A stadium naming rights deal remains a top priority for Tottenham but they are content to wait until their reserve price is met because of the brand exposure they are gaining in the meantime, sources have told Football Insider.
The 62,850-seater arena – which cost £1billion to build and is celebrated as one of the world’s best multi-purpose venues – has been known as the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened in April 2019.
Chairman Daniel Levy has been on the hunt for a naming rights partner for several years, as has commercial director Todd Kline since his appointment in early 2021.
Google and Amazon are among the companies in the mix for a deal that could be worth as much as £250m over 10 years, although there has been no breakthrough at this stage.
As well as adding circa £ 60 million to the club’s annual matchday income, the stadium has also given Spurs a stage on which to host some of the most illustrious events in sport and music.
The NFL’s London Games and heavyweight boxing clashes featuring some of the sport’s biggest stars are among the highlights, and Spurs’ new commercial relationship with Formula 1 is bound to open doors as well as wallets.
Pop superstar Beyonce will also play five concerts to sell-out audiences at the stadium in the summer, with other blockbuster acts penciled in while the pitch is not in use during the off-season.
All of those events have been attached to the Tottenham name rather than that of a commercial partner – and the club is well aware of the number of potential customers their brand has reached as a result.
A commercial source familiar with the naming rights market has told this site that the North Londoners recognize that, on a global level, they are a maturing brand and that there is soft-power value in reaching different consumers.
It is understood that Spurs remain fully committed to finding a commercial partner for the stadium but there is perhaps less urgency than supporters realize, with an emphasis on finding the right partner to align themselves with.
There is also an issue in that the UK and Ireland’s bid to host Euro 2028 is due to include the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but Uefa rules stipulate that only unbranded venues can stage matches.
The source did not have any inside information on this topic but their expert opinion is that Spurs are exceedingly unlikely to delay their search for a new sponsor to placate European football’s governing body.
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