Liberty Mutual in talks over RDS naming rights

[Mauler]

Interesting article in the Times ...

US INSURER Liberty Mutual has held talks with the Royal Dublin Society about acquiring the naming rights to the RDS’s main arena, which hosts Leinster’s home rugby matches and the annual Dublin Horse Show.

The RDS is believed to be seeking about €15 million for the rights for a period of 10 years.

These funds would be used to help fund a €17 million redevelopment of the existing stadium into a 23,000 capacity arena from the current 18,500.

In turn, this would help to fund the “foundation” activities of the RDS, which includes funding for the arts, and science and technology.

The RDS intends to knock the existing, and ageing, two-storey Anglesea Stand and replace it with a new structure offering modern hospitality and spectator facilities.

Liberty is on a short list of potential sponsors that the RDS is negotiating with. Dubai-based airline Emirates has also been linked with the rights.

In May, RDS chief executive Michael Duffy said it was negotiating with four parties.

The US insurer has made no secret of its desire to secure sponsorship to help build recognition of its brand here since its takeover of Quinn Insurance in late 2011 and its rebranding of the business earlier this year. It is also believed to be in talks with RTÉ about sponsoring the Late Late Show.

The talks on the RDS naming rights are being handled by Platinum One, the event management group headed by Fintan Drury.

The RDS hosts most of Leinster’s home games and has hosted the province’s junior and senior rugby schools cup finals.

It hosts the Dublin Horse Show each August, which attracts about 100,000 spectators.

The RDS’s main arena also hosts outdoor concerts, with Bruce Springsteen playing to sell-out crowds last month
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/fin ... 61775.html

[mikey]

Lansdowne will always be just that, and the RDS just the RDS......15 million for that - Jesus!! They must be desperate

[sheepshagger]

Lansdowne will always be just that, and the RDS just the RDS......15 million for that - Jesus!! They must be desperate

Aviva paid more than double that - and the current market is a lot tougher. The RDS would have more events too

http://www.herald.ie/news/lansdowne-to- ... 14896.html

[CiaranIrl]

Lansdowne will always be just that, and the RDS just the RDS......15 million for that - Jesus!! They must be desperate

Nearly everyone calls it the Aviva though. I try not to, but I've slipped into it too.

Surely we can't call it The Liberty Stadium though, what with the hairsprays stadium called that?

[sid]

"The Liberty Mutual Stadium"

/vomit

[mikey]

Lansdowne will always be just that, and the RDS just the RDS......15 million for that - Jesus!! They must be desperate

Nearly everyone calls it the Aviva though. I try not to, but I've slipped into it too.

Surely we can't call it The Liberty Stadium though, what with the hairsprays stadium called that?

Good point

Holy cr@p they will be buying tanning products next

[AdamK]

I was hoping Bails would tell us that it's actually going to be named Liberty Lion's Den and Leinster were officially going back to the Lions moniker and changing the branch name to Leinster's Liberty Lions [LLL].

[tones]

Lansdowne will always be just that, and the RDS just the RDS......15 million for that - Jesus!! They must be desperate

Nearly everyone calls it the Aviva though. I try not to, but I've slipped into it too.

Surely we can't call it The Liberty Stadium though, what with the hairsprays stadium called that?

- does Mauler still have his wall in operation???

[dropkick]

Anything is better than the ROYAL Dublin Society. Playing in a stadium with that name doesn't help Leinster rugby's effort in shaking off its West Brit image.

[Dave Cahill]

Anything is better than the ROYAL Dublin Society. Playing in a stadium with that name doesn't help Leinster rugby's effort in shaking off its West Brit image.

I think you'll find that the only people who give a feck about that are more concerned with the shape of their tin foil caps

[mtleinster]

Anything is better than the ROYAL Dublin Society. Playing in a stadium with that name doesn't help Leinster rugby's effort in shaking off its West Brit image.

Disliking a name of a stadium because of of it's philanthropist past is a pretty poor arguement.

Personally I thought we had an image of expansive back play, with a few Limerick men thinking otherwise

[Sea_point]

Anything is better than the ROYAL Dublin Society. Playing in a stadium with that name doesn't help Leinster rugby's effort in shaking off its West Brit image.

Jesus H Christ, fuh real...??

Bridge - Build - Move Over.

21st Century still not reached parts of Munster I see .....

[Mauler]

- does Mauler still have his wall in operation???

As one of Dropkicks mates would say 'We've not gone away you know.'

[sid]

Anything is better than the ROYAL Dublin Society. Playing in a stadium with that name doesn't help Leinster rugby's effort in shaking off its West Brit image.

The Queen Elizabeth II Fúck Off Shinners Arena

[Leezer]

lets be glad it wont be 'Quinn Direct into my Offshore Account Stadium'

[Ray Mc]

Presumably if Dropkick gets into trouble on the River Lee, he will not want to be saved by a lifeboat from the ROYAL N.L.I.

[dropkick]

It doesn't bother me. The point I'm making is that Leinster have been trying to drop their D4 sterotype so renaming the stadium might help a bit.

[mikey]

It doesn't bother me. The point I'm making is that Leinster have been trying to drop their D4 sterotype so renaming the stadium might help a bit.

I think the ony place the D4 stereotype persists is in the posts of the Munster fans who post on this board. For everyone else the Leister stereotype is exhilerating rugby and 3 Heineken Cup wins...

[dropkick]

It doesn't bother me. The point I'm making is that Leinster have been trying to drop their D4 sterotype so renaming the stadium might help a bit.

I think the ony place the D4 stereotype persists is in the posts of the Munster fans who post on this board. For everyone else the Leister stereotype is exhilerating rugby and 3 Heineken Cup wins...

The best place to find out would be asking Leinster GAA fans what they think.

[Dave Cahill]

Yes, why don't we.

Donny, Limecat, Avenger, what do you think?