An ongoing dispute has seen Rangers’ sleeves sponsor-less
Scottish champions Rangers are refusing to wear the badge of the Scottish Premiership on their club’s sleeve during the domestic league season.
The league’s new sponsor Cinch – who have agreed a five-year deal to become the title sponsor until 2026 – have caused controversy with the blue side of Glasgow after it emerged that the club’s chairman owns a rival business to the online used car marketplace.
Rangers chairman, Douglas Park is the owner of Parks of Hamilton, a direct rival to Cinch. The disagreement has led to the side refusing to display any Cinch sponsoring on the club’s shirts during their games this season in the SPFL.
The fall out goes even further with Rangers also refusing to place any Cinch branding around Ibrox Stadium despite the deal being worth the region of £1.6m per season with 80% of the earnings being distributed amongst the sides in the top-flight of Scotland.
It has also emerged according to the Glasgow Times recently that Rangers had initially held discussions with cinch themselves to rebrand Ibrox as the ‘Cinch Ibrox Stadium’ which has led to the current ongoing dispute.
It seems that matters off the pitch however haven’t affected issues on the pitch, with Steven Gerrard’s defence of their SPFL crown – which they achieved unbeaten last season – still going strongly.
A 1-o win at the weekend away to Dundee courtesy of a Joe Aribo goal leaves Rangers one point clear of Edinburgh sides Hibernian and Hearts whereas their arch rivals Celtic continue to struggle after a 1-1 draw to Dundee United leaves them languishing in mid-table and six points adrift of Rangers.
Attention will now turn onto this week’s second round of Europa League ties with Rangers travelling to the Czech Republic to face Sparta Prague where they will look to pick up their first points of the group stage after defeat to Lyon in their first game.
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