Stadium naming rights – it’s been described by some as football’s largest unexploited financial opportunity.

Selling the name of your stadium to the highest bidder is something some clubs have got on board with over the years. Livingston have the Tony Macaroni Stadium, St Mirren Park is supposed to be called The Simple Digital Arena – however, most people still call it St Mirren Park and if you’re really old – you might still call it Love street – even though they’ve long moved from that particular area of Paisley.

Stadium naming rights could be lucrative and a club like Celtic have worldwide appeal – especially when they’re playing on the European stage. There would be a lot of business’s interested in seeing their company’s name on the marker in an official UEFA graphic before a tie between Celtic and Lazio, Bayer Leverkusen, and anyone one day again, Barcelona.

Inside football world claim around only 30% of stadiums in the perceived ‘top five’ leagues have sold their naming rights to this point.

The two big sponsorships in the top five leagues come from the financial sector as well as the car industry.

It’s commonplace in the USA but there’s a reluctance in European football to do it.

So why has the club not tapped into this market?

There could be numerous reasons but the biggest one we’ve found, speaking to many different clubs is the backlash from fans. Tradition plays a major part in our game and for many, the thought of their stadium being renamed to a hollow corporate entity would be a step too far.

The need for clubs to push the envelope and provide new sources of income is great – especially at a club like Celtic.

The board and the fans relationship is basically non-existent at the moment. You wouldn’t win a prize for guessing the reaction if Celtic were to come out and say they were signing a lucrative deal to rename the stadium.

Our editor polled over 2k fans on social media and the resounding result was 63% saying no to renaming Celtic Park.

The impact of the last 18 months on football clubs will continue to show and we’ll likely see more sponsorship deals for stadiums pop up.

Would it be wise of Celtic to go out into the market and secure big business?

Ultimately, Celtic Park is what Celtic fans call it, some still call it Parkhead, others Paradise and then there’s just plain old Celtic Park.

Raking in a substantial amount of cash while we still call it Celtic Park doesn’t seem like the worst idea but I know it would still leave many uncomfortable.

7 COMMENTS

  1. “Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Celtic in association with Budweiser and Mastercard Park, it’s going to be a great game”

    WHO THE HELL WANTS THAT?????

    Nope. Only ever in the extreme but unlikely circumstance it was the last thing that might save the club from going under, but that’s it. Can’t really say we’re more than a club if we sell our soul so easily, we’ve enough sponsorships about the place as it is…

    • People sell their souls all the time.

      Some do it in order to get into pubs and restaurants. Others to fit in, some folk do it to virtue signal, some do it because they are idiots and believe a stranger in a suit on the tv.

      Make sure you get those #BoosterJabs doll.

      #Snigger

  2. I am not only a Celtic fan but also a big rugby league fan and I support Saint Helens ,the Saints sold the naming rights to their new stadium and Celtic fans would love this —- “The Totally Wicked ” Celtic Park I think that would catch on .And that other lot could be ” The Mend A Hose ” Jungle that’s Castleford
    Tigers .
    They can call it what ever they want but it will always be Parkhead to me .

  3. I remember the the Rangers were in talks a few years back with a giant American whiskey company, they wanted to call it The suffer in comfort stadium.

  4. Celtic is already a hollow corporate entity, the board has saw to that as they pay little attention to what the fans say. But becoming tied to a booze or betting company would be repugnant and Celtic would be tarnished forever. Advertising booze and betting is bad enough and diminishes the original ethos of the club. In fact the original Celtic ethos has been killed by allowing these evil companies to be associated with the club. No two things damage the working class as much as drink and gambling. Being promoted by heroin or crack is arguably better.

  5. Over at ‘iboxi bare trophy cabinet stadia’ the occupants still believe they never went and died.
    Paradise, will always be Paradise, no matter who owns the rights (or wrongs) just means, once you arrive outside (or inside) you will be remembered of the change.

    As for countless years the inside of Paradise had UMBRO plastered all over the stands. You cannot change the honest fans mindset. So why not, give the money to the colts, and rebuild the Quality Street gang again. Or put it to good use by rebuilding the main stand roof and increase the capacity and link the bowl.

  6. Will we get a say in it? Doubt it, this board will do whatever lines their pockets. Will I be annoyed? Yes but at the end of the day I’ll still call it Paradise or Parkhead or Celtic Park. FFS I still call St Mirren’s ground Love St!! I’d suspect the vast majority of fans will use an “old” name. Nobody is going to force you to use the new name.

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