We’ve decided to hold a poll to get the opinions of Newcastle fans on the name change to St. James’ Park that was announced yesterday.
Before we do that we’d like to take some emotion out of it by putting the two basic sides of the argument.
One side is that Newcastle’s revenues are still under £100M, and over the last five years Newcastle have been left behind by other clubs whose revenues have increased dramatically.
Manchester United, as one example, now have revenues 0f over £300M.
It’s clear that there has to be a major push on revenues if Newcastle is to become one of the successful clubs in England – and Europe – in the future.
The other side of the argument is that St. James’ Park is an institution and the stadium has been there for almost 120 years.
And there are some things you just cannot touch – even though increased revenues are important for the club, and renaming St. James’ Park is one of those.
There could be other additional arguments for and against, but those seem to be the major sides of the argument.
So let us know what you think.
120 comments so far
Toonboy_83
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:35 AM
Comment #1Ed, you voted yes?
Stuart
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Comment #2I dont think anyones actually going to support the name change, however some can see the benefits.
I’ve voted No, I never want the stadium name to change, but I can see the benefits so I’m not absolutely fuming.
Toon_Jock
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Comment #3So I’ll be in the history books just like SJP – going to the 1st game at our new home SportDirect Arena for the Chelsea game 🙁
Toonboy_83
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Comment #4I’m fuming.. I’d rather keep the soul of the club intact rather than potentially being able to buy 1 player a year for like £4m who may or not be a success and the money will most likely not go to buying a new player but rather it will be embezzled by fat Mike.
davybtoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Comment #5I take future history over a history which hasn’t really got much to shout about
Stuart
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Comment #6Haha, I love how people think MA is embezzling us. You do realise if he was he’d be breaking the law and would be arrested? Its not like he could be that sly about it when its a football club that is constantly in the public eye.
He doesnt just write himself a cheque at the end of everyday with everything the club has earned lol.
davybtoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Comment #7I understand why fans r mad but really it’s not bad if everyone wants to call sjp they can, the press n media will call it sports direct arena
Greg P
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Comment #8As someone who works in advertising, for a UK based company this would be idiotic to buy the rights, but would be good for an international (possibly far east) company who had nothing to lose in the UK.
This is short term to cover the cost of the reduced and frozen season tickets (which again have been a source of short term revenue to protect Ashleys investment in the light of a weakened squad expected to struggle rather than long term growth).
Football as we always say is not business in the real sense but Ashley doesn’t get that. Everything he does makes sense for a business, and the growth of the business side will help his investment (as all other related businesses – catering etc – will return a profit back to him). This will support his investment in the club and make it more attractive to future investors. It will not take NUFC to ‘the next level’.
In reality this makes no difference in the long term and will not bring extra funds back in to the squad – remember all money will be ‘re-invested into the club’.
We’ve heard that somewhere else before!
Toon_Jock
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Comment #9Davybtoon, that’s like saying my Aunty would be my Uncle, if she only had a C0CK!!
Jail for Ashley
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:46 AM
Comment #10I think the name change was inevitable just as it will be at other stadiums I think what doesn’t soften the blow at all is we’ve took on a name which is pretty much on par with poundland and the big question is if it stays the poundland arena will Ashley be paying the 8-10 million into the club.
Foxy005
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Comment #11If changing the name of the stadium is going to take us forward as a team the YES I’m all for it.
If we take 3 points from the next 3 games I will be over the moon, I think we could probably Draw to City and United and beat Chelsea but 3 points would be fine with me
toonincheek
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Comment #12I voted NO – the name St. James Park is our tradition.
New owners should not change a 120+ year tradition.
OK, so they are the current owners, but to some extent, they are just ‘holding’ the club temporarily as they won’t be around for ever.
As to justifying the name change on the basis of generating £10 million a year = another player – just the same story that was given to justify the sale of AC.
And we know what happened there.
I’m not an Ashley hater – he’s made mistakes, admitted them, and also done a lot of good. It was necessary to get the club back on a sound financial footing although I don’t link that to the fantastic start to the season we have had. That is down to some good judgement and some good fortune.
It’s not just the current name change – it’s stated as being temporary, as a demonstration, pending a new sponsor to show what can be done.
So, we could have a new stadium name every few years?
What a nonsense.
I’ve read that TV commentators are obliged to use the official name of the stadium.
Just hope they all take to calling it “the stadium formerly known as St. James Park”.
Expat MAG
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Comment #13The stadium will always be there regardless of what its called. Personally, I will always refer to our stadium as St. James Park, just like I still refer to the Leazes and Gallagate ends despite their redevolpment and name change. You can’t change history, although Ashley is trying to change the future……
If it buys a decent player each season, let’s go with it and not get excited about this name change. Supporting the team comes first!
HWTL
Graeme
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:50 AM
Comment #14Its his toy, for as long as he owns it, he can do what he likes, call it what he likes.
If it generates additional income that is actually going to be spent on the team – unlike the AC transfer fee – then it has to be something to consider for the good of the club. At the end of the day, as far as I’m concerned, it will always be SJP!!
