English Rugby
RFU: No plans to sell HQ naming rights
ESPN Staff
October 29, 2012
A general view of the Crusaders' Super Rugby clash with The Sharks, Crusaders v Sharks, Super Rugby, Twickenham, England, March 27, 2011
Could English rugby's HQ soon take on the name of a sponsor? © Getty Images
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The Rugby Football Union (RFU) claims there are no plans to sell the naming rights for Twickenham despite reports at the weekend suggesting otherwise.

The stadium, that has been the home of English rugby since 1910, was linked in the press at the weekend with a move to adopt a sponsor's name which would generate millions of pounds for the RFU. But ESPNscrum understands that those reports are off the mark and the organisation has no plans to sell the rights at the moment.

Previous reports suggest that the windfall would help the RFU pay for the £70m stadium upgrade that is planned before Twickenham plays a central role in the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the iconic venue set to host several games including the opening fixture and the tournament finale. The playing surface has already been re-vamped with the installation of a hybrid pitch that incorporates harder-wearing plastic fibres with real grass.

An RFU spokesman was quoted in the Daily Mail as saying: "Twickenham hosts over 60 matches a year, so it is important to have the best and most durable playing surface. We also intend to give the best possible experience for fans that we can. Plans for stadium improvements also include ticketless entry, WiFi and concourse TV screens."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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