Insurance group Unipol has acquired naming rights to Cagliari’s planned new stadium as part of a deal that also includes sponsorship of the Serie A club’s temporary home.
Work on Cagliari’s new stadium, which is set to be built on the site of its former Stadio Sant’Elia home, is due to begin in 2022, with completion expected to be 2024 at the earliest.
Cagliari has been playing at the temporary Sardegna Arena since the 2017-18 season after the original Stadio Sant’Elia was closed the previous summer with a view to being demolished and completely rebuilt.
As part of Cagliari’s deal with Unipol, the Sardegna Arena will now be known as the Unipol Domus as part of a 10-year agreement that starts with the 2021-22 season. The official name of Cagliari’s new stadium will be revealed at a later date but will also incorporate Unipol.
Cagliari president Tommaso Giulini said that the Unipol Domus moniker has been chosen as “domus” means home in Latin.
Carlo Cimbri, group chief executive of Unipol, said: “It is with particular enthusiasm that our group wanted to support Cagliari Calcio in the naming of its current and future stadium, to support its ambitions and contribute to the growth and successes of a heritage that is not only sporting but also an identity symbol of the city and the whole of Sardinia.”
Giulini added: “Having a partner of this magnitude at our side is further proof of how much the stadium project sees us committed to creating something unique and special for our people. It is often said that an ambitious and successful plan also depends on the solidity of those at your side and, if that is the case, I am convinced that with Unipol we are ensuring the best we could wish for.”
Cagliari last month received backing from the city council to proceed with plans for its new stadium, which will be delivered by Sportium and Manica Architecture. The stadium will have a capacity of around 25,000, expandable to 30,000.
The Italian Government last week announced its guidance for fans to return to sporting venues, with the use of a COVID-19 ‘Green Pass’ required to enter stadia and arenas.
The Government set out capacity limits for sporting venues, with fans only able to attend if their region sits in the lesser two of the four colour zones. In white regions, permitted capacities cannot exceed 50% for outdoor venues and 25% for indoor arenas. In yellow regions, this limit falls to 25% capacity, capped at 2,500 for outdoor venues and 1,000 for indoor.
Image: Cagliari
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