Castore, the renowned UK-based sportswear company celebrated for its provision of high-quality technical sportswear to major sports teams, currently grapples with criticism surrounding the quality of its football kits and supply chain issues. These challenges have forced the company to take swift action in defense of its reputation, which may have played a role in the early termination of its contract with Premiership football team Newcastle United.
Furthermore, Castore faces backlash from Aston Villa, another prominent Premiership side. Complaints have arisen from players on both the men’s and women’s teams, expressing dissatisfaction with shirts that become drenched in sweat. These concerns have raised alarms about the added weight of the kits impacting the men’s team’s performance.
These developments place significant pressure on Castore to expeditiously address these concerns. Aston Villa recently introduced new home, away, and third kits, and the club is already two years into what was initially described as a ‘multi-year’ contract with Castore.
Similar kit-related issues reportedly contributed to the premature termination of Castore’s contract with Newcastle United, as supporters voiced dissatisfaction with merchandise quality. Newcastle also faced challenges related to the availability of Castore products in the city’s stores, subpar customer service, and substantial delays in order deliveries, all of which reflected negatively on the club.
It’s noteworthy that despite these challenges, Newcastle United players did not report any quality or reliability issues with their Castore kits throughout the partnership that commenced in the summer of 2021. Starting from the next season, Adidas will take over as the kit manufacturer and supplier for Newcastle United, with an annual payment estimated at approximately £40 million.
A Castore spokesperson expressed, «We take immense pride in our three-year partnership with Newcastle United and eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration with the club this season.»
Newcastle United also conveyed its appreciation for Castore’s unwavering support and the exceptional quality of its products, stating, «The club has consistently found Castore products to be of exceptionally high quality.»
In addressing the situation at Aston Villa, a Castore spokesperson affirmed, «There has been recent media speculation regarding potential issues with the football kits supplied by Castore to Aston Villa Football Club. We are diligently working in collaboration with the club to promptly resolve this matter and uphold the high standards we aspire to.»
Castore reiterated its dedication to maintaining exceptional standards and promptly addressing customer concerns, expressing gratitude to Aston Villa for their patience and support in rectifying the issue.
