Sports Direct agrees £87m Ashley deal
Mike Ashley is set to receive his controversial £86.8m windfall after Sports Direct shareholders agreed to purchase his 32 properties.
The move was backed by 59.5 per cent of shareholders at the Mansfield-based company.
All 32 of the freehold and longlease properties are owned by Ashley, the founder and majority shareholder of Sports Direct, and are currently used by Sports Direct.
Earlier this week, Insider reported that shareholder watchdog PIRC had advised against a motion to approve the sale, contesting the properties' value.
However, the motion was passed with 70,543,462 shares for, 47,052,767 against and 3,400 withheld at the vote.
The news comes a day after Sports Direct revealed sales had slipped 5.7 per cent in the last 13 weeks.
It was also reported yesterday that the sports retailer had been forced to pay £2m to golfer Darren Clarke after he won the British Open in July.
According to reports, Sports Direct, whose Dunlop brand sponsors Clarke, had agreed to pay Clarke £2m if he won one of four major championships each year.
Dunlop signed a ten-year sponsorship deal with Clarke in 2005.
