Man United shirt sponsor open to buying stadium naming rights

Manchester United’s shirt sponsor Snapdragon would be interested in exploring any opportunity to help fund the club’s new stadium by buying naming rights.

The tech company has replaced TeamViewer as United’s front of shirt sponsor this season after agreeing a three-year deal worth £180 million ($230m).

United are open to the possibility of selling naming rights to their new stadium — either a brand new venue or a redevelopment of Old Trafford — and Snapdragon would be interested if the opportunity arose.

“Old Trafford is Old Trafford, it should always be Old Trafford,” Don McGuire, chief marketing officer of Snapdragon’s parent company, Qualcomm, said.

“But if there is a brand attached to that in some way, shape or form, powered by someone, an ‘at’ or whatever … this Snapdragon Stadium at Bashor Field.

“We are working very closely with the team on the re-imagination of Old Trafford from a technology and innovation standpoint and Carrington both.

“So if that leads to something bigger, where it would make sense for us to go even bigger — this [shirt sponsor] is pretty big by the way, not inexpensive — but if it makes sense we are always looking out for opportunities.”

A source has told ESPN that the task force set up by United to lead the project has provisionally recommended building a new 100,000-capacity stadium on land behind Old Trafford. A final decision is not expected to be made until the end of the year but it’s also the option favoured by new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

United have said that all options are on the table with regards to funding the project, which is set to last around six years and cost more than £2 billion. Selling the naming rights to the stadium is being considered but the club have insisted that no decision will be made without consultation with supporters.