The Principality Stadium

The Millennium Stadium will be renamed the Principality Stadium in a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Cardiff-based building society.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/wales/34187065

Think its safe to say that everyone will ignore that other than commentators!

BamBam wrote:Think its safe to say that everyone will ignore that other than commentators!

It will creep its way in just as the Aviva has taken hold over Landsdowne.

I can genuinely say that if you had asked me to name the stadium, I would have said Landsdowne, but maybe thats just me

Money coming in to the game is good. But surely one of the most iconic stadiums in the world could have raised a bit more money. The cricket stadium down the road has exactly the same deal apparently. "Up to £15m" over the 10 years is what was bandied about earlier.

Disappointed that the millennium stadium's sponsorship value is seemingly far less than Murrayfield's. No disrepect to them.

I guess its not used hugely often as a sporting venue? I think only the football and rugby internationals are on there, maybe tough to get more

The name Aviva came in with the new Landsdowne stadium so it at least had some association from the start. I can't see anyone apart from commentators using the name any time soon.

Chunky Norwich wrote:Money coming in to the game is good. But surely one of the most iconic stadiums in the world could have raised a bit more money. The cricket stadium down the road has exactly the same deal apparently. "Up to £15m" over the 10 years is what was bandied about earlier.

Disappointed that the millennium stadium's sponsorship value is seemingly far less than Murrayfield's. No disrepect to them.

With all due respect whilst your rugby team is ahead of ours, I'd say Scotland's greater population probably makes it a better option marketing wise. Factor in that Murrayfield is used every second week or so by Edinburgh and that the city itself is perhaps more iconic than Cardiff in many respects. Add in the fact that the "Principality stadium" actually sounds like a name a Welsh stadium would have whereas BT Murrayfield sounds incredibly garish and the only person who actually says it is Greig Laidlaw. Shortly before he wags his tail and looks up to Vern hoping he'll get scraps off the dinner table for being a good boy.

123456789 wrote:

Chunky Norwich wrote:Money coming in to the game is good. But surely one of the most iconic stadiums in the world could have raised a bit more money. The cricket stadium down the road has exactly the same deal apparently. "Up to £15m" over the 10 years is what was bandied about earlier.

Disappointed that the millennium stadium's sponsorship value is seemingly far less than Murrayfield's. No disrepect to them.

With all due respect whilst your rugby team is ahead of ours, I'd say Scotland's greater population probably makes it a better option marketing wise. Factor in that Murrayfield is used every second week or so by Edinburgh and that the city itself is perhaps more iconic than Cardiff in many respects. Add in the fact that the "Principality stadium" actually sounds like a name a Welsh stadium would have whereas BT Murrayfield sounds incredibly garish and the only person who actually says it is Greig Laidlaw. Shortly before he wags his tail and looks up to Vern hoping he'll get scraps off the dinner table for being a good boy.

Murrayfield will be the Salmond Sturgeon Saltire Scott's Nationalist Separatist Indepdent Freeeeeeeeeedom Stadium in my opinion only commentators should be made to shout the "freeeeeeeeeeeeedom" but whenever they say it.

Plus BT is a huge company with a few more quid in the pot than Principality.....at a guess.

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:Plus BT is a huge company with a few more quid in the pot than Principality.....at a guess.

Which is why they offered their money to the millennium stadium first, but the idiot in charge cocked it up.

How'd he manage that?

Tattie Scones RRN wrote:How'd he manage that?

By (alledgedly) being an egomanical sociopath and falling out with the head of bt sports and bt wales.

Quite an achievement to fall out with someone who wants to throw a wad of cash at you and has been doing so at every single opportunity to date

The pessimist in me would say that potentially, there might have been a wee dodgy deal done here.

But I'm not a pessimist so it was undoubtedly all legit.

thing is the MS is also used for a number of other events, concerts, corporate events, Football, rugby, International Speedway.

Not only have we been sold short, we have also been tied into a deal which will erode the value associated with it due to inflation etc

It's quite a fitting legacy for Roger: we would have done better if it wasn't for him.

Just had a look. £15 million for 10 years.... vs. 40 million euros for 10 years for the Aviva.

Murrayfield was renamed for £20 million over 4 years albeit that is also with shirt sponsorship.

Doesn't look an amazing deal.

fa0019 wrote:Just had a look. £15 million for 10 years.... vs. 40 million euros for 10 years for the Aviva.

Murrayfield was renamed for £20 million over 4 years albeit that is also with shirt sponsorship.

