No more Ellis Park
30 Jun 2008
Ellis Park has sold its naming rights to Coca-Cola for R42.5 million in a four-and-a-half year deal.
President of the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) Jannie Ferreira said the exact name-change has not yet been confirmed by Coke, but it will no longer be called Ellis Park.
“I would have loved for it to be called Ellis Park in future, but we had to be pragmatic about the decision,” Ferreira told keo.co.za. “The sponsors have put a lot of money on the table and they want to market their brand, which is understandable.”
Ferreira said running a massive stadium such as Ellis Park wasn’t cost-effective, and this deal and the 2010 World Cup will buffer the GLRU’s coffers.
“Having a big stadium is a bit of an ego-trip – the maintenance is tremendous. Honestly, if it wasn’t for 2010 we would be in trouble in terms of running that maintenance. We need additional income, and selling naming-rights are a part of that,” said Ferreira.
“It will now become a multi-purpose stadium, with rugby, soccer and other events being held there. Coke are big into their concerts and this will create other opportunities for the stadium, so it will be used more than only 14 or 15 Saturdays a year,” he said.
With the GLRU appearing to become more financially stable, the acquisition of a few big names to the team would be money well-spent.
By Grant Ball
117 Comments
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30 Jun 2008, 17:45 pm
#100 pierre: There’s this godawful buzzword in the ad industry called “brand saliency” and the theory is that the more times you mention your brand name, the more top-of-mind it will be amongst consumers. No one in this industry thinks long-term. They all say they do, but they’re all ****** liars.
30 Jun 2008, 17:54 pm
Tvl Forever!!!
wher eis Luyt???
30 Jun 2008, 19:14 pm
#30 katman: aye
30 Jun 2008, 19:22 pm
Personally I don’t hold that much regard for retaining the Ellis Park name, it’s a nice anachronism but that’s about it. I am ok with selling naming rights – people support teams not stadiums. And therein lies the rub.
Who in their right minds would support the Lions at Ellis Park? Why not support cricket in Mogadishu, or soccer in downtown Lagos.
It’s basic stuff – it’s an unpleasant, dangerous place policed by warlords.
The union is run by palookas, who are the last boiling frogs left in the pot.
30 Jun 2008, 20:03 pm
#104 SodaJoe: anachronism? oh I see: Krap Sville – funny one, haha, I think
30 Jun 2008, 20:04 pm
#100 pierre: glad to see I am not the only one bugged by this kind of thing
30 Jun 2008, 20:17 pm
#2 Francois Steyn is over-rated: hahahahahaaaaahaaaa!
30 Jun 2008, 21:44 pm
The clowns that run GLRU will blow the lot they get from Coca-cola. I am dumb-struck by the fact that such a successful brand like Coca-cola (probably the most successful brand ever) can associate themselves with a bunch of closed-minded clueless. BAD DECISION COKE!!!!!
30 Jun 2008, 22:44 pm
Be thankful for small mercies. They could have sold the naming rights to 20 companies for R2 million each. Then we could call it … oh, say … the Auto & General/Vodacom/Coca-Cola/Dial-a-Nerd/Spar/Piet die Plumber/’Lectrics R Us/Small Café on the Corner/Pancake Den/Nando’s/Steers/Toilet King/Bathroom Bizarre/Ellis Park.
Oy vey. I miss Danie Craven so much. And his dog Bliksem would be in his element. Because everything seems to be going to the dogs, anyway…
Sigh.
30 Jun 2008, 22:48 pm
#109 DaveyJ: classic
1 Jul 2008, 08:07 am
Geld koop baie dinge….klas is nie een van hulle nie.
The Auto and General Golden Lions playing at Coca-Cola Park.
Think the AB’s will be loving this. Finally they can break their voodoo at the stadium…
1 Jul 2008, 08:09 am
#108 Voxi Gatani: See, that’s the thing. They’re not associating themselves with the Lions rugby team or the management of the GLRU. They’re securing (and basically owning) a venue for everything OTHER THAN rugby matches. Concerts, festivals Rema prayer meetings… they’ll all be held at the Coke Bowl. Rugby will have to get in the queue here.
1 Jul 2008, 09:21 am
#98 Jinx da Lynx:
Ja I think its in Krugersdorp. Last I heard it was going to be a 55 000 seater.
Its a big f*ck-up for the stadiums being built for 2010 though. As I recall one of the official reasons for building new stadiums and not upgrading a lot of them (as was indicated in our winning bid for the World Cup) was so that soccer teams could have their own stadiums. Now the biggest soccer team in the country is building its own stadium and teams like the Sharks and the Stormers are being pressured to move into the new stadiums to make them viable post the World Cup. What a shambles.
1 Jul 2008, 09:51 am
Before I forget…
#30 katman:
Coke Park ©
Coca-Cola Park ©
Cola Stadium ©
Coke Arms ©
Rugby on the Coke side or town ©
#112 katman:
Coke Bowl ©
1 Jul 2008, 10:58 am
Fort Snort ©
1 Jul 2008, 11:18 am
Coca-Cola Colosseum ©
1 Jul 2008, 14:25 pm
As long as they use the money wisely and use it to entice some first
rate players to the Lions I do not care what the stadium is called
4 1/2 years is not a lifetime.Once the team starts winning supporters
will go back to Coca Cola stadium.
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