Simon Clegg admits not every fan would be in favour of renaming Portman Road
POLL: We would consider renaming Portman Road after a sponsor says Simon Clegg
By Dave Gooderham
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
10:57 AM
SIMON Clegg has risked the wrath of Ipswich Town fans by admitting he would never rule out renaming Portman Road.
The chief executive insisted he would do anything in his power to hand the Blues a financial advantage – including handing over the naming rights to Town’s famous ground to a multi-million pound sponsor.
Clegg said: “I am well aware of what has happened at Newcastle over the last 12 months or so and the impact that has happened with the fans.
“But I have a commercial responsibility to this organisation to ensure I do whatever is right and appropriate for this club to give us a competitive advantage. “And if that means bringing in additional commercial sponsors, in whatever field it might be, including, if necessary, naming rights for the ground, that is something I will explore.
“I am not committing to doing it. But it is not something I would close my mind to as a complete non-starter, ever.”
While naming grounds after a chief sponsor has now become fairly common-place in football, many Town fans are proud of the fact that the club has shied away from this.
But Clegg maintained it could make good business sense, adding: “From my point of view, particular in the context of financial fair play, I am never going to say never. I have got a business responsibility to explore every opportunity that gets presented to this football club.
The chief executive yesterday announced a new partnership which will see the West Stand renamed after new sponsors, the East of England Co-operative Society.
The deal, which is for three years potentially rising to five, is worth a “six-figure sum” according to Clegg who added: “I can’t be specific because there are confidentiality clauses within the contract, but it will impact positively. The East of England Co-operative Society is paying more than the previous sponsor.
“Every revenue stream in this football club goes to enhancing the player budget, that is where the vast majority of our funds got to and at the end of the day, that is what is going to get us promoted or not. That is where the priority is and things like this announcement all helps.”
- What do you think? Would renaming Portman Road be a good idea, a sign of the times or something you would protest against? Let us know your views below or by emailing dave.gooderham@archant.co.uk
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33 comments
I wish this FXT budgie would fly off and land on someone else's perch. We don't need Delia's doughnuts telling us how to run a football club. Beware all you Canaries, we will rise from the ashes and although I like Chris Houghton as a manager look out for the second season bounce.
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whymarkmariner
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Personally I wouldn't mind if CEO Clegg sponsored one of the Portman road gates as long as it had the 'EXIT' sign painted on it !!!!!!
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Brian Betts
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Monkey1986 - Hypothetical scenario for you...You owe your bank £500 on which you pay interest. I come along and buy your debt for £250 and you now pay that interest to me. You then borrow even more money and now owe me (not the bank) £1000 and you pay even more interest to me - Questions :- Are you better off now than you were before ? Have I saved you from the brink ? Am I investing in you ? Would you still consider this investment if I then sold your TV, renamed your house but in recompense gave your front door a lick of paint ?
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bluearmy78
Thursday, July 12, 2012
wandering why.....if having a business man in charge is such a good idea, please can you explain why the debt has doubled under that businessman?
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Kevin Bailey
Thursday, July 12, 2012
KEEP PORTMAN ROAD.....PORTMAN ROAD AND STUFF WOT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
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Micky Beeby
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
When I first moved to Suffolk and asked a lady the way to Portman Road, I got a slap-didn't realise why until later. Is this really a name to be proud of?
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Zico Rice
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Heard a rumour their going to call it the WINALOT stadium, thought it was a bit inappropriate myself. Seriously though it would be a shame to lose the PR tag as from what I understand it was an area where men crossed to get to the Port. We already have too many influences from beyond these shores and it won't be many years before Englishmen lose their identity altogether. I worked in Stowmarket for I.C.I for 25 years, all the great British industries are no longer owned by us, Stadia are owned by Russians, Americans, Arabs etc. Yes I know you have to move with the times, but does this mean destroying every last bastion of Englishness? I hope not.
