Juventus will sell name of stadium
TURIN, Italy -- Juventus are to follow the example of Arsenal and sell the name of their new stadium to a sponsor.
The 27-times Italian champions have said they plan to rebuild their Delle Alpi stadium in the next two years.
The club have signed a deal with Envision, a division of the LA-based company Wasserman Media Group, to find a new stadium and shirt sponsor.
Envision negotiated Arsenal's sponsorship with Emirates Airlines worth a potential £100 million ($178.2 million), the biggest deal in English football history.
Arsenal's new stadium is to be called the 'Emirates Stadium' as part of the package which also includes shirt sponsorship.
"We are particularly happy to be the first Italian company, and among the first in Europe, to pursue naming rights for a stadium," said Romy Gai, Juventus' Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.
"Through this strategy we hope to become a leading example of how to successfully manage and develop a prominent stadium's potential."
The revamped stadium will hold 30-40,000 people, around half its current capacity, and the athletics track will be removed to bring fans closer to the pitch .
Juventus also hopes 200 executive boxes, with space for 2,000 guests, will help boost revenue.
The current Delle Alpi has never won the hearts of the Juve fans and crowds for big European games in Turin have slumped in recent years with only 18,000 watching last week's Champions League game against Bayern Munich.
Bayern and city rivals 1860 Munich, have also attracted a name sponsor for their new stadium in financial services company Allianz.
In recent years English clubs Middlesbrough, Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City have also sold 'naming rights' to their grounds.
