Chelsea Search for Stadium Sponsor

November 8, 2011

Chelsea FC are looking to secure a naming rights sponsor for their Stamford Bridge stadium in the new year.

This follows last month where iSportconnect reported the club’s failed attempt to buy back the land on which the ground is built, could have facilitated a move to a new venue.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “We have outgrown our stadium. We hope to make an announcement on naming rights in the next six to eight months. It would make a big step as we have to drive up the revenues.”

Gourlay first mentioned selling the stadium rights in 2009, stipulating that Stamford Bridge should remain in the new title and that a lease would be for between seven and 10 years.

Stamford Bridge currently holds 42,449 fans which drops to 38,000 on Champions League nights because of Uefa restrictions.

Gourlay said no decision had yet been made as to whether a new vote will be called at next month’s Annual General Meeting but insisted: “We need a 60-65,000 stadium. We have the eighth biggest stadium in England and the 61st biggest in Europe.

“But when you look at the activity of stadiums planned for next few years, we will fall out of the top 75 which can only be restrictive to the football club. We have corporate hospitality that is second to none and 30,000 season ticket holders.

“In the meantime we continue on our conversations to see if there is any way at all to extend Stamford Bridge.”