Rangers’ retail partners Castore have entered the race to manufacture the kits of Italian Serie A giants AS Roma.
According to SportsPro Media, the Liverpool-based premium sportswear manufacturers are set to go head-to-head with US company New Balance.
The report claims that Castore have tabled a “digital-focused offer” which it hopes will prove valuable enough to beat off the competition.
Roma are in need of a new kit partner in time for next season (2021/22) when their current deal with sportswear giant Nike expires.
New Balance had reportedly submitted a four-year proposal last week but now Castore hope to interrupt that with a more bespoke, digital-savvy deal.
According to Sports Pro, the deal would also involve digital marketing which aims to grow the Roma brand internationally and in the USA.
This is also in line with Castore’s ambitions as a brand, who have always been clear that they hoped to secure more kit deals in some of Europe’s top leagues in the coming seasons.
“Football is the most popular sport on the planet, there are huge opportunities for growth in football alone,” said co-founder Tom Beahon [SportsPro].
“So I think we’ll do between three and five partnerships with leading clubs across Europe. That will be the initial focus for now.”
Castore x Rangers the flagship for brand’s expansion into Europe
Castore signed a new kit deal with Rangers in early 2020 believed to be worth in the region of £25m [Scotsman].
The sportswear brand has also overseen the £250k redevelopment of the Rangers Store at Ibrox Stadium which opened earlier in the year.
At the time, co-founders Tom and Phil Beahon made no bones about the fact Rangers were their first foray into a competitive football market.
But given the history of retail complications at Ibrox, over the piece, there is real hope that this deal can go on to prove a masterstroke.
The signing of the deal with Castore brought years of tumultuous retail warfare with Sports Direct and Mike Ashley to an end, meaning the manufacturer was also taking a risk with Rangers.
But despite the promise of an overwhelming take-up from Rangers fans starved of kits, Castore still struggled to cope with demand.
There have been several complaints from Rangers supporters regarding the delivery and quality of items and the standard of customer service since the deal launched.
The situation was so strained that fans group and Rangers shareholders Club 1872 demanded an explanation into the complaints about Castore’s delivery, quality and customer service.
Rangers fans were also left frustrated after the kit retailer appeared to sell two different versions of the same product, with one considerably better quality than the other.
Castore put this down to the accidental release of some match-worn shirts [Greg Marshall].
Castore themselves have admitted they had been “overawed” [You and Yours originally broadcast 14/08/20] by the take up of kits in the first instance.
However, there can be no denying how popular the kits have proven with supporters as a record-breaking response to the kit deal shows.
By early August and the opening of the Rangers Store, the Ibrox club has sold 100,000 Rangers x Castore kits [Rangers].
Whilst the deal has not been without its teething problems – which obviously haven’t been helped by the pandemic – there is plenty to be positive about regarding Castore.
Their expansion into Europe also helps highlight our role in their success should they secure deals with the likes of Italian giants AS Roma.
