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![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
The historic Perth Oval has another new name, with the home of Perth Glory and Western Force to be called nib Stadium for at least the next five years.
One of Australia's leading private health insurers, nib will take over the naming rights from ME Bank on July 1, ahead of the proposed redevelopment, which will take capacity to 25,000.
nib do not have any retail outlets in WA but said acquiring the naming rights of the former Perth Oval was a key plank of its push into Perth and beyond.
"We are thrilled to put our name to Perth’s most unique sporting and entertainment venue and believe the sponsorship will be an ideal vehicle to help us grow our brand and policyholder base in this key market," nib chief executive Mark Fitzgibbon said.
nib currently sponsors AFL giant Geelong, NRL club Newcastle and NSW's State of Origin side. The face of nib advertising is rugby league legend Paul Harragon.
In the recent state budget, funds were allocated to upgrade Perth's main rectangular stadium but construction is still some way off - an agreement with the Town of Vincent is needed.
Stage one of the redevelopment of the former Perth Oval will see the eastern grandstand rebuilt with extra seats, additional corporate facilities, new change rooms and better facilities for fans.
WA sports minister Terry Waldron was carefully non-committal on how close a deal with the Town of Vincent was, with issues of ownership and rent the stumbling blocks.
Peter Bauchop, the stadium's CEO, said nib had been ultimately chosen after taking expressions of interest from all over the country.
Under the naming rights agreement, nib Stadium will be rebranded from July 1, with the first event in the new stadium featuring Robbie Fowler's first outing for Perth Glory against his old side North Queensland.
"12 Years aSupporter" starring the #SeaOfBlue
wow talking about talking it up!
nib... sounds worse than ME Bank...
Q. Where's nib?
A. Where pen is.
"n.i.b." - sounds like one for the Black Sabbath fans...
I think we should just start calling it "Perth Stadium" or the Forcefield or TWF Stadium or something. This "naming rights" thing is fine, but it just confuses the bejeezus out of me (doesn't take much, but still). Watching the sports segments on TV, I'm never quite sure where anything's being played because stadia keep getting renamed.
Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill
Doesn't everybody?
I usually carry mine in a special box, together with the inking powder, a small cylinder of water, and a stirring implement.
Any other way, and it gets tangled up in my waist coat with my fob watch chain.
nib: Newcastle Industrial Benefits (Medical Fund)
Not really that exciting.
I'll be calling it Perth Arena.