Friends Arena in Solna and Tele2 Arena in Stockholm are familiar to every fan in Sweden. The contracts for the names expire at the end of the year, and the question is whether they will be renewed. Given the economic situation, it is not easy to find new operators willing to pay millions of dollars.

Difficult circumstances surrounding the stadiums

It's been a little over a decade since Stockholm and Solna got new multi-million dollar stadiums - Friends Arena and Tele2 Arena. The two giant structures have given much joy and created many memories, but they have also consistently generated deficits. It seems difficult to balance the revenues with the costs of the stadiums.

One of the revenues that both stadiums generated early on was the sale of naming rights. Swedbank paid about SEK 150 million for the right to the national stadium for twelve years, and Tele2 paid a slightly smaller sum for Globen Stadium for ten years. However, Swedbank gave the name to the Friends organization, which the football association did not like, but had to accept.

Most people have gotten used to the stadium names after ten years of using them. Next season they may be a thing of the past. Both contracts are expiring, and Stockholm Live, which owns the rights, is working hard to find solutions, according to several insiders, but it is not an easy task given the economic situation. Despite ongoing fears of an economic downturn, interest in betting seemingly hasn't waned in Sweden, as reported by Bookies Bonuses, who recently launched a page about Swedish betting sites in anticipation of the football season.

© Groundhopping.se

What is the future of the stadiums?

It is Stockholm Live that handles the rights, so questions about the arena's naming rights and the process around it can be directed to them. - Swedbank CEO Jens Henriksson referred to the press department. Stockholm Live's management is not readily available, but eventually a text message from marketing director Daniel Stålbo appeared not. According to him, they have a long and good relationship with both Swedbank and Tele2 and are in dialogue about the future, but no decisions have been made yet.

The feeling and hope around the Stockholm arena is that solutions like Friends and Avicii, where companies pay for a name that signifies a good cause, could be the solution. Whether Swedbank will be willing to continue paying for Friends remains to be seen. Friends is an organization that works against bullying in schools and sports, and is notable on the national stage. Of course, locals and supporters have grown accustomed to the names currently in place. It will be interesting to see what happens if no deals are made before the new season.

© Adam Wycichowski