AT&T Center?

[DG_ThenNowForever]

How about Rich Stadium in Buffalo?

Rich something or other was a corporate sponsor. I think it had to do with chicken packing, but I could be way off. I'm too young to know.

While we're on the topic of corporate sponsors, I kind of enjoy Tropicana Field. While the field itself is horrendous, I think the name is fitting for the area, and from the outside, the stadium name is certainly apt.

Least favorite stadium corporate sponsors: Office Depot, Petco, Home Depot, St. Pete Times, and probably a million more. Those, to me, are especially boring. And really, why would a newspaper purchase naming rights for a stadium?

A kind of related question...does anyone know what happened to the Bank One Bears? Are they now the Chase Bank Chicago Bears? There was a big reaction when those naming rights, or whatever they were, were announced, but there doesn't seem to have been any lasting effect.

[gbasalmon]

How about Rich Stadium in Buffalo?

Rich something or other was a corporate sponsor. I think it had to do with chicken packing, but I could be way off. I'm too young to know.

While we're on the topic of corporate sponsors, I kind of enjoy Tropicana Field. While the field itself is horrendous, I think the name is fitting for the area, and from the outside, the stadium name is certainly apt.

Least favorite stadium corporate sponsors: Office Depot, Petco, Home Depot, St. Pete Times, and probably a million more. Those, to me, are especially boring. And really, why would a newspaper purchase naming rights for a stadium?

A kind of related question...does anyone know what happened to the Bank One Bears? Are they now the Chase Bank Chicago Bears? There was a big reaction when those naming rights, or whatever they were, were announced, but there doesn't seem to have been any lasting effect.

The corporate sponsorship was put into place for Rich Stadium all the way back when it was opened in the 70's. It's named for the Rich Dairy Company (they make dairy creamers and other such things like that). The Richs (Bob and Mindy) are the same ones that own the Buffalo Bisons and, I believe, the Jamestown Jammers (they at least owned them when they were the Niagara Falls Rapids for like 5 minutes).

[leopard88]

Let's not forget about the original corporate stadium name -- WRIGLEY FIELD. I think we should all start calling it Weeghman Park, since that was its original name.

Ballparks of Baseball -- Wrigley Field

[therebelas]

I like FedExForum (official spelling, one word and no "the") in Memphis.

[Gothamite]

Wrigley Field, and others named after people, don't bother me.

Maybe that's why I like "Miller Park".

[leopard88]

Wrigley Field, and others named after people, don't bother me.

Maybe that's why I like "Miller Park".

Because that had nothing to do with the company (or is it "beermaking division of major multinational conglomerate"?) that happens to be named after someone named Miller.

P.S. I actually did get your point, and I agree that they do sound less bothersome (except, maybe, for Raymond James and Edward Jones).

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The corporate sponsorship was put into place for Rich Stadium all the way back when it was opened in the 70's.  It's named for the Rich Dairy Company (they make dairy creamers and other such things like that).  The Richs (Bob and Mindy) are the same ones that own the Buffalo Bisons and, I believe, the Jamestown Jammers (they at least owned them when they were the Niagara Falls Rapids for like 5 minutes).

Tom Golisano sold the Sabres? When?

EDIT: That says "Bisons," doesn't it. Whoops.

[leedsunited]

There are very few corporate stadium names that actually sound good - Wrigley probably being the top of the list there.

What's absolutely awful are the long names that sound ridiculously forced, i.e.

M&T Bank Stadium (really, wtf?)

Quicken Loans Arena (shameless Dan Gilbert hucksterism)

Invesco Field (and don't give me that Invesco Field AT Mile High crap).

[BJ Sands]

What bugs me is that everyone feels compelled to use these new corporate names. To me they are still Candlestick, Pac Bell, the BOB, Comisky, etc....why does everyone feed into this corporate nonsense. It is our own faults.

Hold on, you do know that "the BOB" was an abbreviation for Bank One Ballpark and that Pac Bell is corporate also?

Actually, I love calling Comiskey "The Cell." It sounds really cool and gives it a neat nickname.

[nugent4president]

Tom Golisano sold the Sabres? When?

Where did anyone say that Golisano sold the Sabres? I was at the game last night...he's still the owner.

