No name yet for Swansea stadium

Oct 29 2004
Western Mail

WALES' newest sports venue remains "the stadium with no name" even though the finishing touches are now being applied.

Council leaders say discussions are going on with a number of possible "big name" sponsors for the £27m arena at Morfa.

Ironically, the most popular name for the 20,000-seater facility is the one Swansea City and County Council gave it in the hope that people would forget it.

The White Rock Stadium was a working title for the project, currently coming to the end of its construction phase on a site along the banks of the River Tawe traditionally known as White Rock.

The authority dumped the name fearing potential sponsors would not want to offer a fat fee for naming a stadium which already had a popular local name.

Swans fan Phil Sumbler, who runs the popular web site JackArmy, said, "White Rock was imposed on fans but many, myself included, have felt it grow on them."

A long list of names has been suggested by fans including The New Vetch, the Swansea Bay Stadium, The Robbie James Stadium (after the late Wales and Swans midfielder) and the John Charles Stadium after the legendary forward. Others have included the Swansea Bowl, The Tawe Arena and the Swans Nest.

Trevor Parsell, 75, of Ammanford would like to see the Tawe Stadium. He said, "After all it's on the banks of the Tawe. But I also think the title White Rock is a good solid one."

Swans fan James Price, 29, of Llanelli, will not be forgetting the club's old Vetch Field ground - and neither will his daughter.

She was named Imogen Chloe Vetch Price when she came into the world earlier this year.

And some fans have turned to poetry to remember the old ground.

One ode written on a web site went:
The first time I saw her was one wet Wednesday.
I guess you could say that I'd really seen the light.
I knew then that from August to May
I'd spend half my life down by ol' Swansea Bay.

West Glamorgan Deputy Lord Lieutenant Edward Harris has suggested the George Prowse Stadium after one of two VC winners who came from Swansea.

George Prowse was killed in action and his body never recovered on the Western Front in 1918.

He won a DCM for bravery in attacking a machine gun post and later received a posthumous VC for other brave actions at Logeast Wood.

The naming of stadiums can be lucrative but controversial, as Arsenal discovered with the North London club's £100m sponsorship deal with airline Emirates.

It means the club's new ground at Finsbury Park due to open in 2006 will be known as the Emirates Stadium for its first 15 years.

But the move has not been popular with fans, some of who have vowed not to set foot in the Emirates Stadium.

It remains to be seen whether fans of the club will refer to the ground as Ashburton Grove, which it is known as now, or The Emirates.

The new stadium at Morfa, whatever it is called, will house Swansea City and the regional Ospreys rugby team from next August.

A new company, Stadco, has been established by Swansea City and County Council to manage the stadium, which will also be used for concerts.

The council has refused to be drawn on the identity of any possible sponsors.

It said yesterday, "The capital budget from the stadium includes an assumed income from the selling of naming rights.

"The council has formally appointed agents for marketing the opportunity and is in discussion with prospective firms.

"The process is ongoing and confidential due to its commercial sensitivity and is it not appropriate at this stage to give any further information."

Meanwhile a visitors' centre is to be established at the new stadium from next month where fans can book seats for its opening season.

As the build-up to the opening of the new stadium begins, fans are hoping for a "compromise" name for the new building.

What do you think? What should they call the new Swansea stadium? Email the Western Mail newsdesk on newsdesk@wme.co.uk