Who owns my football team's kit?

[Rpl85]

A bit off topic but please could you help with this:

I run an amatuer football team. My mate's girlfriend's parent's company bought us a new kit with their logo on.

My mate isn't getting any game time. Annoyed, he says he's going to leave and take "my[his]" kit back.

So, who owns the kit?

They paid the bill directly to the supplier. I wish I'd have paid it and got re-imbursed by them and of receipted them with "sponsorship".

Please help.

Thank you.

 

[TotallySport]

in any cases its not him.

I would say it belongs to you, without your team wearing it, its a waste of money for the company so its unlikely they would ask for them back.

 

[Jenni384]

It either belongs to the team, or to the company. It doesn't belong to him by any stretch of the imagination!

I would have thought it belongs to the team. If the company wants it back, take it up with them directly, not using him as a go-between.

You could always write a letter to the sponsoring company from the team, thanking them for their generous donation and confirming sponsorship for x months/years. This would add to a paper trail that suggests the kit belongs to the team.

 

[PrestonLad]

Not a legal person. But I'll play along! I just presume, when the law is not clear, that you can imagine what a fair minded judge would decide.

If we were talking about, say, a tractor for the groundsman to use... then the 'fair-minded judge' would have a difficult decision to make, because it could easily be argued by the company that the item was bought as an asset for the company, but loaned out to the football club. The company could easily just say that they said that explicitly, even if they didn't.

But this is a football kit. They could never argue it was an asset on loan. Especially if it is in the normal colours of the team (but I don't think that's too important). I'm sure any fair-minded person would decide that it was a gift to the football club, who therefore own it. That is how it will have been received and I'm sure that the team has played in it for several matches in that belief.

And the judge would probably order the mardy git to be placed in the stocks for 24 hours, and be pelted with rotten fish and tomatoes.

 

[Walkol]

My mate isn't getting any game time. Annoyed, he says he's going to leave and take "my[his]" kit back.

Is he 12?

Tell him to take a hike.

 

[Steve Sellers]

Agree with the above. Tell him to get a life.

 

[superdooper500]

Suprised he doesn't take his ball back when he goes in for his tea!!

In real terms, can you get another sponsor? Is he a good mate? Is it worth ruining a friendship over? Can you maybe give him a special position such as assistant manager to help ease the blow of no playing time?

 

[paultnl]

Imagine what the local paper would say, "Nasty XXX company takes back shirts" would be a great headline though I am sure not what the sponsor was looking for.

 

[Cylon]

As long as there are no conditions in the sponsorship agreement that little Jimmy (for want of a better name) should play (which is highly unlikely) in return for the sponsorship I can't see you having any issue with keeping the kit and as mentioned its highly unlikely that your mate has any rights of ownership to the kit even though he was most likely the one who provided the promotion and contacts for the sponsorship.

Spitting the dummy out issues aside was your mate welcomed to the team because the manager knew he had connections to get sponsors or has he just been sidelined because he isn't very good at football or better players have come along, ironically because the club has a nice kit.

Hopefully as you run the club you haven't felt the need to put any pressure on the manager for your mate to play but having experienced this sort of thing at an under 15's level with parents who need to live vicariously through their kids (don't we all) I hope in the end you can still stay mates.

 

[Websitehandyman]

His name wouldn't be Pete Odemwingie would it ?

Perhaps not but just as much a child.

This is what I would do, keep the kit away from him if you can and tell to take a hike. If he does take the kit then make sure you have your camera ready.

Take a picture of the team, shivering in their undies and post it on Facebook in groups local to your team. Explain the problem, embarise the hell out of the company who took back the kit and ask for help getting a new one.

I would also contact the local press, radio etc, next thing you know we'll all see you on The One Show

 

Sounds like he thinks you are having afters with his girlfriend.

 

[Rpl85]

Thanks for the replies, everyone! Some funny ones in there haha.

It is quite pathetic, isn't it?

Nothing's come of this thus far as he hasn't been down to a game since.

 

[gr9ce]

Can't you find a position for him on the coldest, wettest, muddiest fixture you can find against a brutal opposition then he may prefer the sidelines?

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

Let him play, don't pass the ball to him then in the showers afterwards gang up and flick him with wet towels.

If that doesn't work give him a chinese burn or put itching powder down his back...