Duncan Castles has been speaking on The Transfer Window podcast about how Newcastle could launch a legal battle against the Premier League.
Newcastle can now finally start looking for new sponsorship deals from Saudi Arabia with potential ties to PIF as clubs in the Premier League voted 18:2 in favour of a new rule which will see the league investigate each new sponsor a team wishes to bring into the club to ensure it is of a fair market value.
Manchester City were the only other club to vote alongside Newcastle on the matter.
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A temporary block was brought into place almost as soon as Newcastle’s takeover went through, mainly down to the fact clubs were worried how much money PIF could easily pump in, and despite the Magpies now able to strike up sponsorship deals, they still feel this new rule is not fair and goes against anti-competition law.
Castles believes that the Magpies could launch a legal battle against the Premier League because of this new rule.
“You get a sense of whether City and Newcastle United are happy with it from the vote, which was 18 in favour and two against – and the two opposing clubs were Newcastle United and Manchester City.
“Talking to one of the clubs involved, I’m told that this is by no means the end of the matter. They believe it is in conflict with UK competition law and it is very much open to legal challenge.”
TIF Thoughts on Newcastle’s sponsorship deals and potential legal battle…
You just have to look at Manchester City to see how valuable a good sponsorship deal can be, as their stadium is sponsored by Etihad Airways, as are all of their kits – and that is down to their owner being from Abu Dhabi, which is where Etihad Airways is based, so they clearly will have close links.
The wealth of Man City’s owners compared to PIF, who own 80% of Newcastle, is minuscule, which may be why some clubs only kicked up a fuss about this sponsorship rule recently because of how easy it may have been for the Magpies to instantly have loads of money to burn while also dodging any Financial Fair Play regulations.
In other news: ‘I can tell you’ – Duncan Castles claims £31.5m-rated French striker ‘suggested’ to Newcastle