4 months ago
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MANCHESTER UNITED’S shirt sponsor is interested in a naming rights deal for Old Trafford.
Snapdragon signed a three-year deal worth £180million to have their name on United’s jersey.
GettyBut they already have their eyes on the club’s ground.
They would look to retain the Old Trafford name with their own connected to it.
For example, Wembley is actually ‘Wembley Stadium connected by EE’.
So Old Trafford could be Old Trafford@Snapdragon.
United played Arsenal in San Diego in a Stadium called Bashor Field@Snapdragon but is now widely known as the Snapdragon Stadium.
Snapdragon is a subsidiary of technology giant Qualcomm.
They are already working on ideas around the club’s £50million renovation of Carrington.
The club is also planning on building a brand new £2billion 100,000 capacity stadium on land adjacent to the current ground by 2030.
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It might be an easier sell to fans to have any sponsor’s name linked to that rather than the current ground.
Qualcomm’s chief marketing officer Don McGuire said: “Old Trafford is Old Trafford, it should always be Old Trafford.
“But if there is a brand attached to that in some way, shape or form, powered by someone, an “at” or whatever.
“We are working very closely with the team on the re-imagination of Old Trafford from a technology and innovation standpoint and Carrington.
“So if that leads to something bigger, where it would make sense for us to go even bigger… if it makes sense we are always looking out for opportunities.”
What we know about the 'new' Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED plan to build a new stadium rather than redevelop Old Trafford.
The decision was made after a number of fact-finding missions to other stadiums including the Bernabeu and Nou Camp.
The cost of the project is expected to be a staggering £2billion.
A capacity of 100,000 is expected.
It is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.
The new stadium will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils’ current home.
United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.
The club consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.
Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910.
The target is for completion by 2030.
United are looking for various ways of funding a new ground with naming rights an obvious way of raising significant money.
The club’s chief operations officer Collette Roche has said that there would be consultation with supporter groups before any naming rights issue.
But in a fans forum, Roche also made it clear that all avenues to raise capital were being looked at.
Roche said: “We must look at all possible funding options, but it’s still early stages with no decisions made.”
Ratcliffe could propose a new venue on the land next to the current groundMAN UTD TRANSFER NEWS LIVE: All the latest deals and rumours from Old Trafford
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