£130m stadium naming rights deal already done as Chelsea offered Stamford Bridge replacement

Historically, football stadia have had quaint names rooted in local geography. Stamford Bridge, for instance, is named after a bridge that once crossed a stream near Fulham Road. But if Chelsea strike a naming rights deal in SW6 or elsewhere, the stadium will likely be branded by a tech multinational, a Middle Eastern airline, or a banking giant.

Naming rights deals are big business. Studies suggest that just short of £10bn is contracted annually in naming rights deal worldwide, with sport the biggest driver.

Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter have been among the biggest beneficiaries, with their LA Lakers’ NBA franchise due to earn over £500m for their stadium naming rights deal with Crypto.com, which is the biggest such deal in the history of sport.

American sport is typically where the most valuable partnerships are. NBA, NFL and MLB franchises don’t have front-of-shirt sponsors, so the naming rights are the highest-profile sponsorship property available. Incidentally, Chelsea don’t have a front-of-shirt sponsor yet either, though unlike in US sport this is a result of poor planning rather than a preordained brand strategy.

But naming rights deals are growing in football too. Atletico Madrid signed a stadium deal with Saudi Arabian airline Riyadh Air, who have also reportedly held sponsorship talks with Chelsea. Camp Nou meanwhile is branded by Spotify, while Allianz sponsor several stadiums across Europe.

Closer to home, Manchester City have Etihad and Arsenal have Emirates. Tottenham have been looking for a naming rights partner for some time, while Everton are expected to announce one before they formally move into their new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock next season.

Chelsea’s situation, however, is slightly different.

The naming rights for Stamford Bridge as well as the freehold to the stadium itself are controlled by Chelsea Pitch Owners, the non-profit set up to protect the ground from private ownership.