9 Years Ago Today. Whatever Happened To Naming Rights?

[White Noise]

Back in the days when MAF was getting less good advice everyone seemed to be about to sell the naming rights to their ground. Seemingly plenty have tried and failed (Newcastle anyone?) and the only club I have seen linked with it recently has been Blackburn under its new Indian owners. Why do we think naming rights never really took off in this country?



http://www.fulhamweb.co.uk/news/Fulham-to-sell-name-of-stadium.aspx

Fulham to sell name of stadium


last updated Friday 08th February 2002, 9:38 AM

Fulham are hoping to sell naming rights for their new all-seater stadium for around £10 million.

The club is spending £70m redeveloping Craven Cottage at the end of the season and wants to recoup some of the outlay in a 10-year deal.

   
 
Bishops Park approach to the proposed new Craven Cottage
 
Leading sports marketing company IMG has been brought in to talk to wealthy companies.

If Fulham get the price they want, it would be one of the biggest deals of its kind in the country.

Bolton sold their naming rights and club sponsorship to Reebok in a deal worth around £1m-a-year in 1997 when they moved to a new stadium, and Middlesbrough secured a £3.5m 10-year package from BT Cellnet for their new ground in 1994.

Other similar agreements, such as Bradford's with Bradford and Bingley, were much less lucrative.

But Leeds are hoping to cover the cost of their planned new £60m stadium by selling permanent naming rights. Executives at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff are hoping to get £20m for adopting a new corporate identity.

   
   
River view of the proposed new Craven Cottage
 
Fulham's deal will need to be in place in time for the scheduled completion of their new 30,000-seat arena in the summer of 2003.

The club has an agreement to play at Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road ground while work takes place next season. The deal includes an option to extend their stay for a year.

But the fee Fulham can attract for naming rights will depend largely on the team's success in the Premiership.

Jean Tigana's side are 10th as they prepare to play Blackburn at Craven Cottage tomorrow. Source Evening Standard by Leo Spall

[HatterDon]

How many other clubs have grounds that are named after corporate sponsors?

Coventry City -- Ricoh Arena *
Wigan -- DW Stadium
Hull -- Kingston Communications

Any others?


* The first time I saw that name in print, it was mis-printed as "Rioch Arena." I was going nuts trying to figure out the connection betwen CCFC and my early footballing hero Bruce Rioch.  :029:

[Jimpav]

How many other clubs have grounds that are named after corporate sponsors?

Coventry City -- Ricoh Arena *
Wigan -- DW Stadium
Hull -- Kingston Communications

Any others?


* The first time I saw that name in print, it was mis-printed as "Rioch Arena." I was going nuts trying to figure out the connection betwen CCFC and my early footballing hero Bruce Rioch.  :029:

Arsenal - The Emirates

[Airfix]

How many other clubs have grounds that are named after corporate sponsors?

Coventry City -- Ricoh Arena *
Wigan -- DW Stadium
Hull -- Kingston Communications

Any others?


* The first time I saw that name in print, it was mis-printed as "Rioch Arena." I was going nuts trying to figure out the connection betwen CCFC and my early footballing hero Bruce Rioch.  :029:

Arsenal - The Emirates

Bolton Wanderers - The Reebok Stadium
Burton Albion - The Pirelli Stadium
Chesterfield - The B2Net Stadium
Doncaster Rovers - The Keepmoat Stadium
Huddersfield Town - The Galpharm Stadium
Leicester City - The Walker's Stadium
Stoke City - The Britannia Stadium
Swansea City - The Liberty Stadium

Based on the assertion that Wigan's DW Stadium is named after a sponsor (it's now named after the club's owner), the following also apply:

Oxford United - The Kassam Stadium
Reading- The Madejski Stadium

[The Equalizer]

Galpharm? Never heard that one before.

"What you up to on Sunday Tom?"
"I'm off to the Galpharm Stadium to see the 'Udders"

Nah, doesn't scan well.

[Airfix]

Galpharm? Never heard that one before.

"What you up to on Sunday Tom?"
"I'm off to the Galpharm Stadium to see the 'Udders"

Nah, doesn't scan well.

Nevertheless, it's named by Galpharm Healthcare.  Huddersfield, the last bastion of healthcare products!

[ron]

Galpharm? Never heard that one before.

"What you up to on Sunday Tom?"
"I'm off to the Galpharm Stadium to see the 'Udders"

Nah, doesn't scan well.

Nevertheless, it's named by Galpharm Healthcare.  Huddersfield, the last bastion of healthcare products!

