Toon stadium to be named after Ashley's business
NEWCASTLE United are to call their stadium sportsdirect.com@St James's Park for the remainder of this season.
The news comes a week after club owner Mike Ashley announced he will offer the naming rights of the 52,000 stadium to prospective businesses.
Managing director Derek Llambias said he hopes to find a new sponsor to take over the name next season.
"We will showcase Sports Direct until the end of the season," he said.
"I'm sure we're going to get a sponsor in for next season."
Ashley angered Toon supporters when he took the club off the market last week and announced a series of plans for the club's future.
It included plans to rename the stadium for "commercial purposes", as well as installing Chris Hughton as permanent manager until the end of next season.
Llambias admitted the club could have dealt with the announcement better, but is confident the plans are in the best interests of Newcastle United.
He added: "We could have worded it better, and that's why we came out to explain what we're trying to achieve."
"With the renaming it was always going to be whatever brand it was, at St James' Park.
"For the remainder of this season, we already have sportsdirect.com on the Gallowgate stand so we'd like to take that branding through the rest of the stadium."
And Llambias was also keen to express that the existing St James's Park name will be attached to the club "forever", and believes supporters will see a tangible impact if the scheme is a success in the future.
He said: "If it brings in a good chunk of money to the club, that goes straight to the team, it's a revenue we should look at."
A club spokesman said the name will be changed to sportsdirect.com@St James's Park in the "near future", but it has not taken affect as yet.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for South Shields
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
