Kieran Maguire verdict on expectation-busting £200m West Ham deal after source reveal
West Ham are unlikely to attract a £20m-a-year sponsorship deal for the London Stadium – but “never says never.”
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the latest developments behind the scenes at the 68,000-seater arena.
The London Stadium has been without a naming rights deal since it was opened, and attempts to speed up the process once the Hammers move in in 2016 have been unsuccessful.
Lyn Garner, the chief executive of LLDC, the firm responsible for managing the former Olympic park, recently revealed that she would be willing to sell the negotiating rights for a deal to the club for £4million per year.
But the terms of West Ham’s 99-year lease at the London Stadium are such that LLDC bank the first annual £4m, with the remaining cash split 50-50 between themselves at the club.
And a source told Football Insider on Thursday (13 October) that the two parties are not currently in discussion over such an arrangement.
Analysts have previously suggested that a branding deal could be worth up to £20m per year over 10 years, but Maguire is sceptical.
“I think the £20m figure does look optimistic,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“West Ham are a fantastic historic football club but they don’t have a global tourist fanbase that can attract additional interest and they are not generating increased viewing figures by playing in the Champions League.
“Therefore, if they did achieve that figure it would be beyond the expectations of most market analysts.
“But you only have to look at some of the transfer fees to see that you never say never in the world of football.“
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