The question of naming rights on sporting stadia has ratcheted up a notch or two overnight with media reports that the Connacht Rugby home of The Sportsgrounds in Galway is to be renamed as Dexcom Stadium.

A deal is about to be announced with an American multinational in the medical space that is creating 1,000 jobs in County Galway.

They are reported to have turned away from as similar deal with Galway GAA when the County Board insisted ion retaining the name of Padraig Pearse in Pearse Stadium.

Sponsorship like much in business can be a cut-throat world and there will always be an alternative way for money to be spent. In the case of Galway it would appear that the GAA’s loss is very much Connacht Rugby’s gain.

There was also talk last night of Government potentially stepping in to have control over naming rights in stadia that have been the recipient of state funding.

There was political support for the campaign against the dropping of Padraig O’Caoimh’s memory from what Cork people always refer to ironically as ‘The Park’ but talk of this taking up Cabinet time when the Government has just a few other pressing concerns on its agenda would seem to be more talk than actual fact.

It certainly looks like an overreach. Would it extend to buildings that have been the benefit of tax breaks? Perhaps to the names of Children born in the public hospital environment? We would be surprised if that idea stretches beyond the immediate news cycle.

Cork GAA and SuperValu sought to take some of the heat out of it from their side last night, issuing a statement at 21:20 after it’s scheduled County Board meeting to say:

“Cork GAA can confirm that it is in discussions with SuperValu regarding the naming rights for Páirc Uí Chaoimh.”

“While no matter had been finalised prior to the meeting of delegates to the County Board on Tuesday evening, both sides have been conscious of the public debate that followed recent speculation in the media.”

“SuperValu and Cork GAA remain committed to continuing their engagement, as both parties share a common interest in supporting Gaelic games across the county, and discussions are continuing.”

The world of sport is moving strongly towards Stadium naming rights as a key element in the financing of new build facilities.

The Aviva Stadium was named at the time of the rebuild as were the Emirates, the Etihad, the Allianz Arena and Allegiant Stadium where this year’s Super Bowl will be staged.

They are fit for purpose venues with more comfort, better access, safer access and so much more. Ask the fans if they would like to go back to older grounds and there would be a fairly solid no.

‘The Park’ was redeveloped in 2017. As a regular enough visitor to the old grounds down the years, to say it was needed was an understatement. Eaten bread is soon forgotten and not going down the route of renaming at the time sowed the seeds of the present challenges facing Cork GAA and the Stadium Board.

We suggested yesterday that the naming of stands was an appropriate way out of this and also one that opens up the potential to honour others.

Doubtless that is in the mix with the ongoing discussions.

All the companies involved from SuperValu, Boston Scientific and Pepsico in Cork and Dexcom in Galway are solid members of those communities, providing 1000’s of jobs, a commitment to place and more.

This will happen because to turn it down for reasons of nostalgia alone, where history can be accomodated in equally noble fashion, would deprive sporting bodies of fulfilling their purpose to provide the best sporting and physical activity opportunities to the greatest number of people.

 

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