Nike drops Joey Barton from sponsorship deal

by Darren Davidson, Brand Republic 30-Jul-08, 09:00

LONDON - Sportswear giant Nike has terminated its sponsorship deal with troubled Joey Barton, the Newcastle United Premiership footballer who recently completed a jail term for assault.

Nike made the decision to dispense with Barton, whose two-year boot contract with the company is believed to have been worth £40,000 a year, when he was imprisoned for assault in May.

Leo Sandino-Taylor, a Nike spokesman, said: "While Joey Barton is a talented footballer, we cannot condone or accept what he did and his contract has been terminated.

"We have provisions in all our sponsorship contracts to take into account any actions by athletes that bring the brand into disrepute."

Barton served 74 days of a six-month sentence after being jailed following an incident in Liverpool city centre in December 2007 where he punched one man 20 times and left a teenage boy with broken teeth.

He was also given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo during a training session last year.

Nike's tough stance contrasts with Newcastle United's treatment of the midfielder, who have stood by Barton and reportedly decided against enforcing him to take a cut on his £57,000-a-week pay.

The Premier League have said that the 25-year-old will be given the chance to rebuild his football career at St James' Park.

A statement issued by the club yesterday said: "Newcastle United officials can confirm they have met with Joey Barton today, following which it has been agreed by everyone involved that Joey will remain with the club.

"The club will not be making any further comment at this time."

Comments

Andrew Harrison - 30/07/2008

absolute insult to any decent person or victim of a vicious assault that this thug is given yet another chance to cash in and prance around infront of our nation as a role model. He has a sickening criminal history longer than your arm, and well done Nike for kicking him into touch...not that he'll be too bothered collecting 57K a week for the next 3 years at least.

dave callan - 30/07/2008

Barton is a disgrace. Only Keegan would come out and defend him, any manager with balls would have frog marched him out of the door by now. He's not even that good a player.

Mark Smith - 30/07/2008

@dave callan, I completely agree about Keegan. Could you imagine the likes of Paisley or Nicholson sticking by a player who had done the things Barton has done. Just as bad is the way Gordon Taylor and the PFA consistently defend him and paint a picture of Barton as some kind of victim - it's sickening. They are a joke. What does Barton have to do to lose their support - kill one of their members during a match?

Alison Donnelly - 30/07/2008

Given that (alarmingly) premiership footballers are regulalry touted as role models for young kids, Newcastle's decision to bring him back is simply shocking. And you're right Dave, he's not even that good a player, and I'm delighted he's lost this deal.

Roger OThornhill - 30/07/2008

So Joey Barton needs a new boot sponsor? I smell a job for Cocktail Marketing. If anyone can find a disgraced violent former jailbird a new boot deal it's Cocktail Marketing.

jezwaspsrule - 30/07/2008

Brilliant! Cocktail Marketing? Apparently they are the UK's leading partnership marketing agency.

Ed Kemp - 30/07/2008

Newcastle should sack him... and then sue him like Chelsea did with Adrian Mutu. Also, the Newcastle fans should jeer and boo his every touch until Keegan gets the message. To be fair to Keegan though, he is an honourable man but just a bit thick... I'm sure he thinks he's doing the right thing by standing by the player. But enough is enough and Barton needs to be sacked/put down.