RFU open to selling Twickenham naming rights

A general view of Twickenham Stadium on May 2, 2013
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The RFU will 'look into' the prospect of selling the naming rights to Twickenham in a deal that could be worth £5m a year, according to chief executive Ian Ritchie.

Rugby Football Union chief executive Ian Ritchie has revealed that Twickenham could become the latest sporting venue to sell off its naming rights.

The 82,000-capacity ground, which hosted the 2015 Rugby World Cup final, may follow in the footsteps of Scotland's BT Murrayfield Stadium and Wales's Principality Stadium in flogging the title.

Should a deal go through, it is thought that an additional £5m a year will go towards helping rugby at grass-roots level in England, fresh on the back of the Red Rose's Grand Slam triumph.

"All the money we get goes back into the game, so you would look at it," Ritchie is quoted as saying by The Mirror when asked about the possibility of seeking out a sponsor.

"You would have to look at how the specific offer works. You've got the Principality Stadium and BT Murrayfield and I wouldn't rule it out.

"Wembley took the 'in association with' option, rather than simple naming rights. There's a balance to maintain with heritage and tradition and the amount of money on the table."

The Scottish Rugby Union's deal with BT is thought to be worth in the region of £20m over its four-year duration.

Sam Burgess in action for England during the Rugby World Cup game with Wales on September 26, 2015
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