Australian NRL rugby league team the Gold Coast Titans has become the latest club to end its association with sportswear company BLK after announcing the Classic Sportswear brand as its new kit partner.
Classic Sportswear has agreed a three-year deal with the Titans covering the 2017 to 2019 seasons. The announcement comes after BLK’s parent company, World Rugby Specialists Group, entered into receivership last month.
BLK signed a five-year deal with the Titans ahead of the 2014 season, but the club has been forced to end the relationship early amid uncertainty over whether next year’s kit would be produced and delivered on time.
“Anytime something like this happens it is difficult to process, and it has been made even more gut-wrenching as BLK is a local Gold Coast-based company,” Titans chief executive Graham Annesley said. “Unfortunately, we have had to make this decision to ensure we are in a position to meet our 2017 NRL commitments with the new season now just around the corner. Although we really feel for BLK, we are absolutely delighted to be entering a long-term partnership with Classic Sportswear."
In recent weeks, BLK has seen similar partnerships with South African Super Rugby franchise the Sharks and AFL Aussie rules football team Richmond come to an end. The Sharks and Richmond replaced BLK with sports apparel company Canterbury and German sportswear brand Puma, respectively.