Spanish soccer giants Barcelona are in advanced talks with Dutch holding company Scranton Enterprise over a naming rights deal for their Nou Camp stadium, according to a report from Spanish sports newspaper Marca.
Scranton, which has interests in healthcare, real estate and fast-growing businesses, is closely linked to Grifols, the Catalan pharmaceuticals firm that last week was reportedly close to agreeing a €400 million, 20-year naming rights agreement for the La Liga champions’ home.
However, Marca’s report states that the venue will not feature the name of either company, but that Scranton would look to manage the process of securing a brand that wished to give its name to the ground.
According to the reports, which also suggest that Scranton could end up paying between €300 million and €330 million as part of the deal, any contract could be signed by the end of 2018.
One stumbling block could come in the length of the agreement, with Scranton apparently hoping secure a longer arrangement than the 20 years favoured by Barcelona.
Any deal is seen as crucial to the club as the Spanish outfit aims to cover the costs of Espai Barca, the club’s €600 million infrastructure renovation project, which will see the iconic arena’s capacity increased to 105,000, while also constructing a new on-site arena for the club’s basketball team.
Before Grifols’s reported interest, Spanish broadcast company and major sports rights holder Mediapro had a €300 million bid for the venue’s naming rights fall through, according to the agency’s founder and chief executive Jaume Roures.
In July, Barcelona appointed American financial services company Goldman Sachs to advise them in their mission to redevelop the ground.
In addition to the stadium’s overhaul, it has also been confirmed that the Nou Camp will host its first ever rugby league fixture, with Catalans Dragons facing Super League champions Wigan on 18th May.
The Dragons, located more than 100 miles from Barcelona in the French city of Perpignan, were invited to play a game at the venue by the La Liga club after winning rugby league's Challenge Cup in August.
Spanish soccer giants Barcelona are in advanced talks with Dutch holding company Scranton Enterprise over a naming rights deal for their Nou Camp stadium, according to a report from Spanish sports newspaper Marca.
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