Hans-Peter Strebel, chairman of Swiss National League ice hockey club EV Zug (EVZ), has acquired naming rights to its arena as a private individual, as expansion work prepares to commence, while Super League football club St. Gallen has agreed a new stadium naming rights deal with Berit Klinik.
EVZ and the City of Zug submitted a planning application for expansion of what has been known as Bossard Arena back in October after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance a venue that first opened in 2010 was struck back in March 2023.
Bossard Arena has a currently capacity of 7,700 seats, which will increase to 9,000 following the expansion project, and EVZ has now announced that construction work will commence in mid-June.
The focus is currently on the south extension, where the new Sportsbar 67 and a fan store will be built on the first floor, along with an additional match restaurant and an outdoor terrace on the second floor.
Immediately after receiving the building permit at the end of January, the EVZ specified the construction plans and began the first preparatory work for the expansion at the beginning of this month.
In parallel to the construction work in the south, various preparatory work is starting on the inside of the arena. In particular, the roof structure will be reinforced in preparation for the planned raising of the rear roof area in summer 2026. All work will be planned and carried out in such a way that match operations can begin normally in the 2025-26 season.
The first work on the larger north volume will begin in November, although the building construction can only be completed once the roof has been raised. Due to the complex work involved in raising the roof in summer 2026, EVZ has said its first home matches in the 2026-27 season will not be possible until mid-October.
All construction work is intended to be completed in late autumn 2027 so that the opening of the expanded arena can still take place in the club’s 60th anniversary year.
The project is now expected to cost just under CHF60m (£54m/€64.1m/$71.8m), compared to the previously reported CHF50m. EVZ said the increase is mainly due to additional needs and requirements for the interior fit-out, certain additional investments in connection with the building fabric and the addition of escalators to the north.
EVZ has also reported “significant progress” with regard to the financing of the expansion. The Cantonal Council in March approved the granting of a repayable loan of CHF35m to the EVZ, subject to interest of 1.5%, which is set to become legally binding in June.
EVZ said it will be able to cover most of the remaining amount from the current accounts, a sale of treasury shares and the reallocation of the naming rights for the arena. Subject to the legal validity of the cantonal support, EVZ said financing of the entire investment is now largely secured.
As part of EVZ’s agreement with the City of Zug regarding the expansion of the arena with a tenant fit-out model, the club was granted the right to award naming rights directly for the first time.
The EVZ started the search for a future naming partner at the end of 2024 with a bidding process for interested companies, including current partner – logistics firm Bossard. The latter withdrew from the process of its own volition but will continue as EVZ’s main sponsor.
The bidding process resulted in four offers, with EVZ deciding to go in-house with Strebel’s proposal. In addition to his bid for the naming rights, Strebel has offered to convert the CHF10m loan granted in advance to finance the arena expansion into an ‘a-fonds-perdu’ grant for EVZ. Strebel has secured the naming rights as a private individual for the next 15 years and has chosen ‘OYM hall’ as the arena’s new moniker.
Strebel said: “By acquiring the naming rights, including waiving repayment of the loan, I want to lay the foundations for the EVZ to operate successfully in the long term.
“The increased investment costs for the expansion would have led to an additional heavy burden on the annual accounts. I have therefore decided to acquire the naming rights as a private individual. It is a one-off investment on my part for a unique expansion project that will bring a lot of joy.
“However, as I did not want the stadium to bear my name, I transferred this opportunity to OYM. OYM will benefit from the great brand presence of the new OYM hall.”
Patrick Lengwiler, CEO of EVZ, added: “We are delighted with the sustainable financing solution that makes the necessary expansion of the arena possible. In particular, I see the loan from the Canton of Zug as a great vote of confidence in our organisation.
“We are delighted that we can now start the construction work and look forward to soon being able to offer our fans and sponsors more space, more catering and entertainment options and many other new features. Zug and the EVZ will benefit.”
Berit Klinik paying back support
Starting from the summer of 2026, St. Gallen’s stadium will take on a new, yet to be determined, name after an eight-year contract was agreed with healthcare provider Berit Klinik. The facility has been known as Kybunpark since the summer of 2016, but footwear manufacturer Kybun announced earlier this year that it would not renew its deal.
A search for a new naming rights partner was launched in March, with Berit Klinik, one of Switzerland’s leading orthopedic specialists, landing the contract.
St. Gallen said the two entities will consult with the club’s fans to determine a new stadium name. While incorporating Berit Klinik’s brand, St. Gallen said, for the first time, it will also “feature a distinct, identity-forming stadium name.”
Matthias Hüppi, president of St. Gallen, said: “With Berit Klinik, we have found someone who not only understands FC St. Gallen 1879, but also our region, as well as supporting and sharing our club’s values.
“Together, we want to find a stadium name that reflects the tradition of FC St. Gallen 1879 and our strong ties to the entire Eastern Switzerland region and the naming rights partner.”
Peder Koch, delegate of the board of directors and CEO of Berit Klinik, added: “We feel a strong need to thank the region for its support and appreciation and to give something back to Eastern Switzerland.
“This extraordinary anniversary gift was made possible by the generosity of our owner and is an expression of our deep connection and gratitude to our region. The partnership with FC St. Gallen 1879 underscores our role as a reliable and competent partner with a long-term perspective.”
