Allsports shirt sponsorships in doubt after retailer folds

The shirt sponsorships of Premiership football club Charlton Athletic and Super League rugby side St Helens are in doubt, after the sponsor Allsports was put into administration this week.

Charlton’s relationship with the sportswear retailer was already in jeopardy when Allsports fell into financial difficulty in the summer (MW August 25).

St Helens – which has just finished the season top of the Engage Super League and is one of the sport’s most successful clubs – is halfway through a four-year shirt deal with the retailer.

A spokesman refused to comment on the contract with Allsports. No one at the retailer or administrator, BDO Stoy Hayward, was available as Marketing Week went to press.

Meanwhile, Charlton chief executive Peter Varney has raised questions on the club’s website about its deal with Allsports.

He states: “This is our fourth and final year of sponsorship with the sports retailer. We’ve been aware for some time that it has suffered from a steep decline in business.

“We have been working hard to protect Charlton’s interests. I will be making contact with Allsports to establish the exact position of the company, and how this is likely to affect the club.”