Maybe a tampon supplier would be appropriate – he treats us like a bunch of c***’s, he’s a prize one in his own right – a win; win situation all round lol
davybtoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:51 AM
Comment #15Yes they’ve done it while were high in the league bcoz attract top sponsors n there cud b a joint deal for Puma or Samsung someone along those lines
davybtoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Comment #16They will b looking for 10year deals like ethihad stadium
hartoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Comment #17If we were to get some arab billionaire sponsor then fine but not sportsdirect jeez.
10M a year will probably go to the wages anyway
You never know, we might see the renaming os SJP sometime in the future after some “soverign state” has taken over us.
Also note Pardew seems pretty quite on the matter, must be fuming at how stupid ashley is to do this when we are 1/4 of the season gone
Slank
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:57 AM
Comment #18I think this is a win / win situation.
Fans will call it St James Park.
Sponsors will call it ‘XYZ’.
Club will get £X millions per year for the privilege.
The team will get additional players.
roshan MAGPIE
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Comment #19ATLEAST they are not going to change the stadium its just the name wett it fells bad but IS there anything we can do about it
thepict
Nov 10, 2011 at 11:58 AM
Comment #20The club has always been known as NUFC at least since 1892 anyway, the ground will always be known as St James’ Park no matter what our illustrious owner decidess to call it.
I will certainly never refer to as the Sports Direct Arena or whatever our illustrious owner decides to call it.
Uncle Bobby must be birlin’ in his grave .
toonLYF
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:03 PM
Comment #21Turns out I was at the last ever game at st James park…I wonder what the PA guy who announces line ups etc before the games refers to it as…will be an interesting one when we host chelski
Dannyo
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Comment #22It’s good to get money in, but surely there are other ways. Not pleased, but then again, 10 years from now, it’ll still be St. James Park.
magpiebop
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Comment #23Expat MAG @13
That’s my view but surely St James Park is a name that sells merchandise by itself, just hope the new mascot isn’t a zebra!
Steviebaby1978
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Comment #24I am in the process of starting up a new company. I have 10 million shares to sell at £1 per share. With the revenue made I intend to purchase the advertsing rights for the Stadium. Oh the company is called. Ashley, you fat Bas#*rd at St james Park Ltd. Anybody interested in investing????? I think it has a nice ring to it.
On a serious note I’m torn with the decision. I love St James Park but if it benefits the team and its future I don’t know what to think. 80% no 20% yes. I still feel gutted either way. Hope all this negativity doesn’t effect the squad though.
WWJBD
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Comment #25The benefits will only help NUFC if the money is invested and lets face it there is as much (if not more) chance it wont be as it will be
wynsleap
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Comment #26Supporters are deluded if they think Ashley has any intention of selling the naming rights to another company or brand.
The clue lies in Lambias’s statement this morning that it may be difficult to sell.
The stadium is already a tacky extension of his “stack ’em high and sell ’em cheap” emporium. He wants this stadium name for his own brand and he will have no intention of letting it go.
How can anybody in their right mind agree to, or accept, this direspectful act to the club and its supporters.
GET OUT ASHLEY AND TAKE YOUR 5 YEAR PLANS, YOUR TACKY CHEAP ADVERTISING, YOUR LACK OF RESPECT AND YOUR LYING SIDEKICK WITH YOU.
southerngeordie
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:10 PM
Comment #27In answer to your question Ed, no I do not support the naming renaming of SJP, however, do I accept it? Yes I do.
Sad as it is, football has changed. Too much money is now involved in the game and unless there is a Geordie zillionaire with a spare £1bn to invest this was always going to be the case. The new financial regulations coming into the game mean clubs are going to be even more self-sufficient, and in that sense I think you might even have to side with Ashley that what he is doing now is actually the right thing for the club.
Some fans think that modern football is like a game of footy manager. Come the start of the season you get given a lump sum and told to invest wisely, if you don’t, don’t worry, a new season starts and you are simply given more money. If it goes t*ts up, well you can always switch off. This is simply not the case in modern football. For years the Halls and the Shepherds relied on the bank manager to get us by, pushing our debt further and further. This is no longer an option.
What Ashley is doing is further strengthening our financial footing and preparing us for a new era of football. Rest assured, we will not be the only club to do this. City has, Arsenal have, Bolton have. You look at any stadium being built today and it will have some sort of commercial name in there somewhere. Sadly, it is an opportunity to make money and in the current economic environment you can’t be arrogant or foolish enough to not see it this as an option.
We will not loose our identity, it will ALWAYS be known as St. James’. Every time City play it’s always referred to as Eastlands. You rarely hear it mentioned as the Eithad. The fans will call it what they want to call it.
As sad as it is, it is a necessary evil, and the sooner we do it, the sooner we can put this behind us anD support the team.
Also, for those that are worried, I bet that in two, three, five or even ten years time if you stop someone in centre of Newcastle and ask them how to get to St. James’ Park, everyone would point you in the right direction.
