Only people not versed in stadium management will criticise the proposal for clubs to invest in their venues.
Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the director-general for the National Sports Authority (NSA), defended his statements on Ghanaian clubs investing into the running of their respective home venues with the premise of this article on Max FM’s Sports Pack.
He questioned why the clubs can’t invest in their branding if the football “ecosystem” offers them a substantial amount of money to strengthen their ranks.
The NSA boss believes the suggestion will actually, in the long term, be beneficial to the clubs. The reality is that the clubs, in recent years, have struggled to record huge revenue, unlike the days of old when Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko could pack stadiums to the brim.
The investments, according to Mr Ankrah, could defray future costs when proceeds of the clubs are reimbursed. It could, for instance, cover pitch maintenance, security, lighting, water, etc.
He backed his point with the classic case of English giants, Arsenal FC. The Gunners made a historic move from their traditional home venue, Highbury, to the Emirates Stadium in 2006. A need for expansion due to the global growth of the club compelled them to reach out to the state-owned airline of the United Arab Emirates.
The airline acquired naming rights for the ground in 2004, paying £100 million over 15 years in a deal which also included shirt sponsorship. This deal was extended in 2012 for a further nine years, in a deal worth £150 million.
With this analogy, could the clubs make enough revenue to invest in their home venues to attract more sponsors?
