Tottenham Hotspur, whose roster includes stars Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, want stadium … [+]
The impressive £1 billion ($1.12 billion) home of Tottenham Hotspur is missing one name.
Since the 62,850-capacity stadium opened three and a half years ago, London clubs have sought a naming rights partner for the current ‘Tottenham Hotspur Stadium’.
In a speech in 2019, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy said the naming rights deal would go “only with the acquisition of the right brand in the right sector at the right amount”.
Levy may be close to getting his ideal partner now, with The Athletic reporting last week that the Spurs are in “meaningful talks” with Google over a naming rights deal. Neither organization has publicly commented.
It’s just a guess, but here’s why a deal with Google would be a win for the Spurs.
Fans of the brand and name will be satisfied
The internet giant is a highly regarded global brand. It is associated with reliability and innovation. It’s well known in the United States, a country where the Spurs have worked hard to grow their brand and gain fans.
For supporters, “Google Stadium” is easier to swallow than any other possible brand partner. British football has been more resistant to naming rights arrangements than American sports. But that started to change.
While most English clubs retain their stadium’s historic name, Emirates Stadium (Arsenal) and Etihad Stadium (Manchester City) are two of the ‘branded’ grounds whose names have stuck with supporters. One example. While it’s hard to imagine fans accepting a fast-food company as a sponsor (perhaps due to ridicule and ethical concerns from rival fans), technology businesses are easier to accept.
Especially tech companies with a decent reputation. Google, in particular, has been criticized for its tax evasion tactics, but to a lesser degree than Amazon and Uber (both of which are reportedly interested in doing a deal with Spurs).
Over $1 billion was spent building Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.Spurs become brand partner … [+]
Importantly, Google is also very well-funded. Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is typically among the top five most valuable companies in the world. It has a market capitalization of $1.31 trillion at the time of writing.
Daniel Levy is known for his smart financial decisions that helped transform Tottenham into one of the Premier League’s ‘Big 6’. He wants £25m a year for the stadium’s naming rights It is said that
Such an agreement would benefit Tottenham’s finances. It will help the club pay off its hefty debt from building stadiums and fund the signing of new players to compete for the lucrative annual entry to the Champions League.
It would also be a coup for Spurs chief commercial officer Todd Klein, whose job was to find a lucrative naming rights partner.
What are the benefits for Google?
For Google, the Spurs deal is an affordable entry into the world’s most popular sport.
With NBA, MLB and Formula One deals already in place, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has the advantage of hosting NFL games and high-profile concerts in London.
The club has also established itself as one of the best clubs in England. They regularly qualify for the Champions League and have highly marketable players such as Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son.
Google executives have also been keeping a close eye on rival tech giants and their sports investments. Amazon won the broadcast rights to Premier League games in the UK, and in June Apple agreed to a 10-year streaming deal with Major League football for him.
The Spurs stadium is considered one of the best in Europe. Google Stadium might be a name that helps pay for it.
.
Comments
Post a Comment