Manchester United's kit sponsor Snapdragon are reportedly interested in acquiring naming rights to Old Trafford.
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Snapdragon interested in Old Trafford naming rightsBrand features on new United shirtINEOS seeking stadium investmentWHAT HAPPENED?
The US tech firm has a whopping £176 million ($225m) shirt deal with the club but is also interested in having their name attached to United's home ground, according to . As the club continues to assess whether or not to revamp Old Trafford or build a new home, Snapdragon has emerged as a potential investment option for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
This would be a controversial move for a club that has never sold its stadium naming rights to a private company before, but Snapdragon appears confident that there could be a deal to strike here. The US firm's £60m-per-year deal with United, penned last summer, was a world record-breaking shirt sponsorship contract. If they offer enough cash to the club, the Red Devils hierarchy may struggle to turn it down.
WHAT SNAPDRAGON SAID
Snapdragon chief marketing officer Don McGuire said: “Old Trafford is Old Trafford, it should always be Old Trafford [or whatever any new stadium name is]. But if there is a brand attached to that in some way shape or form, powered by someone, an ‘at’ or whatever [it could happen]. We are working very closely with the team on the reimagination of Old Trafford from a technology and innovation standpoint. So if that leads to something bigger… we are always looking out for opportunities.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR UNITED?
While the club's future off the pitch continues to be the source of much speculation, on the field they're preparing for a brand new campaign after a huge summer of change. Erik ten Hag remains in place but a major shake-up means he'll have fresh eyes on him at the start of the 2024-25 season. Key new faces at Old Trafford include director of football Dan Ashworth, technical director Jason Wilcox, and chief executive Omar Berrada.