slapshot Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 With all the talk in the news about TD BankNorth buying naming rights to the FleetCenter, it got me thinking...what is the first major sports arena/stadium in the U.S. or Canada to be named after a corporation?Baseball has had a few versions of Wrigley Field, but I think in both of those cases the stadium was named after the owner of the team, who also owned a company of the same name.St. Louis has always played in Busch Stadium, but I think it was named after the family, not necessarily the brand.Is Kemper Arena in Kansas City the first one named after a company or brand? I think it was built in the early 70's (at least by 1974) and I'm pretty sure it's always had that name.According to ballparks.com, Purina bought the St. Louis Blues in the late 70's/early 80's and changed the name of the St. Louis Arena to the Checkerdome, referencing the checkerboard Purina logo.Here's more ballparks.com info about the old Foxboro Stadium, built in 1970:As an example, he (William H. "Billy" Sullivan) established one of the nation's first naming-rights agreements in 1970 when he persuaded Schaefer Brewing Co. to put its name on the facility. The price: a whopping $150,000.Anyone else have any ideas? Back-to-Back Fatal Forty Champion 2015 & 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dilbert Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 http://www.namingrightsonline.com/history.htmMaybe this might help. Signature intentionally left blank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Hmm thats an intersting site Dilbert www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winters in buffalo Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 Informative site. I thought that Rich was the first to buy naming rights, thanks for confirming it. I had no idea that upstate NY has always been a leader in naming trends.The NAP(1995) was the worst name for a stadium ever. People refused to use it. In fact, most still call it Pilot Field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankeeman161 Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 well, since bank of america owns fleet, the wisest thing to do would have to named it bank of amerca center.and let me tell each of you that there will never, eevvvvveeerrrrr, be a corporate sponsor on the name of the house that ruth built as long as we yankee fans bleed navy blue,however, i think we may see the dunkin donuts stadium at fenway occupy yawkey way soon enough THE TOUGHEST S.O.B. IN THE CCSLC!Satan Lives! The Devil On Earth Breathes! -Jim Ross about Vince McMahon, WM 22"THAT WAS THE WORD OF YANKEEMAN"26 World Championships and still going strong. Get used to it Red Sox Nation!"Yankees win! Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankees win!" -John Sterling after every Yankee winTo Be The Yankees, You Gotta Whoooooooooo!!! beat the Yankees!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slapshot Posted March 4, 2005 Author Share Posted March 4, 2005 well, since bank of america owns fleet, the wisest thing to do would have to named it bank of amerca center.and let me tell each of you that there will never, eevvvvveeerrrrr, be a corporate sponsor on the name of the house that ruth built as long as we yankee fans bleed navy blue,however, i think we may see the dunkin donuts stadium at fenway occupy yawkey way soon enough Bank of America already has a few staiums and arenas, they didn't need the advertising a name on the building would generate.There may not be a corporate sponsor on the exterior of Yankee Stadium, but the inside is certainly singing the praises of adidas all over the place.And Dunkin Donuts already has the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence. Back-to-Back Fatal Forty Champion 2015 & 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
STL FANATIC Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 The story is that Anheuser Busch wanted to name the stadium Budweiser stadium or something like that, but the league wouldn't let them name it after a commercial product, especially not alcohol, so they side stepped that by naming it after Busch, the family name, but also one of their brands of beer.So I don't know if that counts or not. JUSTIN STRIEBEL | PORTFOLIO | RESUME | CONTACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted March 4, 2005 Share Posted March 4, 2005 I heard the story is they named the stadium Busch Stadium then came out with the Busch brand of beers to side step that not allowing a sponsorship. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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