Scottiedog
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Comment #28Everybody who voted No seems to be stating that it is Tradition. Unfortunately this is the way the world is going and Tradition does not pay the Bills!!
davybtoon
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Comment #29alan brazil says maiga deal done n dusted
MichaelMac
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Comment #30If you look at this from an emotional perspective it is the wrong thing to do, the history attached to the name etc.
However, from a business perspective this is a way to move Newcastle Utd on to greater things, us fans would not complain should this bring in Millions and we get to spend some on inproving the squad?
My heart says NO, but my head says YES.
As one fan put it… No matter what name it has on the front it will always be known as St. James Park to the true fans.
TS -77
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Comment #31St James´s will always be St James´s in our hearts whatever the signs on the stadium says but I voted yes.
n19ndw
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:17 PM
Comment #32Hi there whilst I have been reading all the posts for the last couple of years I have never got around to posting any message (mainly because I kept forgetting my password.
Anyway the Club will always be St James Part to me whatever title the owners give it. However, we have all given MA a great deal of stick over the last few years including me, however the question I ask myself is do I want my season ticket price frozen for the next 10 years or do I want the ground renamed to bring the income in from somewhere else. The club is about the fans, it seems to me that MA is actually looking after the fans by freezing prices and making seats available for a discounted rate, and yes I hear you say he has other motives, but the bottom line is that he is making it possible for all supporters to watch the team at an affordable price.
derekm
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Comment #33Man city have long since sold their souls to an arab based nation, yet they sit top of the league, have the FA cup in their trophy room and TWO teams both better than ours to play with. How can anyone in their right mind believe that tradition and history have any part to play in the modern game? Its cold hard cash that is the word – if you can’t accept it go and watch a monority sport where they still partake and play solely for enjoyment, but for god’s sake don’t moan when an owner seeks funds by any method. You really have got to admire their timing though – three weeks until the next home game, two weeks after they got the extra season ticket money in, and an international break to distract everyone even more!
jimmymac
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:29 PM
Comment #34yes for me!
All clubs will follow suit once finacial fair play rules are implemented. We need to generate revenue some how. Would you neggers rather Ashley increase ticket prices? No? thought not? Instead is offering incentives for toon fans to fill the stadium.
For those who say our history isn’t worth £xm a year, i’d have to disagree. If someone paid me £100k a year i would change my surname, no questions asked.
It’s good to read that not everyone has over reacted to this, remember some important points:
– We are unbeaten and 3rd in the League.
– Have the best squad since SBR
– We are not in financial trouble
– We will be a self sufficient club sooner rather than later
ilovetoon8788
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:29 PM
Comment #35Most here who do not mind the name being changed, talk as if a sponsor has already bought the naming rights. I highly doubt it will be sold in the first place.
Next stop, SportsDirect to be on the club jersey. Ashley 1 fans 0.
traceline
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:32 PM
Comment #36here’s a conspiracy theory for you: they’re sandbagging.
Ready for the jan window: “we’re poor – look – we’ve had to sell the stadium name! That 35m from carroll’s gone – we can’t possibly meet your inflated asking price…”
Maybe it’s an effort to stop agents / selling clubs trying to fleece us in jan
??
Durham_Toon
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:33 PM
Comment #37Anyone who voted YES has no soul. SJP forever.
Just another wrong turn by the fat man. Just can’t keep his head down and let the team do well can he?
stuart no9
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:35 PM
Comment #38an easy no from me . it took a cockney tramp to get rid of 120 years of historic nostalgia , a true geordie would never have done that J ackie milburn must be turning in his grave, although a lot of you would wipe him out of our history books, and sell his statue ( no doubt ashley would ) to make a quick buck , its sad to see people applaud him for selling OUR heritage so cheaply, just like his tack clothes outlets
Sav
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:36 PM
Comment #39It will always be St. James’ Park. Commentators will continue to call it that just like they’ve stopped calling linesmen referees assistants. It really isn’t something you can sell. The name is what people choose to call it. You can’t get more democratic than that.
At the end of the day, if they choose to make the stadium into a giant billboard and replace Newcastle United letters with Sports Direct letters, it makes little difference. That name will still be despised by the fans. It will be Ashley who lacks class, not the club. To that extent, I hope some sponsor does buy the name, just to get those SD signs removed.
The argument about revenue streams and players and ‘progress’ is BS. It would ring less hollow if some of the revenue already brought in from sales had been spent. How many more indignities will be inflicted by this pair of louts armed with the threat of no money for players? So why doesn’t Llambias get ‘Sports Direct’ tattooed across his forehead for 50 quid? Won’t that help? We aren’t mugs but we are being mugged. For now.
Llambias reckons merchandise sales are way down. Good.
We need a St James’ Park song to sing loudly now. And plenty T-Shirts.
southerngeordie
Nov 10, 2011 at 12:37 PM
Comment #40derekm you are spot on. Some fans need a healthy dose of reality. It can’t be all sunshine and farts. The alternative is sell players.