Firms fined for fixing prices fans pay for Rangers FC merchandise

[kevfromkent]

Firms fined for fixing prices fans pay for Rangers FC merchandise​

The CMA has imposed fines totalling over £2 million on Elite Sports, JD Sports and Rangers FC after they admitted to fixing the prices of certain Rangers FC merchandise.
From:Competition and Markets AuthorityPublished27 September 2022

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that Elite Sports and JD Sports broke competition law by fixing the retail prices of a number of Rangers-branded replica kits and other clothing products from September 2018 until July 2019. Rangers FC also took part in the collusion but only to the extent of fixing the retail price of adult home short-sleeved replica shirts from September 2018 to mid-November 2018. All 3 firms colluded to stop JD Sports undercutting the retail price of the shirt on Elite’s Gers Online store.
Elite Sports has been fined £459,000, JD Sports £1,485,000 and Rangers £225,000. The penalties include a settlement discount, reflecting resource savings to the CMA as a result of all 3 parties admitting to acting illegally and helping bring a swifter resolution to the CMA’s investigation. Elite Sports’ and JD Sports’ penalties also include a discount for coming forward with information about their participation in the illegal conduct and cooperating with the investigation under the CMA’s Leniency Programme.
Michael Grenfell, Executive Director of Enforcement at the CMA, said:

At a time when many people are worried about the rising cost of living, it is important that football fans are able to benefit from competitively priced merchandise.
Instead, Elite, JD Sports and, to some extent, Rangers, worked together to keep prices high.
Today’s decision sends a clear message to football clubs and other businesses that illegal anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated.

During the time of the infringement, Elite was the manufacturer of Rangers-branded clothing and also sold Rangers-branded products directly through its Gers Online store and later in bricks-and-mortar shops in Glasgow and Belfast. The only UK-wide major retailer selling those products at the time was JD Sports.
The CMA’s investigation found that Rangers FC became concerned about the fact that, at the start of the 2018 to 2019 football season, JD Sports was selling the Rangers replica top at a lower price than Elite, which was seen at the time as the club’s ‘retail partner’. This resulted in an understanding between the 3 parties that JD Sports would increase its retail price of the Rangers adult short-sleeved home replica shirt by nearly 10%, from £55 to £60, to bring it in line with the prices being charged by Elite on Gers Online.
The CMA also found that Elite and JD Sports – without involvement from Rangers – colluded to fix the retail prices of Rangers-branded clothing, including training wear and replica kit, over a longer period. This included aligning the level and timing of discounts towards the end of the football season in 2019, to avoid competition between them and protect their profit margins.
More information can be found on the case page: Suspected anti-competitive behaviour in relation to the pricing of Rangers FC-branded replica football kit.

Firms fined for fixing prices fans pay for Rangers FC merchandise

The CMA has imposed fines totalling over £2 million on Elite Sports, JD Sports and Rangers FC after they admitted to fixing the prices of certain Rangers FC merchandise.

www.gov.uk

 

[G74Bear]

Timing

 

[cambridgeblue]

Won't be long until its "common knowledge" that we were fined £2M. I remember some predictions our fine would be £4M+..


"Elite Sports has been fined £459,000, JD Sports £1,485,000 and Rangers £225,000"

The ratio of fines suggests where the fault was.

 

[Ulster Loyal]

That's what Rangers think of the fans.

Thanks.

 

[Now and forever]

Won't be long until its "common knowledge" that we were fined £2M. I remember some predictions our fine would be £4M+..


"Elite Sports has been fined £459,000, JD Sports £1,485,000 and Rangers £225,000"

The ratio of fines suggests where the fault was.

We were found guilty of the charge ffs.

 

[cambridgeblue]

We were found guilty of the charge ffs.

Re read my post.

JD's fine was 7x ours.

 

[Shota]

Another costly fu*k up.

Would hate to see how much we’ve paid out in major errors in the last few years, SD etc.

Brutal.

 

[cambridgeblue]

Another costly fu*k up.

Would hate to see how much we’ve paid out in major errors in the last few years, SD etc.

Brutal.

Have you ever been fined or had a parking ticket ?

 

[Now and forever]

Re read my post.

JD's fine was 7x ours.

Re read mine.

We were found guilty of price fixing

 

[Shengus Malengus]

Ripping off the loyal fan base, Rangers?

Never.

 

[Potnbear]

Do we take advice from the kit men when we enter into such deals

 

[DotMantooth]

Have you ever been fined or had a parking ticket ?

You are beyond paradoy.

 

[cambridgeblue]

Re read mine.

We were found guilty of price fixing

Did I say we didn't ?

Compare the size of the fines - our part in this was peripheral and we got a slap on the wrist.

 

[ALittleBitOfTheBubbly]

James Blair really does have some track record.

 

[cambridgeblue]

You are beyond paradoy.

Is that on the A938 ?

 

[deBoersHeader]

Amazing from the board once again.

 

[Bristol_bnose3]

Have you ever been fined or had a parking ticket ?

I have and it didn’t matter if the guy in the JD Sports van up the road was parked worse than me. I still got a ticket for a parking violation. (To humour you and take your weird analogy further)

 

[Now and forever]

Did I say we didn't ?

Compare the size of the fines - our part in this was peripheral and we got a slap on the wrist.

See post 12 for details.

 

[cambridgeblue]

James Blair really does have some track record.

