By Jaroslaw Adamowski
May 13 – AS Roma is poised to sign a main sponsorship deal with Etihad Airways. Under the plan, the UAE-based airlines will pay the Italian side about €14 million per year as the club’s main sponsor, and a further €14 million per annum for the naming rights to its new stadium, Stadio della Roma.
The planned sponsorship contract is reportedly part of the company’s expansion strategy in the Italian market. However, an Etihad Airways spokesman has said “there’s no truth to the rumour.”
In August 2014, Etihad Airways announced its purchase of a 49% stake in Italy’s national carrier Alitalia. The Stadio della Roma is being built on the grounds of Rome’s former Hippodrome, in the southwest of the city. It will be accessible via the main highway which connects the city with its Fiumicino Airport, a designated flight hub for Etihad Airways’ operations in the Mediterranean.
The stadium operator says the Stadio Della Roma will be fitted with a capacity of 52,500 seats, which could be further expanded to 60,000 for larger international events.
The new stadium, construction for which is scheduled to start end of 2015, is planned to be part of a 365-day-a-year entertainment destination – called Roma Village – with shops, restaurants, bars, a Nike SuperStore, as well as the AS Roma Hall of Fame.
Stadio della Roma is scheduled to be substantially completed by late 2017 with the expectation of being open for the 2017/2018 Serie A season.
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