Talks with the Cruijff family are close to an agreement. One major issue left to agree on is potential naming rights partnership that the relatives refuse to accept.

Amsterdam ArenA may be rebranded as Johan Cruijff Stadion in 2017, marking the first anniversary of the legendary player’s death (March 24). Talks between stadium operator and the family are advanced.

According to today’s news by Algemeen Dagblad, there’s still one obstacle to overcome. It’s the possibility of Cruijff’s name being joined by a sponsored phrase. The footballer’s family will not accept a naming rights deal.

Photo: Janericlebe (cc: by)

This might be acceptable for the municipality of Amsterdam (48% of shares) and Ajax (13%), but is suggested to be a problematic promise for private investors, to whom the commercial value is crucial in the entire project and would prefer not to rule it out.

So far Amsterdam ArenA hasn’t had a naming rights deal signed. However, the stadium will soon undergo major overhaul and is thriving as a model of sustainability. This, combined with the prospect of Euro 2020 games, makes it more likely to gain a strong partner in the future.

Should there be no agreement for Amsterdam stadium’s name, FC Barcelona also offered a tribute to Cruijff. It may take three forms: his name given to the new Mini Estadi, to the training center, or simply his statue erected beside Camp Nou.