Period of calm broken by a return to Ash-bashing
Posted on November 11th, 2011 | 34 Comments |
Just as Ashley was seemingly gaining some ground with fans after a fantastic start to the season on the pitch, it seems he’s now off a lot of peoples’ Christmas Card lists again thanks to his idea to turn St James’ Park into a shrine to Sports Direct.
Ashley’s popularity is a bit like a game of snakes and ladders. We climb a few ladders here and there as things improve a bit, only to land on an enormous snake and go right back to the start.
Various newspapers, pundits, ‘blogs and of course fans have been having their say on the whole name change issue. Even the Council have said they’re not going to recognise the name change as far as they’re concerned. The Council’s statement read:
“The name of St James’ Park has been synonymous with Newcastle United football club and the city for over a century.
“It is recognised around the world and the decision to change it, without consultation, will upset the overwhelming majority of fans who loyally support the team week in and week out.
“While I understand the commercial reasons for renaming sports venues when they relocate, this is not the case in this instance and some things are beyond profit when they mean so much to people.
“The football club is part of the beating heart of the city and while the city council values its relationship with the club, it has no plans to change any existing way-finding signs which bear the name St James’ Park.
“As far as the fans and Newcastle City Council are concerned, the home of Newcastle United will always be known as St James’ Park.”
It’s a fine kettle of fish and no mistake. But let’s have a look at what Llambias said and then I’ll tell you what I don’t get. As part of a Club Statement, Delboy said:
“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. Stadium rebranding offers a lucrative way for clubs to secure significant additional income.
“When we initially launched our plans at the end of 2009, we invited sponsors to attach their brand to that of St. James’ Park. However it has become clear that in order to make the proposition as commercially attractive as possible, a potential sponsor must be given the opportunity to fully rebrand the stadium.
“Naming the stadium the Sports Direct Arena 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.”
This is the bit I don’t get: “Naming the stadium the Sports Direct Arena helps up to showcase the opportunity to interested parties.”
This whole ‘showcasing’ thing sounds a bit stinky to me. It implies that the marketing departments of potential sponsors have no idea what buying the stadium rights means and that Ashley has kindly offered to demonstrate that for them via Sports Direct. I find it hard to believe there’s a corporate marketing department that needs something like this ‘showcased’ to them.
Llambias also said that they have had no interest in their original idea to buy what looked liked an email address @St James’ Park and I find that hardly surprising because it was the worst idea since John F Kennedy said “let’s take the convertible today dear”.
But how much are they asking for the naming rights anyway? If they wanted to ‘showcase’ it to demonstrate what stadium renaming means to the presumably dunderheaded marketing departments of large corporates, why not offer it at a cut price rate for 2 years so that at least Newcastle United gets some financial benefit?
Or if they’re going to do it for free, why not offer it to a charity? Surely that would be better publicity than associating it with Sports Direct and all the nepotistic undertones that generates.
You see, the key point for me is that we’re getting nothing for calling it the Sports Direct Arena. I don’t really want the name changed from St James’ Park at all but I do recognise the trend for stadium renaming as a means of earning revenue in the football world, and if a few hundred million over 5-10 years was coming our way as a result it would be all the more palatable.
Ashley has effed up here. Renaming St James’ Park would always have been a sore point but to do so without any money coming into NUFC and as a big fat freebie for Sports Direct, our owner has really pushed the boat out in terms of rankling people.
The cynic could be forgiven for thinking this ‘showcasing’ is all a ruse and that with the 2012 Olympics on the way, we’re being used by Ashley to promote Sports Direct globally.
Lucky it is then that there are no cynics on this ‘blog!
Rumours that our manager is to be renamed ‘Sports Direct @Pardew’ by deed poll are, I am assured, totally unfounded.
Poll
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.
Hugh,
They way I read and interpreted the statement is that ‘Sports Direct Arena’ is temporary and is only being used, together with all publicity generated in the last few days, to alert and attract potential sponsors who will be given the rights to plaster their name all over the ground and change the name of the stadium for a large wodge of cash.
Given how the press, even as far as Japan, have picked up the story it looks like the club have done a good job in getting the message across.
The question now is whether prospective sponsors will be attracted by the opportunity to advertise themselves worldwide or totally put off by the hostility of the fans.
If the club doesn’t get (any or enough) paying sponsors and with Ashley having said that he will not put any more of his money into the club then either ticket prices go up or players have to be sold in order to balance the books.
The Catch 22 is that selling players could balance the books but without these players or their replacements the club could miss out on money from higher league positions, extended domestic cup runs and even European competition.
Whatever name the ground becomes it will always be known as St James’ Park. The main point is that the club should continue.