St James' Park name lives on even if NUFC sponsor is found

Nov 4 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

THE St James’ Park name will live on even if a sponsor is found for Newcastle United’s iconic stadium, the club’s managing director insisted last night.

Derek Llambias said no sponsor would ever be able to rename the ground but, in an attempt to clarify how a new link-up may work, he said the ground would be known "commercially" as "Sports Direct.com at St James’ Park" for the rest of the season, after the sportswear company owned by club boss Mike Ashley.

Mr Llambias insisted the stadium will continue to be called St James’ Park on a day-to-day basis, with the sponsor’s main benefit being the introduction of branding around the ground. He said this would be done in a similar way to how Sports Direct.com signs enjoy prominence around St James’ Park at present.

A future sponsor would also be able to use its name in conjunction with St James’ Park, but will not be able to change the name, said Mr Llambias.

He said: "What we are offering is a package. At the moment we have Sports Direct.com signs all around the stadium which is what we will be offering to the sponsors should they wish to purchase that package.

"We are not getting rid of the St James’ Park name, we are offering people the chance to have their branding all around the stadium as well as on a new jumbo electronic scoreboard. The company can then say it is whatever at St James’ Park.

"To use an analogy, if you look at Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant at Claridges, nobody calls it that, they don’t call it Ramsey’s at Claridges, they just call it Claridges and that will be the same with St James’ Park."

With a new kit sponsor and kit supplier also needed in the summer following the expiration of deals with Northern Rock and Adidas, Mr Llambias said it was the ideal time to maximise the club’s commercial potential by offering three separate packages which could be bought by one company or three different ones.

He explained: "This is the first time we have been able to attract any sponsorship money since we took over. The last lot was all spent in one lump sum before we got here and we are trying to maximise the money we can bring in for the good of the club. By offering sponsorship of the stadium we are adding value.

"All of the money that is raised will go straight back into the team and help us move forward as a business. We have taken a big hit this year following relegation and that hit has had to be covered by Mike because we have not got the full amount of money from the bank. We have to look at ways to increase our income and these sponsorship packages are a good way to do that.

"But we know the St James’ Park name is part of the history of the club, part of its tradition, and we do not want to lose that."

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