CitiField for new Mets Stadium

[PaperAirplane31]

This would be the first corporate-named stadium for a New York team, right?

Giants and Jets: Giants Stadium/The Meadowlands

Rangers, Islanders: MSG, Nassau Coliseum

Yankees, Mets: Yankee Stadium, Shea Stadium

Knicks: MSG

We're not counting the Nets and Devils because nobody counts the Nets and Devils.

Continental Airlines Arena is part of the Meadowlands. So in order to count the Giants and the Jets, you'd have to, by default, count the Nets and the Devils.

[Guest]

Okay. First team with New York in its name to play at a corporate-named venue.

[PeytonManningRocks]

Eh.....it could be much worse. They could have named it after Pink Taco

[NJTank]

The rotunda will be named after Jackie and their will be a statue.

[wdm1219inpenna]

The rotunda will be named after Jackie and their will be a statue.

It isn't so much the corporate names that bother me, after all we've had BUSCH Stadium, WRIGLEY Field, Coors Field to name three, but what bothers me is when they keep changing.

San Francisco went from PacBell Park to AT&T Park

Houston went from Enron Field to Minute Maid Park or Orange Julius Park or something like that.

Arizona went from Bank One Ballpark "The Bob" to I don't even know what they call it now but I think it's someone different.

Philadelphia (basketball/hockey) went from the Spectrum, to the Corestates Spectrum, to the First Union Center to the Wachovia Center (granted that bank, group of banks merged about 379 times).

Anyhow, THAT is what annoys me, when they keep changing names all the time. Pick a name, a corporate name even, and then KEEP IT!!!! Granted the Enron situation warranted said name change, nevertheless overall, they just need to pick ONE name and STOP IT!!!!

Bill

[NJTank]

Well Citibank is one of the largest banks in the work hard to imagine that will change.

I do like the fact they broke ground on my bday

[leopard88]

Well Citibank is one of the largest banks in the work hard to imagine that will change.

I do like the fact they broke ground on my bday

So was NationsBank and we know how that turned out. That being said, the odds are probably in Citibank's favor.

[letsgomets1212]

Anyhow, THAT is what annoys me, when they keep changing names all the time. Pick a name, a corporate name even, and then KEEP IT!!!! Granted the Enron situation warranted said name change, nevertheless overall, they just need to pick ONE name and STOP IT!!!!

This is one thing you are slightly wrong about. They do not sell the naming rights to different companies every three years because they want a new deal. Most of these naming rights deals are for 20+ years. There is a simple reason for these frequent name changes: one company's acquisition of another. I will explain this for two of the examples you posted.

San Francisco went from PacBell Park to AT&T Park

The park was originally named Pacific Bell Park, that is correct. This is what happened: SBC acquired Pacific Bell. That is why the name changed. If Pacific Bell is now a part of SBC, why would you keep the name? You wouldn't. Pac Bell no longer exists. Since SBC acquired them, they acquired everything involved with Pac Bell, including the naming rights to the stadium. Thus, that is the reason for the name change.

Then AT&T acquired SBC. Same as above. They got the naming rights when the acquired SBC.

Arizona went from Bank One Ballpark "The Bob" to I don't even know what they call it now but I think it's someone different.

This is the same situation as the one above. Bank One was acquired by Chase, so they named the park after their company.

So, as you can see, this is why the name of a stadium changes.

[NoHoJoe]

Anyhow, THAT is what annoys me, when they keep changing names all the time. Pick a name, a corporate name even, and then KEEP IT!!!! Granted the Enron situation warranted said name change, nevertheless overall, they just need to pick ONE name and STOP IT!!!!

This is one thing you are slightly wrong about. They do not sell the naming rights to different companies every three years because they want a new deal. Most of these naming rights deals are for 20+ years. There is a simple reason for these frequent name changes: one company's acquisition of another. I will explain this for two of the examples you posted.

San Francisco went from PacBell Park to AT&T Park

The park was originally named Pacific Bell Park, that is correct. This is what happened: SBC acquired Pacific Bell. That is why the name changed. If Pacific Bell is now a part of SBC, why would you keep the name? You wouldn't. Pac Bell no longer exists. Since SBC acquired them, they acquired everything involved with Pac Bell, including the naming rights to the stadium. Thus, that is the reason for the name change.

Then AT&T acquired SBC. Same as above. They got the naming rights when the acquired SBC.

Arizona went from Bank One Ballpark "The Bob" to I don't even know what they call it now but I think it's someone different.

