Town chief executive Simon Clegg says the club is still open to the idea of stadium sponsorship. The Blues first expressed an interest in selling the naming rights to Portman Road a decade ago with the ground coming close to becoming the TXU Stadium before the former club sponsors went into administration.

Clegg says the additional income from Portman Road being renamed after a sponsor would be more than useful as Championship clubs start to move towards a break-even model: “From my point of view, particularly in the context of Financial Fair Play, I’m never going to say never.

“I’ve got a business responsibility to explore every commercial opportunity that gets presented to this football club.

“I’m well aware what’s happened at Newcastle [who renamed St James’ Park the Sports Direct Arena] in the last year and the impact that has had on the fans, but I have a commercial responsibility to this organisation to ensure I can do whatever is right and appropriate to this club to give us a competitive advantage.

“And if that means bringing in additional commercial sponsors in whatever field it might be, including if necessary naming rights to the ground, that’s something that I have to explore.

“I’m not committing to doing it and let me assure you the budget requirement would considerably greater than individual stand sponsorships. But it’s not something I would close my mind to as a complete non-starter ever.”

He says he is yet to hold talks with any parties interested in sponsoring the stadium and would insist that any deal was for a very lengthy period: “I think in terms of naming rights for a stadium you’re looking for much longer than you might require for stand sponsorship, a big commitment.

“We need to recognise that sponsorship budgets are tight out there at the moment. A lot of money has been spent on the Olympics. A lot of large corporates have spent huge sums of money on the Olympics and things are tight out there.

“But we will continue to explore all avenues for generating additional income because it potentially provides us with a competitive advantage over some of the other 23 clubs that we’re trying to beat to get into the Premier League.”

Photo: Action Images

StortfordBlue added 10:00 - Jul 11 As always, there are the negative comments on this news story, but the stark reality is that we need to generate as much revenue as possible over the coming seasons, in order to maintain the salaries we are paying to the players. Frankly, they can call the stadium what they like, it will always be Portman Road to me, and I suspect, most of the loyal fans
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Legend added 10:10 - Jul 11 A lot of people still call the Sir bobby stand the North stand so renaming the stadium would be no big deal. Unless of course it was named some stupid name. Sunderland has the 'Stadium of light' Maybe we can have the 'Stadium of plight' I feel ITFC will have a good seaon this time around. If chops, Bullard,Jet and Martin are on good form then we can do some serious damage in this league this year! COYB!

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Garv added 10:19 - Jul 11 No thanks Cleggy, next! Horrible idea if you ask me.
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IpswichFan26 added 10:27 - Jul 11 If it happens. Won't be too bothered, as long as we're getting a chunky 7 figure sum for it. If it does get renamed, I agree, let's get Mr. Kipling to do it! Discounts at half time for Kipling cakes? Lol ;)
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Monkaz added 10:28 - Jul 11 This story was always going to bring out the anti-Clegg and pro-Clegg messages. Personally I am not bothered if the ground has its name changed due to sponsorship rights. However, to me it will always be Portman Road, as many people have said above me. If you think about it, the South Stand used to be named Churchman's end and many people still call it the Churchman's end, despite it being renamed the South Stand, the Greene King Stand and the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand. Surely, if people can deal with that then they can deal with ignoring the stadium name change too. It would only ever be in the best interests of the club FINANCIALLY. Not to sell out the club, like some people make this idea out to be. COYB <3

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hampstead_blue added 10:30 - Jul 11 We'll sponsor the stadium. www.militarymovers.co.uk or even www.triforcerecruit.co.uk
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AlanMahon2011 added 10:35 - Jul 11 Team Guam Stadium Well until Clegg leaves after the olympics
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BlueinBrum added 10:41 - Jul 11 NO.
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Luggworm added 11:16 - Jul 11 This is a great idea, currently the club has quite rightly forgone the possibility of sponsorship for three of the stands to honour the greatest people ever associated with the club. I'd far rather the stadium be renamed to whatever and sit in the ground knowing Robson, Ramsey and the Cobbolds are there with us.
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RaymondovicBlue added 11:42 - Jul 11 Is it just me who has no idea whatsoever why a debate about "financial viable but not necessarily popular options" moves so many to discuss feminine hygeine products?! Mugsykets - you need to watch more TV ads - it is Always! And PR will ALWAYS be PR and that does NOT stand for "Public Relations" either, Mr Evans!
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dirtydingusmagee added 12:01 - Jul 11 RaymondovicBlue, to make it fair ,i'll chuck in The Brute Stadium, sorted .Dont take everything too serious, we are all bored till the big kick off.COYB
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Taricco_Fan added 12:15 - Jul 11 The Love Co-op Arena. Paint it pink a stick a big heart on the side.
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Blueisthecolour745 added 12:38 - Jul 11 Keaneish you can be a right div most of the time
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BlueVelvet added 12:59 - Jul 11 how about the Massey Ferguson or John Deere Stadium and there could be a Furrow End
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BlueVelvet added 13:09 - Jul 11 Oly(mpics) Clegg always talks the talk, but never walks the walk. He likes to stand at the bottom of the stairs and say the top is where we want to be, but only takes a couple of steps - Mr vaneer Any sponsorship of the stadium will I'm sure be designed to reflect well on the ME empire, so it'll be related to global sport and money making
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Fatcatevans added 14:00 - Jul 11 What you consider 'right and appropriate' for the club Mr Clegg ain't necessarily what we consider it to be. So under your regime 25% of our support can consider themselves fortunate to sit in the East of England Cooperative Stand of the Highest Bidder stadium. What was that old adage about knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing?
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rickw added 15:27 - Jul 11 I have no problem with giving the stadium a name, it's currently just know by the road it's on - and after it's named it'll still be there, so nothing would have changed other than the club having a little bit more money
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alfromcol added 16:05 - Jul 11 As buryblue77 says: Everyone will still call it Portman Road anyway and we get more money, no brainer!
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ChrisMakin2012 added 16:09 - Jul 11 The Co-op arena sounds good! well if it was an arena!
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alfromcol added 16:09 - Jul 11 Fatcatevans Why have a problem with this 'stand sponsoring'? When you get a bit older you will take your seat at the game and 'forget' the name of the stand you are sitting in anyway. If we start winning matches regularly, the name of the stand that we sit in will become less significant!
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ITFC4daprem added 16:42 - Jul 11 Must be the same
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jlcollins added 18:36 - Jul 11 I'm all for it, it will be a 10yr+ deal, so that will bring in at least 20 million+ that will give us a edge ova all the teams, we will av more money in the transfer kitty, it will always be portman rd, so show me the money!!!!!!! COYB
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beerhelps added 19:24 - Jul 11 please, no.
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h32 added 20:25 - Jul 11 It is so easy for this man to have this opinion - because he is nothing more, or less, than a 'bean counter' and really doesn't care about this Club - other than for him to be paid for being such, in that said well paid position. When he no longer holds his position (for whatever reason) - ITFC will, in all probability, never cross his mind EVER again. As to if Portman Road eventually becomes known as i.e The Mickey Mouse Stadium - he would not care two hoots - BUT MOST OF US DO, and forever will. That's the difference between many of us - and him. Many things change in life, and will continue to do so - not all for the better as we have, and will continue to see. iS IT REAL PROGRESS ?? - after all said and done.

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s6blue added 21:27 - Jul 11 jesus no
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