Dave King was Chairman at the time.

 

[The Lone Sniper]

Another costly fu*k up.

Would hate to see how much we’ve paid out in major errors in the last few years, SD etc.

Brutal.

Without knowing the specifics, Whyte, Green, the spivs, Ashley et al ran the Club as an asset stripping enterprise - and did it pretty effectively.

Getting out of contracts and deals arranged by them was never going to be straight forward.

 

[Now and forever]

Without knowing the specifics, Whyte, Green, the spivs, Ashley et al ran the Club as an asset stripping enterprise - and did it pretty effectively.

Getting out of contracts and deals arranged by them was never going to be straight forward.

It has nothing to do with getting out of deals

 

[Blue boy]

Another costly fu*k up.

Would hate to see how much we’ve paid out in major errors in the last few years, SD etc.

Brutal.

Mis - management mate, thats why there needs to be wholesale changes at our club.

 

[dunn1872]

Still...good news about the extra £5 on the kits that we sold to fans.

 

[Brother Moses]

In the words of Ian Brown;

'Amateurs, Amateurs'

 

[Battlefield Bear]

Have you ever been fined or had a parking ticket ?

Ha ha ha! The most ridiculous false equivalent I've ever read on here.

 

[QueensferryCR3Bear]

Anything else happening this week? Thats a TV deal, now Rangers tops....

That aside disappointing from the club yes but I've no doubt shirt price fixing happens across the industry, there's next to no competition on price.

 

[Dean Learner]

Won't be long until its "common knowledge" that we were fined £2M. I remember some predictions our fine would be £4M+..


"Elite Sports has been fined £459,000, JD Sports £1,485,000 and Rangers £225,000"

The ratio of fines suggests where the fault was.

You can’t seriously be trying to spin this in the club’s favour? “All three parties admitted their guilt”.

 

[High Society]

That's what Rangers think of the fans.

Thanks.

Here we go, we made a mistake. Look at the fines and try not To pile in with a silly comment

 

[Anoldranger]

Amazing from the board once again.

King in charge back then

 

[Dean Learner]

Here we go, we made a mistake. Look at the fines and try not To pile in with a silly comment

The mistake is literally fixing prices to ensure fans pay more than they may otherwise have to.

 

[High Society]

It has nothing to do with getting out of deals

But everything to do with sports trading, this kind of stuff happens all the time.

 

[Blue boy]

Re read my post.

JD's fine was 7x ours.

Fines are in relation to turnover and profit for that financial year.

Also if you “ grass” the fine goes down.
Usually thats the case with the lowest or no fine.

 

[Now and forever]

Ha ha ha! The most ridiculous false equivalent I've ever read on here.

Then actually doubled down on it.

 

[Gazzabear v2.0]

Still don't understand how this is any different from every other strip from every other club on the market?!?

The training gear etc, longer agreement between JD and Elite, fair enough.

 

[Monty_greenock34]

Our club is a never ending saga.

Wish we could go through a season where football is all we talk about.

 

[deBoersHeader]

King in charge back then

Oh well that's ok then.

 

[Blue boy]

Is it me , or does this board/ robertson etc seem to be the blind leading the blind.

 

[DutchVanDerLinde]

It's once again legacy damage from 2012/2015. It will be a very happy day to see the end of this retail shenanigans.

 

[Now and forever]

But everything to do with sports trading, this kind of stuff happens all the time.

Any other clubs been fined for it?

 

[TerrySilverLoyal]

Damn

Almost 10 percent of a new roof

 

[Blue boy]

Theres no doubt that the board have been successful in their OWN field of work.
But its came to pass they cannot run a football club.
The fan boys and friends of the board on FF need to wake up.

 

[Blue boy]

Damn

Almost 10 percent of a new roof

Was there a tender process for the roof?
Be interesting to know the costs .

 

[boracay ranger]

Dave King was Chairman at the time.

I doubt Dave King, James Blair or anyone else on the board in 2018 knew anything about it.
Reading the article it sounds like our commercial director ( Scott Steedman) at the time has asked JD Sports not to undercut Elite by £5 for the home top.
Won’t stop idiots taking the opportunity to have a go at Douglas Park and James Bisgrove.

 

[Now and forever]

Theres no doubt that the board have been successful in their OWN field of work.
But its came to pass they cannot run a football club.
The fan boys and friends of the board on FF need to wake up.

This.

 

[The Director]

Really bad optics and behaviour yet again. There is a pattern now of bad decisions made by this board. Not nefarious decisions - just sheer incompetence and incredulity.

 

[RangersEasyOK!]

More fantastic leadership by Mr Robertson.

Maybe hear more about it in interview two and three with Rangers Review.

 

[Bluepixie]

Will we get an explanation or an apology from the club? At least one head should roll for this. The stage is yours Mr Park.

 

[Dean Learner]

It's once again legacy damage from 2012/2015. It will be a very happy day to see the end of this retail shenanigans.

No it isn’t. We noticed JD were selling the top for a lower price than Elite and indicated we wanted them to increase what they were charging. Nothing at all to do with previous deals and to say it is is attempting to excuse an(other) attempt to squeeze fans for every penny.

 

[Crouchy]

Looking forward to an interview and apology from Robertson and co.

Best in class…

 

[cambridgeblue]

Will we get an explanation or an apology from the club? At least one head should roll for this. The stage is yours Mr Park.

Dave King's already has.