Source: Daily_Mail
Liverpool chief Tom Hicks wants £250m for naming rights to new Anfield
[LNB] [LNB]Big plans: Tom Hicks[LNB]Defiant Liverpoolco-owner Tom Hicks haspredicted the club will fetch aworld record sum of about£250million from stadiumnaming rights when theyeventually leave Anfield.[LNB]But their great North-Westrivals Manchester Unitedhave ruled out renamingOld Trafford, believing itwould be impossible to getfans to call the groundanything else. [LNB]Hicks, who plans to keep astake in Liverpool even ifpartner George Gillett sellshis 50 per cent share, madehis bold claim after a weekin which Chelsea chiefexecutive Ron Gourlayrevealed he planned to raise£150m by renamingStamford Bridge. [LNB]The current naming rightsrecord of about £225m isbeing paid to AmericanNBA team the New JerseyNets when they move to theBarclays Center in 2011.[LNB]Hicks believes, though,that Liverpool will be in aposition to top that, saying:'Naming rights are a globalmarket. [LNB]'The naming rightsfor the new stadium will bethe most attractive in theworld due to TV coverage ofthe Premier League and themillions of Liverpool fansaround the world.[LNB]'We likely will partner withsomeone wanting globalbranding, unlike the USstadiums which only worryabout TV appeal in theStates, similar to whyStandard Chartered chose topartner with us on our shirts.'[LNB] In the money: Hicks says the naming rights for Liverpools new ground will bring in millions of pounds[LNB]Hicks and Gillett, who tookover in 2007, are looking atnew investors to try toreduce the club's current£245m debt and Hicks couldeven allow Gillett to sell hisentire 50 per cent stakeproviding he was allowed tokeep some of his ownshareholding.[LNB]In recent weeks, Gilletthas travelled to SaudiArabia to hold talks withprospective investor PrinceFaisal about the club'sfuture.[LNB] EXCLUSIVE: England heartache for Michael Owen: Fabio Capello ends striker's World Cup dreamIAN RIDLEY: Can Liverpool really afford NOT to sack £4m-a-year Rafa Benitez? Underfire Liverpool boss Benitez banking on Torres for Birmingham [LNB] Explore more:People:George Gillett, Tom HicksPlaces:LiverpoolOrganisations:National Basketball Association
