Lansdowne Road naming rights for sale

Lansdowne Road Stadium is on schedule to be reopened in early 2010, according to chairman of the Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company, Philip Browne.

Building work on the new 50,000 seater stadium could be finished as soon as late 2009, with the first game taking place in the spring of 2010.

However, the new stadium may not be known as Lansdowne Road after Browne revealed that the naming rights for the new stadium are likely to be put up for sale.

To that end US company Wasserman Media Group have been appointed to evaluate and ultimately market the naming rights for the new stadium.

WMG were responsible for the deal between Arsenal FC and Emirates Airlines which combined stadium naming rights with a shirt deal.

The sale of the stadium naming rights could end up earning the IRFU and FAI up to €75million over 15 years, however it is unlikely to be a popular decision among supporters.

'The naming rights will be going to the market and that is an important element of our commercial artillery. The reality is that 15 years is usually a good term in a contract,' Brown said.

'In terms of value, we'd be talking about millions per annum. The market will ultimately decide, but that's where we're at.'

Browne, who is also chief executive of the IRFU, confirmed that the demolition work on the old stadium is now complete and that foundation work has begun for the new structure.

The new stadium represents an investment of €365 million by the Irish Government, the IRFU and the FAI.