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whymarkmariner
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
snake and paul you are both quite correct- IF PR were to be renamed it would always be Portman Rd to us and that is what matters- As per st james park the geordies all still call it st james and will continue to do so. I belive villa park was also renamed- what does everyone call it? Villa Park- Money for nothing if you ask me. take it (I will add that i would still expect a fair whack to see this happen)
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TrueBlue
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I despair reading some of these comments. And why do people assume money going in to the club will go straight to Evans? Has he not shown his commitment to the club already? Do you want every penny accounted for showing amount paid for tea bags and electric bills as its not all gone on players and wages. Why assume the owner is messing the club over, he is the one to lose most if the club fails and he knows what he's doing with businesses. People just like a moan sometimes and use football as the outlet it seems. The clubs in good hands. Were surrounded in the news by teams in administration, teams with colossal debts, teams forced to sell players and change their team colours and yet some ITFC fans claim were being run poorly. Its beyond belief.
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Monkey1986
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Monkey 1986 & Snake. For your benefit and all others who live with their head in the sand I would like to point out that those in charge are certainly working for a long term future but whether that is the clubs is debatable. For those of you who cannot or chose not to see what the long term financial objectives are I can only assume the club is most grateful for such willing victims and contributors of ongoing funds.
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SussexTractorBoy
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Matt Mursell, Understand your protest went off well last Saturday but wasn't any representative from EADT there ?
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Brian Betts
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Love ther negativity, I'm sure ITFC could sign Ronaldo and it "would be wrog for the club" .. "we dont want that sort of player etc" wake up! Football is a business, that is why we have Clegg in place, if you let football people run the business side, chances are it will go horribly wrong, let the business people look after the business side and the football people the football side, which is what is being done. I personally would applaud Clegg for not getting sucked into tradition what people want, and looking and the black and whit of the figures and looking for additional income streams. Or we could keep everything how it is, run bigger debts and fold...
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wanderingwhy
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
monkey1986 & Snake, good pair that !!! It would be great if any money raised were to be spent on running the club but unfortunately it will go towards paying ME interest on the ever growing debt the club has incurred since he and his 'sidekick' saved ??? the Town.
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Brian Betts
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I wonder if Clegg has any contacts with the paint company where he bought all that turnstile paint from ? We could then have the Dulux stadium or the Hammerite stadium. Greene King brewery are making millions in profit and advertise their goods on national TV. Imagine "The Greene King Stadium" or would that turn the beer sour if the team plays badly? The mind boggles.
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The original Victor Meldrew
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Portman Road is more of a location rather than a name so a stadium sponsor who puts a decent amount of addiional finance into the club must be sensible business. Fans will still refer to the place as Portman Road.
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Tim Bartlett
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Just ask Newcastle fans about how they feel. If Clegg does this, it needs to be after a local company, Adnams, for example. The last thing Town fans need is to be selling the club to a player, where the ground is named the poundstretcher stadium! Doesn't sell ambition to me. Clegg out
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fence sitter
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
hi i am on the fence with this this idea but it looks like they are working hard to find some financial solutions but if the club was named along the lines of some of the other clubs i.e reco arena the jjb stadium the emirates ect i myself would welcome that but i suppose it all depends on who and what is involved afterall we dont want it called ipswich borough arena or any thing similar it has to be special do you agree with that?? The Marcus evans stadium is a horror show thats appeared in my head and cant shift it for some reason. lol
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Mat Mursell
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
It would need to be big and ongoing money to make it worthwhile but if so why not? I'm a real traditionalist but Portman Road is just a road and the name doesn't quite have the ring of Anfield, Old Trafford, St James Park etc. And everyone seems to have forgotten Highbury, Maine Road, The Baseball Ground etc. So just go out and get plenty of money for it and spend it on getting players into the club who give us football worth watching and promotion - you could call it New Carrow Road if that happened!!!
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John Maynard
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Bertie and co, let's just get rid of all traditions then, why not play in yellow and green, change the club's name to Canaries FC, move the ground outside the town to, say, Diss, and look forward to a new era?
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Tom
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Friends, Ipswichians, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Portman Road, not to praise it. Get rid of the name. It belongs to another time in the past when Ramsey and Robson strode the earth, when Beattie commanded and Cobbold sat back amazed. Put the name in the museum alongside the likes of Highbury, Roker Park, Maine Road and others to rest with dignity. Let Clegg and the Unseen One glue another monniker on that place in Ipswich, the scene of so many crimes against football. For Clegg and the Unseen One are honourable men. Apologies to the Bard.
