Lansdowne Road to join Thomond in name sale

THE IRFU confirmed yesterday they are considering selling the naming rights to the redeveloped Lansdowne Road.

This follows the announcement that the Union and the Munster Branch are to unveil a title sponsorship deal for Thomond Park later this afternoon.

The home of Shannon and Munster rugby is undergoing a €43 million re-development, which will bring the capacity to 26,000 by the start of the 2008-9 season.

Such a move would result in an estimated €500,000 per annum cash injection for the Munster Branch for the duration of the contract — and IRFU chiefs are hoping for a bigger windfall when the bids start rolling in for headquarters.

Independent experts have estimated that it would be worth between €20 and €30m.

The naming rights for the ill-fated Eircom Park were sold for €11m over ten years but the market has moved on significantly since then.

“Naming rights are a commercial reality in modern sport and it would be remiss of the union not to look into every avenue of funding that may be available to it,” said IRFU spokesman Karl Richardson.

“What has to be remembered is that any extra funding could be directed back into the grass roots and development of the game so it is something that would have to be looked at.”

The IRFU have also been key instigators in the move to sell similar rights for Thomond Park which is due to be reopened in November but Munster forwards coach Jim Williams isn’t in favour of the suggestion.

“I haven’t heard much about it but it certainly wouldn’t be my idea to change it,” said the Australian.

“I don’t have the full run-down on it but it has always been Thomond Park to me and I would like to see it stay that way.”

Munster fans are already waiting to see if the more salubrious Thomond Park loses some of the fear factor it instilled in visiting teams and any rebranding as a corporate identity could accentuate that.

The Munster branch will today hold a media briefing which will give an update on progress being made with the Limerick ground and Williams is confident that the fabled venue will retain its unique charm and bring Munster in line with the game’s top clubs at the same time.

“It’s a good time for change. It was time for a new beginning, especially after getting beaten by Leicester there.

“It’s about time that Munster rugby got up there with the professional era and started competing with the likes of Leicester in terms of set-ups and infrastructure. The new stadium is a good start.”