Zenit’s stadium on Krestovsky Ostrov to be renamed as The Gazprom Arena

From 9 December 2018 a new landmark will appear on the world’s football map.

A deal has been signed between the club and Gazprom for the stadium’s new name to be included across the arena’s landscape. The new name will appear around the outside of the stadium’s facade, will be visible on the uniforms of those working there and will be printed on souvenirs and tickets.

The arena came under the control of Zenit Football Club thanks to a 49-year lease signed between the club and the city of St. Petersburg in February.
Sponsors taking on stadium naming rights is one of the key developments in world sport. The versatility of the stadium, its technical equipment, plus the club status and its record attendances mean Zenit have been able to develop the largest sponsorship deal in Russian football.

“Our club and Gazprom will continue their fruitful cooperation,” said Zenit President Sergei Fursenko. “As well as the expected co-operation, our agreement includes options for large-scale joint projects to develop the infrastructure of the stadium and its surrounding areas, creating fun, recreational areas near the arena.”
  
Mr Fursenko continued, “we are convinced that Zenit’s home stadium being renamed The Gazprom Arena will create the right associations for all our the stadium’s guests and will fulfill Gazprom’s main social initiative of reaching the full potential of the country's most visited stadium as a new cultural, business and, of course, sporting centre.”

Zenit’s home is a unique, high-tech and multifaceted arena, ready to host sporting and cultural events at any time of the year. The stadium has a retractable roof with a diameter of 286 meters and a sliding, removable pitch.

FACTS
  
In the 2017/18 season, Zenit matches at the new Gazprom Arena were attended by over 1 million supporters, which was a unique achievement in Russian football
The average attendance for matches in St. Petersburg at the World Cup was 64,086 per match, ahead of Moscow (62,600), Sochi (44,000) and Nizhny Novgorod (42,700).
   
During the 2018/19 season, Zenit became one of the world’s top 20 most visited football clubs with an average attendance of 48,981.

In October 2018, the Russian rock group Leningrad held a concert at the arena with more than 65,000 people in attendance.