Doesn't look an amazing deal.

I wonder did they take it because the name isnt as obvious a sponsorship name as the Aviva for example.

The Principality could just be another name for Wales no?

It's not worth taking a pay cut for a pretty name.

GunsGerms wrote:

fa0019 wrote:Just had a look. £15 million for 10 years.... vs. 40 million euros for 10 years for the Aviva.

Murrayfield was renamed for £20 million over 4 years albeit that is also with shirt sponsorship.

Doesn't look an amazing deal.

I wonder did they take it because the name isnt as obvious a sponsorship name as the Aviva for example.

The Principality could just be another name for Wales no?  

I'd rather have an extra £1.5 million a year to spend on development (about the diff). Thats say 60 additional academy players to develop as professionals for instance.... especially since strength in depth is an issue. Wasn't the collapse of the 5th region all to do with lack of available finances.....

There it is..

I started watching Cardiff RFC in 1955 and have followed them (now Cardiff Blues) and Wales ever since.
I think people will still talk about going to "the Millennium" even though the official name is changing to the Principality Stadium.
I base this on what happened when the WRU developed the Arms Park national ground and named it the National Rugby Stadium of Wales, from about 1970. It was officially the National Stadium until the 1999 world cup when the Millennium Stadium was inaugurated.
But all through the 1970s/80s/90s we carried on going to "the Arms Park" for international games, just as we had in the 1950s/60s.
In fact some of us old codgers still persist in saying we're going to an international game at the Arms Park, which may be confusing for youngsters who follow Cardiff Blues because their ground is actually called the Arms Park!

Nothing is sacred no more.  Anything can be sold for the quick buck.  I'm surprised the Mega Brands haven't gone after the true World icon buildings or towers....yet.

The Apple Tower of Paris.
The Leaning Tower of Beckham
The Coke Pyramids of Giza

fa0019 wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:

fa0019 wrote:Just had a look. £15 million for 10 years.... vs. 40 million euros for 10 years for the Aviva.

Murrayfield was renamed for £20 million over 4 years albeit that is also with shirt sponsorship.

Doesn't look an amazing deal.

I wonder did they take it because the name isnt as obvious a sponsorship name as the Aviva for example.

The Principality could just be another name for Wales no?  

I'd rather have an extra £1.5 million a year to spend on development (about the diff). Thats say 60 additional academy players to develop as professionals for instance.... especially since strength in depth is an issue. Wasn't the collapse of the 5th region all to do with lack of available finances.....

There it is..

Best ask PhilBB.

optimist wrote:I started watching Cardiff RFC in 1955 and have followed them (now Cardiff Blues) and Wales ever since.
I think people will still talk about going to "the Millennium" even though the official name is changing to the Principality Stadium.
I base this on what happened when the WRU developed the Arms Park national ground and named it the National Rugby Stadium of Wales, from about 1970. It was officially the National Stadium until the 1999 world cup when the Millennium Stadium was inaugurated.
But all through the 1970s/80s/90s we carried on going to "the Arms Park" for international games, just as we had in the 1950s/60s.
In fact some of us old codgers still persist in saying we're going to an international game at the Arms Park, which may be confusing for youngsters who follow Cardiff Blues because their ground is actually called the Arms Park!

'aark, 'aark, the lark....
Not an old codger quite yet, but I get your drift. Tried to correct an elder cousin of mine some years ago, but she wasn't having any of it. And she was providing the food/drink at the time. Happy with that.

Apparently the deal is worth £15 million for 10 years. It seams a little on the short side for me considering what the SRFU got for theirs and what the IRFU got for theirs. But in saying that the WRU debt is conveniently at £15 million. Is this a debt exchange ? With the debt wiped out, the WRU stand to make quite a lot more money over ten years than the £1.5 million a year they are getting of the Principality.

Have the WRU been sold short ? Or is this a stroke of genius to wipe off their debt and keep the re-payment money ?

The Scots was part of the Champions cup bribe and shirt sponsorship etc so not really comparable.

The Irish deal with Aviva is more because Ireland is a bigger country and the IRFU only own half the stadium. If England renamed Twickenham for 10 years they could get a massive deal.

profitius wrote:The Scots was part of the Champions cup bribe and shirt sponsorship etc so not really comparable.

The Irish deal with Aviva is more because Ireland is a bigger country and the IRFU only own half the stadium. If England renamed Twickenham for 10 years they could get a massive deal.

