The Political Economy of Football V2

Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of securing a naming rights deal for their new stadium have been dealt a blow by the coronavirus pandemic. Spurs had been hoping to secure a 15-year deal starting in the 2020/21 season which would have been worth £375m, a world record: Blow to naming rights ambitions Even before the pandemic naming rights deals were becoming increasingly difficult to secure so Spurs did well to get so close to a deal. It is not clear whether they will settle for a reduced deal.

Everton have secured a £200m naming rights deal for their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov. The ten year deal would see the stadium branded with the name of his holding company, USM. He already has a naming rights deal on the training ground: Naming rights deal Everton are fortunate as clubs have not found it easy recently to secure naming rights deals for new stadiums as has been the case for Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Lower league clubs are more successful in selling naming rights for their stadiums, perhaps because they are so desperate for cash that they will take any offer, however low it is and never mind whether the name is convoluted and inappropriate for a football club. Modern stadiums are generally more likely to be sponsored, but Tottenham Hotspur have not sold the naming rights for their new stadium, nor have West Ham for the London Stadium. 25 per cent of clubs in the Premier League and Championship have sold their naming rights, compared with 46 per cent in League Two and 45 per cent in League One.

This article boosts them as a growing phenomenon: Naming rights boom? This may well be true in terms of the number of deals. Apparently Livingston and Dumbarton have had five or six over the last twenty years. Never mind the quality feel the width. However, the real test is whether you can get deals that make a real difference financially to a club as has happened at Arsenal and Manchester City. West Ham United have been trying to get a deal for the London Stadium for some time. The real test will be whether Tottenham Hotspur can get a deal for the new White Hart Lane which will offset some of the costs, now well over budget. I was amused to learn that they have a new line in sponsored headwear: Headwear deal Perhaps they should offer hard hats! Meeting with members of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation at a reception at Bruce Castle attended by the Mayor of Haringey How, it was a real pleasure to visit Haringey last week and talk with representatives of the Tottenham Hotsp...