New Balance Appeal Rejected: Nike Liverpool Kit Deal Confirmed
Update: The Times' Liverpool correspondent Paul Joyce earlier today confirmed that New Balance's appeal against the High Court's kit case verdict has been rejected. Liverpool will wear Nike kits from next season.
A few days after the verdict was announced and just as many had expected, New Balance today launched a formal appeal against the High Court's decision.
It took just three days for the court to come to the decision to smash New Balance's arguments and allow Liverpool to leave the brand to join up with Nike on a five-year deal.
Following Liverpool's appeal will now go the Court of Appeal, who will decide on whether there are sufficient grounds for the appeal.
The main reason for Judge Tear to throw out New Balance's offer, which was based on a matching rights clause in the contract that was closed between Liverpool and New Balance in 2011, was that Nike offered superior marketing incentives - something that he felt New Balance could not match.
"I have therefore concluded that the New Balance offer on marketing was less favourable to Liverpool FC than the Nike offer because Liverpool FC cannot require New Balance, on the terms of its offer, to use global superstar athletes 'of the calibre of LeBron James, Serena Williams, Drake etc.', he wrote in his judgment.
It will have to be seen whether New Balance's appeal will be granted, but a decision on this is expected in the near future.
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