SportsDirect.com, the retailer owned by Mike Ashley's Frasers Group, headed to court today to launch a claim against Newcastle United over the exclusivity of its kits.
An exclusive kit deal between Newcastle Utd, previously owned by Ashley, and JD Sports is the nub of the writ, reigniting a long-held beef of Ashley's.
Ashley's company is seeking £1.5 million in damages after claiming the football club is abusing its dominant position in the market by refusing to stock next season's kit.
The Competition and Appeals Tribunal is expected to hear the case today, but a date for the verdict is yet to be set.
Today's case echoes a similar court battle between Rangers and Sports Direct in 2018 when the retailer successfully took the Scottish club to court for attempting to make a deal with another company.
Earlier this year, Ashley found himself in court over a near US$1 billion margin call imposed by bankers at Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS).
During the case he accused the bank of snobbery, telling London’s High Court that he was left in “total shock” at the $915 million (£720 million) call over Frasers’ position in Hugo Boss.
Ashley's antipathy to rivals JD goes back a long way. At a 2011 meeting with representatives in the wake of struggles at JJB Sports, before its eventual insolvency: “I’ll finish off JJB first and then I’ll move on to JD.”