In a field, in Huddersfield
There lived a cow who would not yield..
Why did the cow refuse to yield?
..It didn't like its udders feeled.....

[finnster01]

Somehow Craving McCottage doesn't sound right...

[LRCN]

this isnt just a passing fad, football in this country's going to go the same way as the nba, nfl etc. in the us where everything's so commercial it takes all the human element (from a neutral, anyway) out of it... substitions sponsered by 7up? its a joke. just enjoy it while it lasts.

[Burt]

I really don't like stadiums being renamed after a sponsor...

Although the London Pride Stadium has a certain ring to it.

[CULTUREVULTURE]

I'm glad the Blackburn owners didn't buy Fulham . By now we'd be playing at the Chicken Cottage!!

[b+w geezer]

Arsenal - The Emirates
Bolton Wanderers - The Reebok Stadium
Burton Albion - The Pirelli Stadium
Chesterfield - The B2Net Stadium
Doncaster Rovers - The Keepmoat Stadium
Huddersfield Town - The Galpharm Stadium
Leicester City - The Walker's Stadium
Stoke City - The Britannia Stadium
Swansea City - The Liberty Stadium
Oxford United - The Kassam Stadium
Reading- The Madejski Stadium

All of those were in new locations, so there was no existing name that people would continue to use regardless -- the disincentive for sponsors of non-relocated grounds and (to address the original question posed) why naming rights haven't taken off more, probably.

[sacffc]

The (NBA) Sacramento Kings have played in ARCO Arena (after the oil company) since 1985.  It's supposed to have been one of the first naming rights deals.  They have a new naming rights sponsor, so as of March 1 the Kings will be playing at Power Balance Pavillion (after the power bracelets).  Leading alternate name so far among Kings fans is the Placebo Gazebo.

The one thing they won't do in the US is put sponsor names on the jerseys.

[finnster01]

The one thing they won't do in the US is put sponsor names on the jerseys.

Yet...

[HatterDon]

The one thing they won't do in the US is put sponsor names on the jerseys.

Yet...

Kit sponsor's names are on MLS shirts. Red Bull New York plays in the Red Bull Arena. NASCAR drivers cars and clothes are nothing but multiple sponsors. And let's not even talk about tennis or golf.

[sacffc]

The one thing they won't do in the US is put sponsor names on the jerseys.

Yet...

Kit sponsor's names are on MLS shirts. Red Bull New York plays in the Red Bull Arena. NASCAR drivers cars and clothes are nothing but multiple sponsors. And let's not even talk about tennis or golf.

The 4 major US team sports -- basketball, American football, baseball and hockey -- don't have sponsor names on the jerseys.  The most they have is logos.  All 4 sports have pauses in the action where ads can be inserted, and they've tweaked the rules to allow for additional commercial breaks.  That's how they make their funny money.  In football, the action is continuous, so you have the advertising board around the edge of the field and sponsor names on the jerseys -- that's how they make Their funny money.

Because of the number of commercial breaks in US team sports, I would find it excessive if they also had sponsor names on the jerseys.  Logos are much less conspicuous and don't bother me, but one of the reasons I don't take NASCAR seriously is because it is so much about the advertising.

[finnster01]

The one thing they won't do in the US is put sponsor names on the jerseys.

Yet...

Kit sponsor's names are on MLS shirts. Red Bull New York plays in the Red Bull Arena. NASCAR drivers cars and clothes are nothing but multiple sponsors. And let's not even talk about tennis or golf.

The 4 major US team sports -- basketball, American football, baseball and hockey -- don't have sponsor names on the jerseys.  The most they have is logos.  All 4 sports have pauses in the action where ads can be inserted, and they've tweaked the rules to allow for additional commercial breaks.  That's how they make their funny money.  In football, the action is continuous, so you have the advertising board around the edge of the field and sponsor names on the jerseys -- that's how they make Their funny money.

Because of the number of commercial breaks in US team sports, I would find it excessive if they also had sponsor names on the jerseys.  Logos are much less conspicuous and don't bother me, but one of the reasons I don't take NASCAR seriously is because it is so much about the advertising.

And that my friend is where the money is which is why it costs 3 million plus for a 30 second ad on superbowl, and also why NASCAR is the fastest growing sport in America.

I guarantee you there will be sponsor names on shirts within 5 years, starting with Dallas Cowboys (after the new collective bargaining agreement has been put in place so he doesn't have to share with anybody). When did Jerry Jones not pick up on a revenue opportunity?