PCB Set to Rename Gaddafi and National Stadium and Why?

PCB is all set to rename the Lahore’s Gaddafi and Karachi’s National Stadium aka NSK.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja says the decision to do so is purely financial.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja told ESPNcricinfo that the cricket board was in “advanced negotiations” with a number of sponsors. The highest bidder would win the right to have the stadium renamed after it.

There have been a number of attempts in the past to change the name of the iconic stadium, but all of them were for political reasons, he said.

“However, this one is purely financial,” Ramiz told the publication, adding that other stadiums in the country, including the National Stadium Karachi (NSK), could also be renamed.

“We acquired the services of YouGov [a public opinion and data company] to estimate the brand worth of our stadium, and how much sponsorship deals would be worth,” Ramiz added.

“That’s not just true of the Gaddafi Stadium, but also the NSK and others. We’ve been working towards this for a while, and the response from sponsors has been satisfactory. Once we finalize a deal [for Lahore], the name Gaddafi will go completely with a sponsor’s name replacing it.”