Rangers have warned businesses that they won’t get away with using Ibrox trademarks as the club promises to clamp down on brand protection issues in a Twitter update.
This is especially pertinent after years of retail mismanagement at Ibrox saw supporters go underground for their goods and services.
Supporter Update: Brand Protection – #RangersFC is ramping up its efforts to increase our brand protection and strengthen our club’s reputation within the commercial market: https://t.co/3aeqII5Jd0 pic.twitter.com/MftuHYT0EL
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 16, 2021
The rise of retro kits and replica tops from bygone eras has also thrown up an industry of businesses replicating them for supporters to purchase on the internet.
Given the club’s high-profile retail deal with Castore, Rangers is “ramping up its efforts to increase our brand protection and strengthen our club’s reputation within the commercial market”.
The club also “encourage all Rangers supporters to only buy official Castore & Rangers merchandise and official licensed products from the club’s approved partners” [Rangers].
But whilst this is all well and good – some of the Ibrox club’s fans have not reacted all that great to the tweet.
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This is for unrelated off-field issues which many feel are going unaddressed by the Ibrox side, namely the ongoing incident involving reported Covid-19 breaches amongst younger players.
Some fans are also unhappy that the Ibrox club has – as of yet – failed to speak out about the findings of an SFA report into child sex abuse in Scottish football in which the Gers are implicated.
Read the room @RangersFC…..I think there are a couple of outstanding 'covid' shaped and 'abuse report' shaped matters requiring a response. You have made the support so proud this year, please don't let us down now
— Janine Mc (@JanineMc4) February 16, 2021
this ain’t the supporter update we were wanting
— euan (@_EuanG72) February 16, 2021
You do know that brand protection has different facets? How about focusing on the protection of the reputation of the club in the media. Being on the front foot rather than silent will protect the brand better than preventing some dodgy strips on sale via online markets. Think on
— UnionFlag1872 (@UnionFlag1872) February 16, 2021
1. Prob something else you should address first and foremost.
2. Make an actual retro range and stop punting hoodies at £100 a go with the castore logo bigger than the Rangers one.
Thanks.
— Greedy Smith RSC ✡️ (@BC7RFC) February 16, 2021
Whilst I'm with this statement there are far more pressing things we should be addressing as a football club. What is actually happening at our club PR department? Laughable timing.
— CM (@Colinmcp1872) February 16, 2021
Two far more important statements that should really have come out by now. Come on Rangers. I expect better.
— Ally Ted ☕ (@ally_ted) February 16, 2021
Of all the weeks to decide to release this statement.
Club should probably look into the reasons why people buy unofficial gear and fix their merchandise strategy instead of setting up a daft email address to grass on people
— Revan (@Revan1872) February 16, 2021
Timing is way off here, let’s address the pressing issues that have came up in the past week first
— Johnny 9 (@specsjohnny9) February 16, 2021
Now lets address the elephant in the room shall we Mr Rangers?
— Stuart Thomson (@SThomson3110) February 16, 2021
I get that this is important, but something far more important hasn’t been addressed yet.
— Ewan Taylor (@ewantaylor1) February 16, 2021
The Covid-19 breach in particular has polarised Rangers supporters who are unsure what to believe withthe club reportedly refusing to indulge media outlets on the situation with an update.
One major journalist has claimed Rangers want to “shut down” the story suggesting there is more than meets the eye regarding the situation at Ibrox.