The new stadium in Swansea is now called the Liberty Stadium

The 20,000-seater ground, which has so far simply been called New Stadium, will now be known as Liberty Stadium.

Stadco, the company which runs the stadium, has agreed a five-year deal with Liberty Properties PLC to become the official sponsors.

Liberty Properties' bid, understood to be in excess of �500,000, was accepted ahead of rivals Communications Direct.

Former Wales and Lions centre Scott Gibbs, who captained the Ospreys in their inaugral 2003-04 season, is now the development manager of Liberty Properties.

"We're tremendously proud and excited to be investing in the new stadium in Swansea," Gibbs, who retired from rugby in January 2004, said.

Gibbs calls time

"We saw the chance to sponsor such a flagship stadium as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the company.

"We're a national company but our roots are firmly based in Swansea and so we're thrilled to be able to support and celebrate such an important landmark for the area."

The rugby side will have first opportunity to try out the new name this Sunday, when the Ospreys host Stade Francais in the first round of the Heineken Cup.

Swansea City are away at Torquay on Tuesday night in the LDV Vans Trophy, and on the road again in League One at Rotherham on Saturday.

But the footballers will be back at home on 29 October when they host Chesterfield at the Liberty.