Getting on topic here, I will agree that both the Twin Cities and especially Detroit have very classy stadium/arena names. Not to hijack the original intent of this thread, but what city has the best and worst stadium/arenas? The city must have at least two facilites.

The best is Detroit (Ford Field, Comerica Park, Joe Louis Arena and The Palace of Auburn Hills) and yes, I know the Pistons play in the suburbs.

The worst is Tampa/St. Pete (Raymond James Stadium, Tropicana Field and St. Pete Times Forum)

[griffelh]

What bugs me is that everyone feels compelled to use these new corporate names.  To me they are still Candlestick, Pac Bell, the BOB, Comisky, etc....why does everyone feed into this corporate nonsense.  It is our own faults.

Hold on, you do know that "the BOB" was an abbreviation for Bank One Ballpark and that Pac Bell is corporate also?

Actually, I love calling Comiskey "The Cell." It sounds really cool and gives it a neat nickname.

The same question was already asked. Read my response above.

[andrewharrington]

It was a sad day in Cleveland this summer when it was announced that Gund Arena would become Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland was one of, if not the last city to have no truly corporate sporting venues: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Jacobs Field, Gund Arena.

[brinkeguthrie]

Rich, I think, is a Buffalo area dairy. Didn't know that til recently. And Ericsson was the name for the Panthers stadium- but I didn't know it at the time since Ericsson was not selling phones in our market at the time.

In SF, let' see..

A's/Raiders:

Oakland Coliseum/Network Associates/McAfee (and I think I am missing one!)

Sharks

Compaq Center/HP Pavilion.

Niners

Candlestick Park/3Com/San Francisco Stadium @ Candlestick Pt/Monster Park

Giants

PacBell/SBC/AT&T

When I lived in Cincinnati, Riverfront was Riverfront for 27 YEARS..then dumped the 'Cinergy' name on it, even tho at the time the name went on, they knew the park was getting knocked down for..........Great American BallPark (insurance.)

[brinkeguthrie]

It was a sad day in Cleveland this summer when it was announced that Gund Arena would become Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland was one of, if not the last city to have no truly corporate sporting venues: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Jacobs Field, Gund Arena.

Bengals did make the right call tho---

Paul Brown Stadium.

THAT one will NEVER change.

[griffelh]

It was a sad day in Cleveland this summer when it was announced that Gund Arena would become Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland was one of, if not the last city to have no truly corporate sporting venues: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Jacobs Field, Gund Arena.

Bengals did make the right call tho---

Paul Brown Stadium.

THAT one will NEVER change.

....until someone offers Mike Brown enough money

[FUNKAFIED]

I hate naming rights. I understand the economic benefits. I don't know, call me a purist.

I think the ones that really piss me off are the stadiums that start out dedicated in the memory of an owner, a player, or some other person that was important to the team/city and then replaced with a corporate sponsor.

See: Joe Robbie Stadium/Pro Player/Dolphins Stadium

See also: Jack Kent Cooke Stadium/Redskins Stadium/FedEx Field

Oh one more thing, another arena that's had 4 name changes in 8 years:

The Broward County Civic Arena/National Car Rental Center/Office Depot Center/BankAtlantic Center, home of the NHL's Florida Panthers.

[JBPerry]

In SF, let' see..

A's/Raiders:

Oakland Coliseum/Network Associates/McAfee (and I think I am missing one!)

Sharks

Compaq Center/HP Pavilion.

the sharks only changed because HP bought out Compaq and put the HP name (HP was smart and use the HP Pavilion brand of computer logo for the arena logo ), while in Houston it's still Compaq Center. For the A's/Raiders, the name you're missing is the UMAX Coliseum although that didn't last long, according to Wikipedia.

In September 1997, UMAX Technologies agreed to acquire the naming rights to the stadium. However, following a dispute, a court decision reinstated the Oakland Coliseum name. In 1998, Network Associates agreed to pay $5.8 million over five years for the naming rights and the stadium became known as "Network Associates Coliseum," or sometimes, simply, "the Net".

[StoneRaizer]

Ottawa's Corel Centre was recently rechristened Scotiabank Place.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/s...91-b6e8c43e1cee

[Saint Zephyr III]

What is surprisingly for San Antonio is that our Alamodome has remained just the Alamodome. We rejected an offer from the MLS over the naming-rights of the stadium...besides, no corporation could really match a name like that anyway.