Anfield is now called Primark Park

[Stephenite]

OK it's not really. But St. James' Park is now called Sports Direct@st.james.park.com.

Now, i'm not a Newcastle Utd fan but WTF! Where's the soul!!

Call me old-fashioned but i think a sports/football club reflects something about the local community and pride and history, etc and there is something hallowed about that.

I'm boycotting SportsDirect on the grounds of them being a bunch of soulless boosterds.

 

[Archie_tect]

St James's won't be called anything else: won't matter what their sponsors try to call it.... remember Consignia?
Er.... neither do I.

 

[snorri]

Call me old-fashioned but i think a sports/football club reflects something about the local community and pride and history, etc and there is something hallowed about that.

You are so old fashioned, at least 40 years behind the times I reckon.

 

[Noodley]

Call me old-fashioned but i think a sports/football club reflects something about the local community and pride and history, etc and there is something hallowed about that.

Anyone who thinks that is living in the 1970s.

And I boycott sportsdirect cos they are shoot.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I did hear yesterday that Spillers were going to sponsor the ground but the Winalot Stadium didn't sound quite right.

 

[007fair]

A few clubs have had new grounds in recent years with soul-less names (Emirates, Etihad etc) I don't think its the worst thing in the world and change does happen eventually. SportsDirect is in the same class as PoundStretcher which is a bit galling - but the idea is that they sell the name to some other company who are willing to pay the price so it could be called anything (Ultimo Wonder Bra anyone?).

The fans will still call it St James though.

 

[YahudaMoon]

Could be worst. Man City's west end has been named after Colin Bell

It's called the 'Bell End

 

[Karlos]

Mike Ashley is above all else a business man. Sponsoring the ground is a great way to obtain free advertising every time it's mentioned on TV and radio, also I believe that St Jame's Park is one of the grounds earmarked for the 2012 Olympics for the football and if that is the case then Sports Direct will receive invaluable free publicity during the worldwide coverage of the games that are held there. So maybe a smart move.

There is the theory that he has done this to show potential future ground sponsors the opportunity that having their name splashed across a Premier league football ground presents, who knows? The fans will always call it St Jame's Park as will all football fans (Us United fans still call the Etihad stadium the council house for instance LOL) so I guess Ashley can call it what he likes.

 

[Archie_tect]

Mike Ashley is above all else a business man. Sponsoring the ground is a great way to obtain free advertising every time it's mentioned on TV and radio, also I believe that St Jame's Park is one of the grounds earmarked for the 2012 Olympics for the football and if that is the case then Sports Direct will receive invaluable free publicity during the worldwide coverage of the games that are held there. So maybe a smart move.

There is the theory that he has done this to show potential future ground sponsors the opportunity that having their name splashed across a Premier league football ground presents, who knows? The fans will always call it St Jame's Park as will all football fans (Us United fans still call the Etihad stadium the council house for instance LOL) so I guess Ashley can call it what he likes.

Ha-ha, Just announced that Newcastle City Council will not be changing any signs near the ground [as St James's Park is the site on which the pitch sits] and to avoid confusion so late in the day after all the Olympic stuff has been arranged St James'sPark will continue to be called ST James's Park by the Olympic organisers...

....oh, and by everyone here too.

Seen as a PR gaffe just when Mike Ashley had started to be treated as less of a liability because the team had started the season well. Mind you, had he carried it off the sponsorship for his company would have been world-wide so you can see why he did it, it's just the timing of it which has amused everybody.

The publicity and the predictable furore will have been well planned and managed- he doesn't do things without good reason. You don't get to be in his position without the midas touch and help from a multitude of business advisors. So, in fact he's not the idiot people like to think he is...

 

[dellzeqq]

Could be worst. Man City's west end has been named after Colin Bell

It's called the 'Bell End

as for Old Trafford...

 

[Glow worm]

as for Old Trafford...

 

[MissTillyFlop]

Oh, they renamed man U's ground ages ago:

 

[MarkF]

It is not a new stadium, it won't work, nobody (outside the media) will ever know it or call it by anything other than it's "real" name. So what's the problem? Nowt!

My team plays at Valley Parade, recently it's been the Intersonic Stadium, The Pulse Stadium and now it's the Coral Windows Stadium. I am season ticket holder but I've just had to look on the clubs website to find out it's current "sponsored" name. It's Valley Parade, always has been and always will be.

 

[martint235]

OK it's not really. But St. James' Park is now called Sports Direct@st.james.park.com.

Now, i'm not a Newcastle Utd fan but WTF! Where's the soul!!

Call me old-fashioned but i think a sports/football club reflects something about the local community and pride and history, etc and there is something hallowed about that.

I'm boycotting SportsDirect on the grounds of them being a bunch of soulless boosterds.

Hmm it's not called that actually. It was called that briefly about a year ago. It's now called the Sports Direct Arena. It's Mike Ashley's way of buttering up the fans:

1. Call it something ludicrous like Sports Direct@st.james.park.com
2. Call it something less ludicrous like the Sports Direct Arena
3. When Umbro or whoever comes in and calls it the Umbro Arena, fans will be falling over themselves with joy!!

 

[subaqua]

It is not a new stadium, it won't work, nobody (outside the media) will ever know it or call it by anything other than it's "real" name. So what's the problem? Nowt!

My team plays at Valley Parade, recently it's been the Intersonic Stadium, The Pulse Stadium and now it's the Coral Windows Stadium. I am season ticket holder but I've just had to look on the clubs website to find out it's current "sponsored" name. It's Valley Parade, always has been and always will be.

same with Chesters current ground - to me it will always be the Deva stadium. not a clue what its real name is . although i remember when the ground was at Sealand road