Do you live in a city with a large sports arena?

[ColbertWatcher]

Is it named for some mega corporation?

That may change.

From the Los Angeles Times
Arenas, sports venues face name crisis amid Wall Street meltdown
Many venues and sports teams bear the names of companies that have faltered or failed in recent weeks.
By Samantha Gross
The Associated Press

October 1, 2008

..."Some corporate names -- Washington Mutual Bank, for one -- could vanish from Wall Street altogether. In other cases, the public and stockholders could begin to wonder why these struggling companies are tying up scarce funds on multimillion-dollar sports sponsorship deals.

As a result, some arenas might see a name change.

"I would think that would be the top order of the day to get that switched over," said Rob Vogel, president of Bonham Group, which helps broker sponsorship and naming-rights deals. "It's in everyone's best interests to get that rebranded as quickly as possible."

When Enron Corp. collapsed in a spectacular case of accounting fraud, the Houston Astros were quick to scrub the company's name from the team's ballpark, Enron Field. It was rechristened Minute Maid Park within months.

(more)
--Los Angeles

I'm hoping that all the arenas get renamed to something associated with the city they're in. I also hope the "bowl" games go back to their original names, too.

[ogneopasno]

1. Well, now, there's an upside I hadn't considered!

nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. Thank goodness.

Enough was enough. I hated the idea of stadiums named for corporations, especially insurance companies (is the best use of one's premium for naming rights?)

[meegbear]

3. Fenway Park is it ...

We got TD BankNorth for the Celtics and the Bruins and Gillette Stadium for the Patriots

[MrScorpio]

4. Ford Field

I think we're safe for now

[MadrasT]

5. Ha. In Philly, we had

the CoreStates Center,
which became the First Union Center,
which became the Wachovia Center,
so now I guess it's going to be the Citigroup Center?

[bbernardini]

10. Don't forget about Camden...

First it was the Blockbuster-Sone Music Entertainment Centre (aka E-Center).
Then it was the Tweeter Center at The Waterfront.
Now it's the Susquehanna Bank Center.

[MadrasT]

13. Wait, it's NOT the Tweeter Center anymore?

:rofl: I can't keep up!

[LisaM]

6. All the stadiums in Seatlte have corporate name.

Qwest Field was Seahwaks Stadium for a year - loved that. Safeco Field - Safeco just got bought, but the company's going to keep its name, and the stadium will stay the same. Key Arena was named for Key Bank. I guess that bank's still around, but the team's gone!

I don't mind if they're named for a business - IF the business is a family name or truly has some deep association with the city (and the name isn't up for grabs all the time). Examples of this would be Wrigley Field, Ford Field, and Heinz Field.

But I really prefer if it's named for a famous player or person (Joe Louis Arena, Crisler Arena, Munn Arena, Yost Field House) so you can tie it to the history of the area, or a geographic name (Mile High Stadium, Candlestick Park).

[riverdeep]

18. Yes, but then you don't tap into that All American impulse

of putting a price tag on absolutely everything.

[LisaM]

21. Like Ohio State did? They named their basketball arena

Value City Arena, and when they went to play football at Michigan that year, someone had rented a banner plane with a sign that read, "Welcome Value City University!"

I think when colleges do it it's really going too far. You can't tell me the Ohio State athletic program needs the money.

[shanti]

7. Arco Arena!

yup...

[Speck Tater]

8. Yes

And no, it's not named for a mega corp. It's named for U of O alumnus, and lumberman, Thomas J. Autzen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autzen_Stadium

Go Ducks!

[Marrah_G]

9. I work in the city that houses Gillette Stadium.

In my lifetime it has been Shaefer Stadium, Sullivan Stadium, Foxborough Stadium and now the new (2001) Gillette stadium.

[vinylsolution]

11. Let's hope that "Invesco Field"....

... will soon be renamed The Mile High Stadium.

(Or even the Obama Stadium!)

