Moat would sell naming rights

Local businessman agrees with Ashley in principle

Last updated: 15th November 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Moat would sell naming rights

Moat: Would consider naming rights

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Barry Moat admits he too would consider selling the naming rights of St James' Park were he ever to complete a takeover at Newcastle United.

Current owner Mike Ashley has taken the Championship club off the market after he could not find anyone willing to meet his £80million valuation, with local businessman Moat known to be interested.

Ashley's controversial tenure has come in for even more criticism over the past few weeks after he took the decision to rename the club's home ground sportsdirect.com@St James' Park, with Sports Direct being the sportswear firm he owns.

Although it was another hugely unpopular move by Ashley in the eyes of supporters, Moat insists it is something which most clubs have to consider.

He told Sky Sports News: "I think you have to explore things like naming rights, you have to do that.

"Unfortunately we live in a world where football is big business, and the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is getting bigger all the time.

"So you have to do things to close that gap. We need to get back up to the Premier League as quickly as possible.

"I think if you have to do some of those things, by taking the commercial benefit of a sponsor, then as far as I'm concerned if that gets the right players on the pitch, gives you the right entertainment on a Saturday, then where do I sign?"