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Everton have been actively soliciting sources of funding for the new stadium they are constructing at the Bramley-Moore docks, and now it appears they have secured a major source of sponsorship for the new home of the Blues.
Uzbek-born Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a close friend and business associate of Toffees’ majority shareowner Farhad Moshiri, is reportedly considering increasing his involvement in Everton affairs by securing the naming rights for the stadium for a princely sum of £200 million over a period of ten years.
According to The Mail on Sunday, the sponsorship agreement is all but signed and will be a huge boost to the club’s finances after the £30m already received this season to secure the right of first refusal regarding the naming rights.
The Blues are already receiving £12m a year for the naming rights to the training facilities at the now renamed USM Finch Farm, with both USM and MegaFon brands advertised prominently across all Everton’s locations.
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The £20m/year for the new stadium will put the Blues in third place in the Premier League in terms of income from stadium sponsorship, behind Manchester United and Manchester City, and ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal - per the 2018-19 numbers from SportsPro. The Blues have been attempting to break into the top six echelon for some time now, and financially at least the Board is looking to ensure no stone is left unturned. Of course, this comparison does not take into consideration any changes in the other teams’ contracts between now and the 2023-24 season when the Blues are expected to move into their new digs.
While Director of Football Marcel Brands continues his efforts to mould a coherent side under veteran manager Carlo Ancelotti, bringing in new blood and thinning out the non-contributing members of the squad, under Moshiri’s direction the Club is making rapid strides in ensuring they can continue to have the top notch facilities and a world-class stadium that should help cement Everton’s place at the top tier of the Premier League.