Featured image credit: Udinese
Italian utilities firm, Bluenergy Group, has stepped up its backing of Udinese by acquiring naming rights to its stadium, with the deal set to further an emphasis on sustainability projects.
Under the five-year deal announced today (Wednesday), the Serie A football club’s home will now be known as Bluenergy Stadium. As the partnership develops, Bluenergy, which is based in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Udinese will collaborate on initiatives dedicated to the local region’s environment, people and the economy.
The choice of Bluenergy’s shareholders to establish the group’s headquarters in Friuli means that there are greater resources available to local institutions. This comes in the form of 15% of the group’s profits being reinvested in Friuli Venezia Giulia to support the local economy.
The collaboration between the club and the company, which dates back to 2018, has already produced results in the fight against climate change. Udinese was ranked as Serie A’s most sustainable club by the 2023 Brand Finance Football Sustainability Index, which also placed the club fourth worldwide.
This has been made possible through the energy efficiency improvements and green power provided by Bluenergy, which has allowed for a saving of over 4,850 tonnes of CO2. “I’m delighted to be able to share the demanding challenges that the future will pose us with the ownership and management of Bluenergy at our wonderful Bluenergy Stadium, as well in our general pursuit for even more sustainable development model,” said Udinese’s majority shareholder, Gianpaolo Pozzo.
“As fellow Friulians I’d like to thank them and in turn commit ourselves to reciprocate their trust with equal passion and determination as we seek to achieve ever better results.”
Alberta Gervasio, CEO of Bluenergy Group, added: “Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of this region’s iconic stadium. The Bluenergy Stadium is a modern and multifunctional structure, designed to be a meeting point for athletes, families, companies and the community in general.
“We’ve been working with Udinese for a long time and now we’ve decided to further our commitment. We’re embracing a project which, starting from our name, will lead Bluenergy Stadium to be a reference point for the entire local community, with initiatives aimed at promoting knowledge of how important it is to respect the environment in everyday life.
“Our focus will once again be on the people and fans, the driving force of the city and the emotional fuel of the team. The stadium is the home of all Udinese sportspeople, but first and foremost true fans. We’re aiming to keep the original spirit of this region alive while simultaneously promoting the commitment to a sustainable future.”
Bluenergy replaces Romanian automotive manufacturer Dacia as Udinese’s stadium naming rights partner. Dacia had partnered with the Udine-based club since 2009 and in September 2020 agreed to extend this association for a further three years, taking it through to 2023. It was announced in June that the deal would not be extended further.
Dacia added stadium naming rights to the shirt sponsorship package in January 2016, as the venue otherwise known as Stadio Friuli reopened following an extensive redevelopment. The stadium has a capacity of around 25,144 following the renovation.
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