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by **metalhead** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 12:55 pm

Newcastle rename St James' Park the Sports Direct Arena
IN ASSOCIATION WITHPage last updated at 23:31 GMT, Wednesday, 9 November 2011
St James' Park has been the home of Newcastle since 1892 Newcastle United have renamed St James' Park the Sports Direct Arena after owner Mike Ashley's company.

The club say the change is a temporary measure to "showcase" the sponsorship opportunity to "interested parties".

However the St James' Park title has been dropped as the club does not think it is "commercially attractive".

Newcastle are now searching for a "long-term sponsor to acquire full naming rights", possibly for both the ground and playing kit.

Managing director Derek Llambias said: "Stadium rebranding offers a lucrative way for clubs to secure significant additional income."

AnalysisContinue reading the main story
Ian Dennis,
BBC Radio 5 live senior football reporter
Newcastle United and St James' Park are synonymous but it's more than just a name to the Newcastle fans. The Geordies are deeply proud of their stadium that has stood in the heart of the city since 1892. I don't think the club wish to be disrespectful to the club's history and they are aware it's an emotive issue but believe they have to move with the times. While the name might be different, the ground will never change and will always be St James' Park
The club originally planned to allow sponsors to link their brand to the St James' Park title but that idea, put forward in 2009, is now replaced by the offer to purchase full naming rights.

At the time of the 2009 proposals, Newcastle were struggling after being relegated from the top flight. But the team are now flying high - currently third in the Premier League.

Reacting to news of a possible name change two years ago, Newcastle fans told BBC Sport that the idea was a "nightmare" and "abysmal".

Although it has become common for clubs to hand naming rights to sponsors when they move to new grounds, it is unusual for a traditional stadium to have its name changed.

In a statement, Llambias explained: "Our aim for Newcastle United is to continue to deliver success for the fans and everyone associated with the club. We must make this club financially self-sufficient in order to deliver that success.

"To grow sustainably and allow us to invest in our future, we will need to rely increasingly heavily on commercial income.

"These are very difficult economic times and the board have a responsibility to maximise all revenue streams for the benefit of the club."

Reflecting their self-sufficient aims, Newcastle published a mission statement in the matchday programme for their Premier League game against Tottenham on 16 October in which Llambias said the club were aiming "towards being able to operate within the boundaries of Uefa's financial fair play rules".

That statement came after the Magpies reported operating losses, before player trading, of £37.7m in 2008-09 and £35.5m in 2009-10.

Newcastle's intention to watch their budget carefully has been clear in the departures of Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton, while the club's mission statement made clear they would focus on players who could "develop and realise their potential".

Another potential revenue stream is making a shirt sponsorship deal available to any company interested in taking on the naming rights of the stadium.

Lambias added: "Naming the stadium the Sports Direct Arena helps up to showcase the opportunity to interested parties
helps up to showcase the opportunity to interested parties.

"We are now actively seeking a long-term sponsor wishing to acquire full naming rights for the stadium.

"Our shirt sponsorship deal with Northern Rock will also expire at the end of this season, which presents would-be sponsors with the opportunity to acquire both the naming rights and shirt sponsorship deals."

St James' Park is the oldest ground in the north east with football having been played on its turf since 1880. Newcastle East End moved to the ground in 1892 before changing their name to Newcastle United.

After major development, a new-look St James' Park was opened on the site in 1905.

BBC

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Sports Direct Arena, they must be taking the p!ss

by **ethanr** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 3:33 pm

Disgrace. Can you imagine our owners Changing the name of our ground from Anfield to Standard Chartered Park? Or FSG Park?

by **stmichael** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 4:13 pm

won't make a blind bit of difference. fans will still call is st james' park in the same was that our fans will always refer to our ground as anfield. you don't hear anybody calling arsenal's ground "ashburton grove" even though that's it's real name. same with man city, west hame and the likes.

it's modern day football unfortunately. a lot of owners don't give a monkeys about the fans.

by **tubby** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 6:21 pm

The name should be tasteful and something that sits well with the fans but ultimatley it's a big injection of cash which we need so im all for it.

by **The Good Yank** » Thu Nov 10, 2011 7:47 pm

tubby wrote:The name should be tasteful and something that sits well with the fans but ultimatley it's a big injection of cash which we need so im all for it.

The college I went to has, just this year sold the stadium naming rights. It's now called "High point Solutions Stadium". But the fans will always simply call it Rutgers Stadium.

by **lakes10** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 12:24 pm

tubby wrote:The name should be tasteful and something that sits well with the fans but ultimatley it's a big injection of cash which we need so im all for it.

dont forget that we was almost the RedBull Arena if G&H had taken the deal lol

by **Greavesie** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 8:02 pm

ethanr wrote:Disgrace. Can you imagine our owners Changing the name of our ground from Anfield to Standard Chartered Park? Or FSG Park?

out of the evidence you have what makes you think they'd call it FSG Park if they were to name it after their company?

The only thing I don't understand is why he's chosen to name it after his own company, how can that bring in more revenue?

I've also read that it was to attract new sponsorship while the olympics are on but no staiums during the olympics will be named after their sponsorships, so basically SJP will still be called SJP - shot himself in the foot on that one

ASDA - Ashley's Sports Direct Arena

by **Reg** » Sat Nov 12, 2011 5:27 am

Anfield will always be Anfield regardless of whether someone pays 100 million to call it the 'Big Mac Pleasuredome' or not. Get teh cash and carry on calling it Anfield - win-win.

by **lakes10** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:20 pm

Reg wrote:'Big Mac Pleasuredome'

pmsl

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