Camp Nou [insert sponsor]: Barca wants NZ$515m for stadium naming rights

By Clément Le Merlus

NZ Herald·

1 Aug, 2018 02:25 AM2 mins to read

Barcelona FC's club directors have kicked off a charm offensive to find a sponsor for a revamped Camp Nou stadium.

According to Marca the Catalan club is demanding NZ$515 million (€300 million) to sell its stadium naming rights over a 20-year period.

#LoMásLeído | El Barça espera ingresar 300 millones por ponerle un 'apellido' comercial al Camp Nou https://t.co/foS2TfoQgi pic.twitter.com/myoqZFntz2
— MARCA (@marca) July 31, 2018

The stadium's new name won't be revealed before early 2019, but several Asian companies have shown their interest and could contest American sponsors in negotiations, according to reports.

In 2015 the Barca members approved by referendum the adoption of a commercial name for their stadium. They voted to keep 'Camp Nou' ("new field" in Catalan) before the sponsor's name.

If the deal is clinched, it would cover half of the NZ$1 billion (€600 million) Camp Nou revamping project due to finish by 2022. It includes a roof for every stand and a total capacity brought to 105,000 seats.

All over the world some famed stadiums still resist attractive naming rights deals.

It's the case of many cricket grounds like the MCG (Melbourne), the Sydney Cricket Ground and the Oval (London). In rugby Twickenham and Eden Park remain apart from the trend.

Madison Square Garden (New York) is the single NBA stadium without sponsor's name.

Unlike the Camp Nou, most of the historic football stadiums retained their original name like Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro), San Siro (Milan), Wembley (London), Anfield (Liverpool) and Old Trafford (Manchester).

The world's biggest stadium is also not likely to bear a sponsor's name as it's the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, located in North Korea's capital Pyongyang.

Rungrado 1st of May Stadium in North Korea is the largest stadium in the world.
Can you imagine competing in a track meet in front of 150,000 people!? pic.twitter.com/2eXdWx7k1K
— Travis Miller (@travismillerx13) March 23, 2018

In the coming months the Tottenham Hotspurs could find a sponsor to name their new stadium. An astronomical amount of NZ$800 million over a 10 to 15-year period is expected.