This afternoon, Everton Football Club announced the official naming rights for their new stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock, which will henceforth be known as Hill Dickinson Stadium and is set to officially open in August of this year when Everton opens the 2025/26 Premier League season.
The law firm has been in business since 1810, and includes "11 offices across the UK, Europe, and Asia," according to Everton's official announcement. The club refers to the partnership as a "long-term agreement."
There were a lot of options open to the club once the Friedkin Group took over as owners, with seemingly Toyota in the mix, since the US-based owners currently run a group of dealerships in their hometown of Houston.
In the end, the Friedkins, perhaps wisely, chose a company that began in Liverpool, bringing together two "Liverpool institutions" that seek to expand beyond the banks of the River Mersey, something that Hill Dickinson has already achieved.
New Everton CEO Angus Kinnear had this to say about the partnership: "Welcoming Hill Dickinson as our naming rights partner is a bold and strategic step forward. This partnership goes beyond branding – it’s a shared commitment to progress, excellence and the regeneration of our city. Hill Dickinson Stadium will stand as a symbol of Everton’s ambitions, our values, and the global future we are building together."
The official announcement includes visuals of the name of the stadium on the top of the building, which appears to be done with a touch of class befitting the overall look of the stadium as designed by Dan Meis.
The deal is reportedly going to pay the club in the neighborhood of £10m per year, according to The Guardian.
Time will tell what Everton fans will think of the deal, but on the surface, it avoids a lot of the issues with many naming rights in other countries, which tie clubs to betting organizations and other less than desireable groups, and hopefully it will lead to a new shirt sponsor for Everton kits moving forward.