Football fans are fine with the idea of sponsors names appearing not only on shirts but also on their stadium, according to recent research by UK agency SPA. The research was commissioned by sponsorship consultancy, Connexus PreciSion, on behalf of the English Premier League clubs Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers.
The findings were used to help Arsenal, work on whose new Ashburton Grove home is progressing, in their preparations for seeking a naming rights partner, and enable them to understand the impact stadium sponsorship might have on fans' relationship with the club. Bolton Wanderers are using the findings to demonstrate the value of naming rights sponsorship to its existing partners Reebok.SPA talked to fans from two clubs which already have branded stadia, Bolton Wanderers and Hamburger SV, the latter sponsored by AOL. Responses indicate that fans welcome the idea of companies signing naming rights deals and fans feel a particular loyalty to the stadium sponsor, viewing the respective company as being 'bound into the fabric of the club as a true partner'. Perhaps unlike reactions to some shorter-term or more minor sponsors, supporters also perceive stadium sponsors as highly committed to the club's long-term future prospects and therefore an 'integral part of the club, all it stands for and the surrounding local community', according to SPA.
SPA Chairman Jon Priest, Chairman at SPA says the news ought to reassure Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers and any prospective naming rights partners: 'the creation of a new stadium is a fundamental event in the life of a football club and the research we did clearly shows that there are great benefits to be had from stadium sponsorship - both for the club and the sponsoring company'.
The agency's web site is at www.spa-mr.com