[CrispyQ]

15. Obama Stadium!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

But either suggestions would be better than the current name!

I hate naming stadiums & event centers after corporations. It really does show that we are a nation of, by & for the corporations.

[CrispyQ]

16. Obama Stadium!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

But either suggestions would be better than the current name!

I hate naming stadiums & event centers after corporations. It really does show that we are a nation of, by & for the corporations.

[GirlieQ]

20. The grass is called Invesco.

The stadium is still Mile High. Or at least that's the impression I get. They're always going on about 'Invesco Field at Mile High' when hubby makes me watch stupid American Armored Wanker Ball.

[vinylsolution]

25. And the Pepsi Arena....

... should become the High Fructose Corn Syrup Arena.

Or the Type 2 Diabetes Arena!

And then the Blue Cross Blue Shield Arena....

[canoeist52]

12. Marrah, not too far from you in Mansfield, ' Great Woods'

then Tweeter Center --Now Comcast Center --ugh.
Will always be "Great Woods" for the locals

[Catherine Vincent]

14. Minute Maid Park formerly known as Enron Field. :-) nt

[TexasLawyer]

34. You beat me to it!!!

Hi Cat Girl! I hope you survived Ike without too much damage.

[Catherine Vincent]

36. Hi to you too! Long time no see.

I didn't get nearly as much damage as some of my neighbors. Hopefully you had minimal damage too.

[Beausoleil]

17. No change here

AT&T Center, formerly SBC Center. Change was because SBC bought AT&T and retained the AT&T name. Even though AT&T has moved their world headquarters to Dallas from San Antonio, the name will stay.

[aquart]

19. Are revolving stadium names the best way to go?

And I can't wait to see the Minute Maid championship games. MINUTE MAID? Wouldn't, say, TROJAN STADIUM be more to the point?

[JHB]

22. Welcome to the Nacho Grande Bowl!

Right next to "Joe's Pickle Palace & Deli Stadium"

:evilgrin:

[RebelOne]

23. Turner Field here in Atlanta. Doubt that will ever change. n/t

[tammywammy]

24. Yes, there's a baseball stadium here, but the name isn't sponsored

There's a huge new football stadium opening next year.

[onenote]

26. if you're referring to the new stadium for the Dallas Cowboys, there are plans to sell naming rights

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/033008dnbusnamingrights.2b2caec.html

The stadium where the Rangers play baseball had a naming deal with Ameriquest for a few years, but that was terminated in 2007. For the moment, its just Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Whether they'll seek another naming deal in a few years is an open question.

[tammywammy]

27. Yes, I'm sure Jerry Jones already has someone lined up for the Cowboys stadium

It was only a couple of years that it was Ameriquest Field, everyone I know calls it The Ballpark, since the original name was The Ballpark in Arlington.

[ColbertWatcher]

30. Jerry Jones? The guy who invited Prince Bandar to troll the sidelines?

Maybe he'll sell the naming rights to Bin Laden Construction?

[Iggo]

28. Staples Center.

How're they doin'?

[girl gone mad]

29. I wonder if Wrigley Field is safe?

;)

[Ignis]

31. Yeah, Candlestick Par-- oh, wait...

Are there any large stadiums that don't have "Corporate Whore" in the name anymore?

[slackmaster]

32. San Diego

Petco Park and Quaalcom Stadium.

Our sports arena is considered to be a little long in the tooth (even though I remember when it was built in 1966), so nobody wants to sponsor it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. Most fo the old Bowl Games still go by their original names, just with

the corporate name tacked on to it. The corporate parts of the names are used in advertising and mentioned during the broadcast, but rarely used by the coaches, players, or fans.

[Initech]

35. Great Western Forum

While Great Western Bank no longer exists (they merged with Wells Fargo back in 1996), nor is it the home of the Lakers, it IS home to some pretty kick-ass concerts.

[Bunny]

37. I'd like to see PNC Park become Clemente Field.