"I paid more than £1k to advertise at Luton Town - I was give the boot before they played in the Premier League"
- 9 months ago
A painter and decorator who bought a Luton Town advertising deal has been told it's been cancelled - just weeks before the team's Premier League debut.
Stuart Wright, 29, says he signed a contract with an agency which allowed him to use the Hatters' logo on his van and uniforms.
He claims he was also told he could advertise at the club's Kenilworth Road ground.
But he has now been told the agreement has been scrapped - just weeks before the clubs appears in English football's top flight.
Gutted Stuart says he's already spent £1,275 - and had planned to put another £1,200 into the advertising.
But, mostly, he was looking forward to his brand being beamed to millions around the world as Luton took on big clubs this season.
Stuart, from Milton Keynes, said: “We weren't allowed to make out we were the main sponsors, but I was allowed to use the logo.
“Now it's having an effect on my company as I have to go back on my word, and I'm worried it looks like I've made whole thing up.”
Stuart, who started his painting and decorating business PDM in June 2022 after working as a sole trader, worked with agency Sporting Ads to set up the advertising deal in May 2023.
However, when he contacted Luton Town on June 24 about doing some work, he was told he needed to speak directly to Sporting Ads about the agreement.
And on July 3 he received an email from the agency informing him the contract between them and the football club had been terminated.
Sporting Ads said it was "saddened" by the decision following the recent promotion - and that Stuart's deal was no longer valid.
The advertising agency apologised for the disappointment caused in the email.
But Stuart says he had already paid for and received the new uniforms and had paid for a decal on his van reading “in association with” and was waiting for the Luton Town logo decal to arrive.
He says he had also included the logo on his website and had advertised his affiliation with the club on his Facebook page.
Now he says he’s worried it will affect his credibility with customers and says so far, he hasn’t been offered any compensation for the money spent.
Stuart said: “[We] were allowed to use the Luton Town logo on our stuff as long as we weren’t making out that we were the main sponsors.
“The deal was signed when they were playing in the final so the club knew there was a chance of them getting promoted.
“It says in the contract that both parties can terminate at any point but they cancelled it so soon after starting it.
“I’m not trying to come across bitter.
"But from a business point of view, I don’t have the biggest Facebook following - and I've promoted the fact that we were advertising with them.
“Its money taken out of my business, and I’ve got a baby on the way.
"When we were offered the deal I spoke to my fiancée, and she said it’s an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.
“Are we going to be compensated for anything - or is it just an email saying it’s come to an end?"
Stuart Wright, 29, says he signed a contract with an agency which allowed him to use the Hatters' logo on his van and uniforms.
He claims he was also told he could advertise at the club's Kenilworth Road ground.
But he has now been told the agreement has been scrapped - just weeks before the clubs appears in English football's top flight.
Gutted Stuart says he's already spent £1,275 - and had planned to put another £1,200 into the advertising.
But, mostly, he was looking forward to his brand being beamed to millions around the world as Luton took on big clubs this season.
Stuart, from Milton Keynes, said: “We weren't allowed to make out we were the main sponsors, but I was allowed to use the logo.
“Now it's having an effect on my company as I have to go back on my word, and I'm worried it looks like I've made whole thing up.”
Stuart, who started his painting and decorating business PDM in June 2022 after working as a sole trader, worked with agency Sporting Ads to set up the advertising deal in May 2023.
However, when he contacted Luton Town on June 24 about doing some work, he was told he needed to speak directly to Sporting Ads about the agreement.
And on July 3 he received an email from the agency informing him the contract between them and the football club had been terminated.
Sporting Ads said it was "saddened" by the decision following the recent promotion - and that Stuart's deal was no longer valid.
The advertising agency apologised for the disappointment caused in the email.
But Stuart says he had already paid for and received the new uniforms and had paid for a decal on his van reading “in association with” and was waiting for the Luton Town logo decal to arrive.
He says he had also included the logo on his website and had advertised his affiliation with the club on his Facebook page.
Now he says he’s worried it will affect his credibility with customers and says so far, he hasn’t been offered any compensation for the money spent.
Stuart said: “[We] were allowed to use the Luton Town logo on our stuff as long as we weren’t making out that we were the main sponsors.
“The deal was signed when they were playing in the final so the club knew there was a chance of them getting promoted.
“It says in the contract that both parties can terminate at any point but they cancelled it so soon after starting it.
“I’m not trying to come across bitter.
"But from a business point of view, I don’t have the biggest Facebook following - and I've promoted the fact that we were advertising with them.
“Its money taken out of my business, and I’ve got a baby on the way.
"When we were offered the deal I spoke to my fiancée, and she said it’s an opportunity I couldn’t refuse.
“Are we going to be compensated for anything - or is it just an email saying it’s come to an end?"