favour in London on Friday, Mr Justice Teare said: “The New Balance offer on marketing was less favorable to Liverpool FC than the Nike offer.”

Nike’s offer to use global superstar athletes such as the tennis player Serena Williams and the NBA star LeBron James to promote Liverpool products could not be matched by its rival, Teare found.

“It must follow that Liverpool FC is not obliged to enter into a new agreement with New Balance,” Teare said. New Balance immediately moved to appeal against the ruling.

Opening the case last week for the brand, Daniel Oudkerk QC said the key issue was whether New Balance had matched “the material, measurable and matchable terms of a third-party offer”.

Liverpool argued that New Balance had not matched Nike’s offer – which includes a commitment to sell licensed products in “not less than 6,000 stores worldwide, 500 of which shall be Nike-owned”.

SEE ALSO:

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here