The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation has announced a new agreement as the naming rights partner for Queens Park Rangers Football Club’s iconic Loftus Road Stadium in London, United Kingdom.
The agency said the naming rights agreement will be a highly valuable platform for raising its profile and visibility in the UK, especially after its own brand revamp.
Combined with the UK’s proposed accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the agency under the Ministry of International Trade and Investment said it will be utilising the QPR stadium platform to raise Malaysia’s profile as an open trading nation and expand trade, particularly during football matches or other sporting events are being broadcast from the 18,169-pax capacity Loftus Road Stadium.
The stadium was officially renamed to MATRADE Loftus Road Stadium in a ceremony by the Chairman of MATRADE, Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, accompanied by the co-owner of Queen Park Rangers football club, Westports Datuk Ruben Gnanalingam Abdullah, who is also the board of director of MATRADE,
Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican said MATRADE will capitalise on this valuable platform to enhance its global recognition as a trusted agency to connect trade between Malaysia and the United Kingdom by leveraging QPR’s long-standing history in the English Football League.
The three-year collaboration marks an innovative first for both MATRADE and QPR, uniting sports and trade promotion in a fresh, exciting way. The full cost of the naming rights partnership, valued at GBP 1.2 million (GBP 400,000 per year) will be absorbed by QPR’s Malaysian co-owner, Datuk Ruben Gnanalingam Abdullah, who is also a Board member of MATRADE, as part of his Corporate Social Responsibility to Malaysia.
Lee Hoos, Chief Executive Officer of QPR, said the decision to render the naming rights of the stadium was made with the commercial interests of the club.
