Handicapping the Candidates for Liverpool F.C.'s £150M Stadium Naming Deal

If Fenway Sports Group actually does a deal worth more than £150 million for the naming rights to Liverpool F.C.'s stadium, then owner John W. Henry could be about to pull off one of the biggest and riskiest sports deals in years. He must tread carefully -- the Anfield stadium is a cathedral to its fans and they will not brook its name being sullied with a brand that trivializes the club.

The previous owners, George Hicks and Tom Gillett, brought an £80 million shirtfront sponsorship to the club -- its biggest ever -- and their reward was to be drummed out of the club, forced to sell at a loss, after a months-long campaign by fans to get rid of them. That's how tough managing Liverpool is.

First, it's worth pointing out that the deal may not even exist. The Mirror cited no sources for its claim that Liverpool is looking at three companies to pay more than Arsenal's record-breaking deal to name the Emirates Stadium. The paper also said that if the deal goes through Liverpool could use the money to break ground on a proposed new stadium in STanley Park "early next year," which seems way too soon from a logistical point of view.

Assuming the rumor is true, however, who might be the contenders for such a massive sponsorship? Standard Chartered, the current shirt sponsor, is one of three names in the ring, the Mirror says. It's a bank with a large Asian client base, and the future of soccer finance is largely in the East (Manchester United is offering stock in their club on the Singapore exchange, for instance).

The other two names are unknown. But back in May, commercial director Ian Ayre gave this cryptic explanation of how Standard Chartered got the shirt deal:

We didn't actually choose the one offering the biggest amount of money; another company offered significantly more.

• Carlsberg: The brewer was Liverpool's lead sponsor from 1992 to 2010 and retains a relationship with the club. "The Carlsberg Stadium" has an inoffensive ring to it. And Carlsberg is trying to expand in Asia. It has a strong presence in Malaysia, where Liverpool played an exhibition in the summer. Liverpool also recently started a youth club in India and may tour there too. By amazing coincidence, Carlsberg is launching new brands there, too.
• Bank of America: The finance institution already has a relationship with the club, and it's inevitable that Henry will at some point want to find a way to tap the U.S. market for new fans. "The Bank of America Stadium" will be a tough sell to fans, however.
• Prudential: The insurer was reportedly a contender for the shirt deal and it may still be interested, especially as it too has a growing Asian business. "The Rock in Stanley Park" could be the best-sounding name on the table.
• Konami: The Japanese video gamemaker also has an existing pact with Liverpool, and more importantly it is the maker of Pro Evolution Soccer, known as Winning Eleven in the East. "The Konami Stadium" would give the company an excellent weekly platform to promote every new iteration of PES.

Related:

• Moneyball: Liverpool F.C. Looks Forward to a Future Dependent on Asian Finance
• Memo to the Red Sox on Their Acquisition of Liverpool F.C.
• Liverpool F.C. Wants £240M for Naming Rights to Stanley Park -- Or Does It?