Sturm Graz secures new stadium naming rights partner

Austrian Bundesliga football club Sturm Graz has agreed a deal with Merkur-Versicherung which names the insurance company the new naming rights partner of the its home stadium.

The new 10-year deal becomes effective in March 2016 and will see Merkur granted naming rights to the stadium until 2025. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Merkur will take over from telecommunications company UPC, Sturm Graz’s current naming rights partner for the 15,400-capacity stadium. The new name of the arena will be decided in March.

Merkur has also been named a sponsor of Graz’s Liebenau ice rink as part of the deal.

“With the football stadium and the ice rink we can reach up to 20,000 fans, and especially the youth,” Gerald Kogler, general manager of Merkur, said. “The naming of the two venues is not yet finalised, but the surprises are to be limited.”