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Bertie Shrimp
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
IF anyone thinks the money we would get from this would go anywhere near the team, rather than to subsidise Evan's losses since this financial nightmare for him began, they are sadly mistaken.
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Tom
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Can honestly say I have never heard of the Sports Direct Arena, so I don't think it matters how much money someone pays to have the ground named after them, it will to most supporters still be Portman Road. Although the Fred Bloggs' Butchers (Light Work undertaken with Pony and Trap, Families Waited on Daily) Arena has a nice ring to it.
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JOHN BURLS
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Simon Clegg is duty bound to investigate all forms of income available to the Club so I have no problem with him raising the issue of naming rights. However, I am one of those who think that commercial names should only be attached to new build stadia such as is the case at Arsenal, Man City and Bolton. I'm happy with an individual stand being sponsored and I think that the new deal with the East of England Co-op is fine - particularly as it associates the Club with a locally based ethical business.
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Ian Williams
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Well said The Snake. As goods it is having a memorable name like Portman Road for the stadium it is really just common sense to agree to renaming it for a sizeable fee. Some people are saying here it isnt worth it because the money wont go on players but if it pays off fee's or wages and other things like that then of course its worth it. Theres more to a football club than buying and selling players and money is needed for absolutely everything. Fans are just trying to blame whoever they can for the club not being promoted recently and Clegg is the current target but i see a well run club who refuse to be held to ransom on player fees and wages, meeting all financial fair play rules, no impending financial disaster and generating income through other forms such as this sponsorship. As a club overall we are performing well we just need players on the pitch to reflect this.
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Monkey1986
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The sad truth is that football is now big business and money talks. What's that noise? it's the Cobbold brothers turning in their graves. So far, 78% say no but the views of the fans are of little importance to the owner and CEO as it's only business to them. Your club is going from bad to worse.
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FXT Canary
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I am one of those who would rather Clegg leave our club and let a football person in to run things. Some of his decisions have been breathtakingly bad, but on this I actually agree with him. Who cares what the press and sponsors call the ground? We’ll still call it Portman Road. Apart from the media, who actually refers to the Sports Direct Stadium when talking about Newcastle United’s home ground? If it gets us more money in then I’m all for it, so long as it does all go to a playing budget.
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Mike Rotch
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
People should READ the article and Clegg's comments before getting carried away - he is not saying he will do it, he merely not discounting it as a non-starter. My own view is that like most football fans of any club, our home is our identity, and Portman Road is part of our history. For a quick buck, it should not be changed. And will a few hundred thousand quid (or even more) actually help us? We've easily spent (net over £20m on players and wages in the last 5 years and have gone backwards.
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Tom
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Totally unacceptable The local and national press very rarely specifically mention names of stands. But the name of Team and Home are how a Club is identified. Ipswich Town Football Club and Portman Road are to precious to be negotiable. But I doubt that Evans and Clegg will recognise that,they will just continue with the poor decision making and abysmal management that has seen gates and performance tumble since they arrived at Ipswich Town Football Club who play at Portman Road
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mike blunt
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I'm glad that the club are looking at ways to increase revenue. All you old whingers that manage to put negative spin on every story need to wake up and smell the coffee. The club are working for the long-term future, they could ignore the FFP and become the next Rangers or Portsmouth. At least that would give you lot something genuine to moan on about. Well done Cleggy, lots of good work so far this close-season.
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The Snake
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Clegg saga begins again. The thing is though, everyone in Newcastle still see's 'The sports Direct Arena' as St James' Park!
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Paul The Alien
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Of course, it's all about money but unfortunately it would not be invested for the good of the club or its supporters only for 'our benefactor' The only good thing for the club and its supporters would be if Clegg took up the position of resident attache' for Guam !!!!!!
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Brian Betts
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The best thing that Clegg could do to give us an advantage, would be to leave
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Kevin Bailey
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
I do not know if this would be a good or a bad thing, Portman Road probably only means a lot to us older supporters who enjoyed the glory years. What concerns me is the money would not go into the player budget as was the case with Wickhams fee. I do believe Clegg is over caustion regarding the fair play rule, as nobody knows what the penalty would be, and it might be a chance worth taking to obtain the money for getting into the premiership.
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Cyril Baker
Wednesday, July 11, 2012