Since Barcelona unveiled its plans to renovate the Camp Nou (including expanding capacity from 99,354 to 105,000 and adding a roof to cover seats around the entirety of the stadium) back in 2016, the club has always maintained that a large portion of the cost (rumored to be around $700 million) would be footed by selling partial naming rights for the new ground.
Back in 2016, it was said that Barcelona would look for around $235 million for the rights, but Fox Sports reported Tuesday that the club is now seeking a deal for $479 million.
According to the report, Barca is looking to U.S. suitors with an eye toward increasing the club’s brand in North America.
Now, not to be boorish or preach exceptionalism here, but we’re pretty damn good at this whole sponsored stadium thing stateside. Using very real, very actual American sports venues as our inspiration, here are 12 possibilities for the new Camp Nou.
12 Possible Sponsored Stadium Names For The Camp Nou Naming Rights
1. Bojangles’ Camp Nou (Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits)
Using Bojangles’ Coliseum in Charlotte as our inspiration, this would be a tasty treat for everyone involved. When you think soccer, don’t you think buttermilk biscuits and fried chicken covered in cajun seasoning? Catalonia does.
2. Nou Busch (Anheuser-Busch)
Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, is home to the St. Louis Cardinals, but Nou Busch would be home to the Blaugrana. This is a fine sounding name for a stadium, evoking some great imagery.
3. Nou Camping World Stadium (Camping World)
Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, would translate perfectly to Barcelona! You just gotta add an “-ing” to Camp, simple!
4. CarShield Pitch (CarShield)
CarShield is America’s No. 1 auto protection provider (I suppose) and this one just sounds good. I think it fits perfectly alongside Barca's ethos of being more than a club, just like CarShield is so much more than just autmobile repairs (maybe).
5. Camp Cox (Cox Communications)
There’s a Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, but it’s time to bring the Cox to Barca.
6. Nou Dick’s (Dick’s Sporting Goods)
Another phallus joke, sorry.
7. Tropicana Nou Camp (Tropicana Products)
Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, is probably the most hated ballpark in MLB. It’s an indoor baseball field for chrissake. But this is a fun one to say: Tropicana Nou Camp. Delightful.
8. TaxSlayer Messi Arena (TaxSlayer.com)
Get it? Because the stadium should be named after Messi by now, but he also struggles with his taxes.
9. Smoothie King at Camp Nou (Smoothie King Franchises, Inc.)
I don’t think Smoothie King has the revenue to pull this off, but it’d be one hell of a 30 for 30 to see them try.
10. Louisville Slugger Soccer Field (Hillerich & Bradsby)
Hillerich & Bradsby is the company that produces the world-famous Louisville Slugger baseball bat, and the company now has the naming rights to Louisville Slugger Field in Kentucky. This would be a risk, but getting the naming rights to the Camp Nou to sell more baseball bats might just be crazy enough to work.
11. KFC Yum! Camp (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
You’d be surprised at how many KFCs you’ll find in Europe — it is, after all, the fourth-largest growing fast food restaurant in the world. That’s because it’s damn good chicken. And maybe Norm Macdonald would start coming to games.
12. Jimmy John’s SC: Smoked-ham Club (Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches)
Maybe not this one.