ASA Adjudication on Rangers

[BEARGER 339]

Can't see this posted anywhere, so here is official ASA Adjudication.

ASA Adjudication on The Rangers Football Club Ltd

The Rangers Football Club Ltd

Ibrox Stadium

150 Edmiston Drive

Glasgow

G51 2XD

Date: 12 June 2013

Media: Radio, Regional press

Sector: Leisure

Number of complaints: 78

Complaint Ref: A13-224406

Ad

A regional radio ad, a press ad and an e-mail ad, for Rangers Football Club:

a. The regional radio ad stated "Join Scotland's most successful club at IBROX and guarantee your seat for the last four games of the season. Rangers season tickets are priced from £69 for adults, £48 for concessions and just £17 for kids ...".

b. The press ad stated "JOIN SCOTLAND'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB AT IBROX ... STILL GOING STRONG ... 54 TITLES ... RANGERS THEN ... RANGERS NOW ... RANGERS FOREVER".

c. The e-mail ad stated "JOIN SCOTLAND'S MOST SUCCESSFUL CLUB AT IBROX".

Issue

Seventy-eight complainants challenged whether the claim "Scotland's most successful club" was misleading, because they understood that the current club had only been formed in 2012.

CAP Code (Edition 12)

3.13.7

BCAP Code

3.13.9

Response

The Rangers Football Club Ltd (Newco) explained that The Rangers Football Club Plc (Oldco), which previously owned and operated Rangers Football Club (RFC), went into administration on 14 February 2012 and that, in order to preserve RFC after a Creditors Voluntary Arrangement failed, its business and assets were purchased by another corporate entity, which was now known as the Rangers Football Club Ltd and that, therefore, the same Club was now owned and operated by themselves. They provided an extract from a Decision concerning RFC, by an Independent Commission appointed by the Scottish Premier League, in which it was stated that "in common speech a Club is treated as a recognisable entity which is capable of being owned and operated and which continues in existence despite its transfer to another owner and operator". They said the Commission had clearly stated that the same Club continued, regardless of the legal entity that owned and operated it and, therefore, that RFC had continued in existence since 1872. They also provided a letter from the European Club Association (ECA), concerning the RFC's continuing membership after the liquidation, in which it stated that, although run by a different legal entity, it considered RFC was still the same football club, having the same registration number with the Football Association, the same fans, the same stadium, the same club coefficient ranking and the same trophies, and it therefore recognised RFC as a founding member of the ECA, despite the change of ownership. Newco advised us that RFC was a full member of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and that when Oldco, the legal entity who previously held the membership, went into administration and agreement was put in place to transfer exactly the same membership from Oldco to Newco, which had resulted in membership of the SFA being maintained. They further pointed out that the websites of the Scottish Premier League, the SFA and UEFA all confirmed that RFC had been in existence for 140 years by detailing all honours that the Club had won since its formation in 1872.

The RACC said they felt that, given RFC's history, the claim "Scotland's most successful club" was valid and would not mislead.

Assessment

Not upheld

Whilst the ASA acknowledged that Newco had not taken on all of the debts and liabilities of Oldco when it purchased its assets and business and that that would normally preclude it from trading on the reputation of the former company, we noted that both an Independent Commission appointed by the SPL and the ECA had reached the conclusion that the football club RFC was a recognisable entity in its own right, and that it had continued in existence despite being transferred to another owner and operator. We further considered that consumers would understand that the claim in question related to the football club rather than to its owner and operator. We therefore concluded that it was not misleading for the ad to make reference to RFC's history, which was separate to that of Newco.

We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules 3.1 (Misleading advertising) and 3.9 (Substantiation) and CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 (Misleading advertising) and 3.7 (Substantiation) but did not find it in breach.

Action

No further action necessary.

PreviousNext

[ca11um 30]

The ASA complain failed

Next .... Write a letter to David Cameron

[Buggleskelly 3,772]

GIRUY Declan

[RFC55 109,502]

78 of the saddest, weirdest, obsessed fucks no doubt

[bombaybadboy08 15,660]

Padraig and his 77 weans from the Gallowgate

[Hamie 4,851]

What a shame for the soap dodgers.

However they will take no notice of this and sweep it under the bulging rug of unwanted facts and shame.

[scotty1976 1,671]

I suppose when you don't work, don't waste time washing or anything frivalous like that and get free stamps and envelopes from the job seekers you have to make use of all of this somehow. It is only logical that you would become obsessed with the biggest show in town.

[jmo21 15]

I honestly think this is brilliant, and I’m ecstatic that they complained to ASA

False advertising – as if they were ever going to buy our “product”

bitter fuckwits of the highest order

[GOAT 30,449]

78 virgins.

[allgers 735]

78 virgins.

No way can you make that assumption, not after the local preist has been round for a visit.

[iang2911 423]

78 of the saddest, weirdest, obsessed fucks no doubt

saddest part is the 78 represent only 3% of those who wanted to do it, 2600, and that represent only 10% of those who thought about doing it, 26,000. basically their true average attendance for last year....they are ALL sad fckrs

[ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895]

Just shows you how fucked up these inbred bastards are. They complain about this no mark shite but they won't complain about the beasts that are the leaders of there poxy religion. Instead they forgive and forget.

I'm not one for going on about all of that stuff but, when you see and read things about this it makes you wonder about these roasters.

[OLE SUPER WILBERT 2,475]

saddest part is the 78 represent only 3% of those who wanted to do it, 2600, and that represent only 10% of those who thought about doing it, 26,000. basically their true average attendance for last year....they are ALL sad fckrs

[Devils_Reject_Guy_06 16]

We should complain when they call their so called great club FAMILY FRIENDLY!!!!

[WeDontDoWalkingAway1872 303]

First I've heard of that and it's so fucking sad

[samenzi 7]

We should complain when they call their so called great club FAMILY FRIENDLY!!!!

or Glasgow is green and shite that's false its not

[scotty1976 1,671]

We should complain when they call their so called great club FAMILY FRIENDLY!!!!

They are family friendly though. In the same way Jim'll Fix It was a family show..............

[Fury 256]

CQN have already said they are pushing for a review, contacting UEFA etc. Utterly mental.

[scarkev 3,540]

Not sure how true but allegedly Celtic quick news are appealing the decision to uefa! If true they really have no shame! Embarrassing!

[Edmiston Drive 3,846]

CQN have already said they are pushing for a review, contacting UEFA etc. Utterly mental.

Spot on and well said.........truly mental.

[RFC55 109,502]

How can you appeal an ASA ruling to UEFA?

That's like appealing a knock back fae the bru to the save the whale campaign

[Fury 256]

How can you appeal an ASA ruling to UEFA?

That's like appealing a knock back fae the bru to the save the whale campaign

They are asking for a review from ASA based on their opinion of what UEFA think. They are wrong on UEFA so hopefully they will keep pushing it.

[16BlueSherbert90 19,240]

Happy Haggerty @AngelaHaggerty 5h

@CQNMagazine Who's reviewing the ASA decision and seeking clarification from UEFA?

Expand

CQN Magazine CQN Magazine @CQNMagazine 5h

@AngelaHaggerty we have formally requested a review noting that UEFA make the rules and have not been consulted.

I am actually starting to feel sorry for these tools, they are going into meltdown, haha

[TheDetails 98]

I am thinking we need to post an AD

Just letting the scabs know there are the not.

Surely it was not be false advertising....pmsl!!

[elephants stoned 2,994]

You wonder how such miserable pathetic creatures can exist in this world, each day must be full of self loathing and they blame Rangers, one can only hope they are put out of their misery by some willing psycho with a knife.