MCC plays down Lord’s naming rights speculation 18/11/2009 |
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Marylebone Cricket Club has denied reports it is planning to sell the naming rights to Lord’s to help fund a £400m redevelopment of the famous ground.
The Times quoted MCC chief executive Keith Bradshaw as saying that selling the naming rights to the venue and individual stands was “obviously an option”.
But Bradshaw claimed this morning that his comments had been misinterpreted and categorically ruled out that the 195-year-old ground would be renamed after a brand.
“There’s no way we would rename Lord’s,” he told BBC Radio Five Live. “It’s the home of cricket, the hallowed turf. It’s not an option at all.
“It’s something that we wouldn’t consider, and in fact I have a real problem even considering renaming the stands within the ground that are now dedicated to famous cricketers.
“It’s not on the agenda, it’s not on the cards and there’s no way we’ll be going down that path.”
The plans for the revamp of Lord’s include increasing its capacity to 37,000 and installing retractable floodlights. The work, which will be in part funded by new luxury flats around the ground in north-west London, will not start until 2011 at the earliest and will take 10 years to complete.
But Bradshaw insists the traditions of the venue will be maintained at all costs.
“To play at Lord’s is a very special experience,” he added. “Lord’s has such a wonderful history and tradition and it’s those traditions that we need to preserve.
“The stands are named after Denis Compton and Bill Edrich and Sir Pelham Warner. They’re very famous names and I couldn’t see the day, certainly in my time, when we’d want to be naming them after a sponsor.
“I do feel to a degree that would be selling our soul. We have so much to offer at Lord’s and I think it’s about protecting our history for the future.
“Whatever we do in terms of the vision, it’s cricket-led, it’s not commercial-led. We’ve taken a lot of things into consideration in terms of the design, not from a commercial perspective, but a cricket perspective.
“We want Lord’s to continue to be the best ground in the world and we believe that we need to move with the times and make some developments, but keep that ambience and the things that make it very special to come to Lord’s.”
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