Although whilst the MS is technically a Welsh stadium... its really a British one... wait for it lads, put the knives away.

I say that with the greatest respect because of its location close to England, equal distances to Manchester, Birmingham, London etc and it can appeal right across the nation. That means really the market is far far greater than just Wales.

People in London wouldn't have a problem going to the MS to watch a match, concert etc... Murrayfield I agree but not the MS. What 2hrs train journey from London???

Who has Roof Button Rights? That's all I want to know. Who bought Roof Button Rights?

Realistically other than the odd Tom Jones concert, what is going to be on in the principality that won't be in London or the city of Manchester stadium?

Don't see much interest outside of Wales to be honest.

The Admiral party.

The WRU will make more money from this deal than people realise. If what I am being told is correct, then the Principality is taking over the stadium debt. By doing this the WRU now get to keep all the loan repayments plus the interest and stand to earn a lot more than what they could have had by just selling the name and keeping the debt.

rodders wrote:Realistically other than the odd Tom Jones concert, what is going to be on in the principality that won't be in London or the city of Manchester stadium?

Don't see much interest outside of Wales to be honest.

Isn't it getting the champions league final soon???

...and the Japanese World Cup final!

SecretFly wrote:...and the Japanese World Cup final!

Joke isn't it.

The IRB breaks it back to help build rugby in Japan and what do they do... hand it over to South Africa!

Dowlais, part of the problem is that the WRU haven't released details of the deal. That's a bit odd.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Dowlais, part of the problem is that the WRU haven't released details of the deal. That's a bit odd.

Well they have sold the naming rights to the Principality for the exact same amount that they are in debt. I could be wrong and the person explaining it to me could be telling me duff info, but that is the deal I have been made aware of. I think the fact that the amount they are getting and the amount they are in debt is a little to convenient for it to be too far wide of the mark though, don't you ?

I thought they hadn't confirmed how much they'd sold the rights for?

Dowlais what I had originally thought you were saying is that Principality had bought the naming rights for £15M AND inherited the £14.9M debt? If not then yeah I think we've been ripped off.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I thought they hadn't confirmed how much they'd sold the rights for?

I got it from here:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/millennium-stadium-renamed-principality-stadium-10010999

Could you quote the relevant sentence / paragraph? If you've got time.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Could you quote the relevant sentence / paragraph? If you've got time.

WalesOnline understands the 10-year deal could be worth up to £15m.

Aha. 'Understands' and 'could'.

Don't you think it's strange that the naming rights announcement omitted the crucial matter of how much the deal was worth? What's to hide?

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Aha. 'Understands' and 'could'.

Don't you think it's strange that the naming rights announcement omitted the crucial matter of how much the deal was worth? What's to hide?

I don't know, look, I am only telling you what I have been told. Anyway, I just cannot fathom that the WRU would be that naive to sell our stadium name for that much when everybody else is selling theirs for more.

Walesonline certainly know how to get the buzz going on articles:

"WalesOnline understands the 10-year deal could be worth up to £15m."

Everyone else seems to think that's a 'down to' price.  

But if they got a deal that's tied into paying off debt or redirecting debt elsewhere then I'm sure they're happy with what they've got.  
It must be clear to anyone that the Millennium Stadium is iconic enough in rugby terms to get more so you have to believe the WRU knew that but wanted this deal for their specific reasons.

Interesting other article btw on Gats and Graham Henry. Old Graham talking gruffly direct as usual but interesting piece that I only found because I looked up the Principality one.

SecretFly, if what I am hearing is correct, then with all the loans taken away from them, the WRU will be about £3 million+ a year better off, over ten years that is £30 million+. So for me that is not a bad deal.

LordDowlais wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Aha. 'Understands' and 'could'.

Don't you think it's strange that the naming rights announcement omitted the crucial matter of how much the deal was worth? What's to hide?

I don't know, look, I am only telling you what I have been told. Anyway, I just cannot fathom that the WRU would be that naive to sell our stadium name for that much when everybody else is selling theirs for more.

I just think it's bizarre that they haven't made public how much the deal is worth.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I just think it's bizarre that they haven't made public how much the deal is worth.

I suppose they will in time. Just out of curiosity, what would you expect the WRU to get for ten years naming rights ?

Much more than they've (seemingly) got for it. As rugby stadia go, the Millennium is one of the best-known worldwide, and they should have driven a harder bargain.

I would say it's been undersold, except they haven't said officially what it has been sold for!