Now the friend arena will be “The Strawberry Shortcake”

Friends arena is now Strawberry arena. Despite the fact that many made fun of the name, it is probably a good deal for Petter Stordalen, who is reported to pay over 100 million for the sponsorship.

– Now he gets the media space that creates brand awareness every time something happens in the arena, says brand expert Eva Ossiansson.

Ever since the inauguration twelve years ago, Swedish football’s national arena has been called Friends arena. But on Friday, an era ends and a new one begins. Strawberry arena is officially here to stay – for ten years.

According to information to Expressen, the deal cost over 100 million for the Norwegian hotel magnate. In an interview with the newspaper, he hints that it may have been more than that.

– You have to put it in relation to paying for other media space. Now the name of the company will be mentioned every time there is a concert or match, says Eva Ossiansson, brand researcher at the School of Economics, University of Gothenburg.

Get used to it quickly

But will people say Strawberry arena when they are used to Friends?

– The old name had a rather strongly charged word with positive values. But we get used to it faster than we think. We are met by so many brands in our everyday life now compared to before and have gotten used to every other arena getting a commercial name.

However, the associations with the “Strawberry” have changed, above all in the media with the reporting of one of Sweden’s most wanted criminals, the gang leader Ismail Abdo.

– It can lead to other associations, but Stordalen uses strawberry and not the Swedish word jordgubbe. In addition, he has previously managed to highlight values ​​in the experience industry for his hotels.

The national arena is not only home to the national team, but also to AIK, whose supporters are the arena’s most frequent visitors.

The AIK supporters are piqued

As soon as the name change was completed, the jibes from opposing supporters began to rain down on the AIK supporters. Now they were going to play at the “Strawberry”. And then they had not immediately gone free from thieving during their previous twelve years in the “friends arena”.

Does it matter that there are many who might think the name is a bit silly or silly?

– There will always be those who do not like the name or get other associations. The main thing is that the majority of visitors associate it with having an experience of rank once they are there.

First to play at the arena under the new name will be Bruce Springsteen and his E-street band. Whether the “boss” enters the scene with a “Hello Strawberry arena” or the safer card “Hello Stockholm” remains to be seen.

FACTSPreviously noticed arena names in Sweden

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