Castore has acquired an exclusive Umbro Professional Team Sports sub-license from GL Dameck, allowing them to market Umbro in the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, and Denmark.
This deal is only about marketing and distribution. It's not a takeover.
Castore wants to take advantage of Umbro's rich history in the sport and plans to disrupt the dominance of Adidas and Nike with its "digital expertise and highly agile global supply". Castore also states that the acquisition of the Umbro brand rights in key European marks highlights the beginning of its brand segmentation strategy.
The iconic Umbro double diamond will continue to feature on the kits of Premier League clubs AFC Bournemouth, Brentford, Luton Town and West Ham, as well as English Football League clubs Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town and Forest Green Rovers. But it will now be managed by Castore, and it will definitely be interesting to see the designs.
Check out all current Umbro kits over on Football Kit Archive
What are your thoughts on Castore acquiring the Umbro brand rights in key European markets? Comment below.