Thomond Park is special.
The 26,000 capacity venue holds a unique place in the hearts of Munster and Irish rugby fans.
It has been witness to some incredible occasions – Munster’s 1978 victory over the All Blacks, the 33-5 miracle match win over Gloucester in 2003, the spine-tingling Munster haka in 2008 and of course, the collective heartfelt goodbye to Munster’s lost son, Anthony Foley.
By no means an exhaustive list, these are just some of the memorable moments which have taken place in the venue on the north side of Limerick City.
It is also a source of pride for not only Limerick people, but for the province as a whole.
€40 million was spent on its redevelopment, now what stands is a world-class stadium, with its iconic twin arches looming large over the Limerick skyline which can be seen from every approach into the city.
So, it is safe to say, the place is unique and one of the attributes which make it stand out compared to other stadiums in Ireland and Europe looks set to be no more – the name.
According to a report in the Sunday Independent, Munster are currently pursuing a commercial deal which would lead to the re-naming of the famous venue.
This is something which Munster attempted to do in the past but they were not able to secure a deal which suited them, partly down to the economic downturn.
However, with success on the pitch now a welcome return to the Munster brand, in addition to the upturn in the economy, it seems now is the perfect time to rebrand the stadium.
Munster’s chief executive, Garrett Fitzgerald, confirmed that the province is in negotiations with a number of parties:
“There has been a number of interested parties and presentations have been made to a number of parties…obviously when you’re talking to multinationals and to people at that level. These are things that they put into their cycle and would look at over a period of time.”
Fitzgerald admits that not all fans will agree with changing the name of the stadium but he is also buoyed by the fact that the majority of fans are content with the idea if it brings success to the team.
“People are much more open- and broad-minded about it. If we thought it was a huge big issue and it was something that was going to affect support we wouldn’t be considering it but all our research and everything we’ve done says there is support from over 90pc.”
Of course, the nature of modern professional sport is that organisations need to maximise their revenue streams in order to stay competitive.
This undoubtedly applies to Munster too, especially in the context of the money available in countries like France and England.
Although Munster fans may be disappointed with the news, you get the sense that most will accept this.
For what makes Thomond Park truly special isn’t the name but the fans and players who together, create the ultimate experience.
