Munster targets naming partner for Thomond Park

Irish Pro12 rugby union team Munster has said it is seeking a naming rights partner for its Thomond Park ground.

Last month the Heineken Cup finalists agreed a 10-year naming deal with newspaper group Independent News & Media relating to Musgrave Park – the venue for some of Munster’s fixtures.

High profile clashes take place at the bigger Thomond Park in Limerick and chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald is targeting increased revenue through a naming sponsorship to put Munster on a more favourable financial footing when compared to the likes of weekend opponents Toulon and other club’s in France’s cash-rich Top 14 competition.

“We constantly assess our governance, see where we are going and what we need to change,” Fitzgerald said, according to the Irish Times newspaper. “We have seen the way other entities have developed. We need to keep pace with them on a commercial front to ensure we remain competitive on the field at the top level.

“The environment has changed enormously here, there is less money in circulation and there is more competition for funding and sponsorship. The commercial board are constantly looking at options and the naming rights to Thomond Park is one of them. But the package has to be right; the right partner has to be found.”