This is the same situation as the one above. Bank One was acquired by Chase, so they named the park after their company.

So, as you can see, this is why the name of a stadium changes.

The Mets should give Citigroup the $400 million back. Better things can be done with

that amount of money, like help rebuild New Orleans, especially the 9th Ward!

BTW, the Mets should call their new ballpark JACKIE ROBINSON PARK!!!

ATTENTION, METS FANS!!!!!

Call Fred Wilpon and DEMAND that he give the $400 million back to Citigroup. Eventaully, he will get the message!!!!

[NJTank]

Well Jackie Robinson Rotunda should surfice people forget Jackie WAS NOT a Met, and honestly I don't want their stadium named after a Dodger, had Jackie coached the Mets in his later years maybe it would be different but he was never a Met.

[griffelh]

I understand that a team can sell naming rights to whatever company they want. I fail to understand why the TV, Radio and Print media feel obliged to play along. To me, the stadium will be the New Shea Stadium. The media should call it that as well. CitiBank is not paying the Daily News any money to advertise for them.

[zig]

Anyhow, THAT is what annoys me, when they keep changing names all the time. Pick a name, a corporate name even, and then KEEP IT!!!! Granted the Enron situation warranted said name change, nevertheless overall, they just need to pick ONE name and STOP IT!!!!

This is one thing you are slightly wrong about. They do not sell the naming rights to different companies every three years because they want a new deal. Most of these naming rights deals are for 20+ years. There is a simple reason for these frequent name changes: one company's acquisition of another. I will explain this for two of the examples you posted.

San Francisco went from PacBell Park to AT&T Park

The park was originally named Pacific Bell Park, that is correct. This is what happened: SBC acquired Pacific Bell. That is why the name changed. If Pacific Bell is now a part of SBC, why would you keep the name? You wouldn't. Pac Bell no longer exists. Since SBC acquired them, they acquired everything involved with Pac Bell, including the naming rights to the stadium. Thus, that is the reason for the name change.

Then AT&T acquired SBC. Same as above. They got the naming rights when the acquired SBC.

Arizona went from Bank One Ballpark "The Bob" to I don't even know what they call it now but I think it's someone different.

This is the same situation as the one above. Bank One was acquired by Chase, so they named the park after their company.

So, as you can see, this is why the name of a stadium changes.

The Mets should give Citigroup the $400 million back. Better things can be done with

that amount of money, like help rebuild New Orleans, especially the 9th Ward!

BTW, the Mets should call their new ballpark JACKIE ROBINSON PARK!!!

ATTENTION, METS FANS!!!!!

Call Fred Wilpon and DEMAND that he give the $400 million back to Citigroup. Eventaully, he will get the message!!!!

What does the amount of money that Citigroup gave the Mets for naming rights have to do with rebuilding New Orleans. The Mets are losing 800 million dollars with the stadium so this cuts their debt in half. The Mets aren't obligated to pay for New Orleans. It would be nice if any corporation, team, or anyone else would donate to New Orleans but its just not going to happen.

Its become common place for stadiums to be named after companies. So why is it terrible for the Mets to do it.

Also if someone offered you a lot of money would you say no.

Well Jackie Robinson Rotunda should surfice people forget Jackie WAS NOT a Met, and honestly I don't want their stadium named after a Dodger, had Jackie coached the Mets in his later years maybe it would be different but he was never a Met.

I agree. I like that they are making a Jackie Robinson Rotunda but I don't want the stadium named after him. I know that he was a very great and brave man but he was never really involved with the Mets. I would rather the Mets call it New Shea for a while then just switch over to Shea after some years than have it called Jackie Robinson stadium.

If there was any team that would name it's stadium Jackie Robinson Stadium it would be the Brooklyn Cyclones in my opinion. The Dodgers and Robinson played in Brooklyn and in Key Span Parks (Where the Cyclones play) there is a Brooklyn baseball museum. The Cyclones try to keep a Brooklyn Heritage and they even reuse the Brooklyn Dodgers' logo so Jackie Robinson Stadium would be a logical name for them to choose.

All in all I just can't wait for this stadium to be built.

[CJR]

Philadelphia (basketball/hockey) went from the Spectrum, to the Corestates Spectrum, to the First Union Center to the Wachovia Center (granted that bank, group of banks merged about 379 times).

No it didn't. The Spectrum has always had that word in its name. The First Union Center is the new arena, originally called the CoreStates Center and now called the Wachovia Center.

Old arena: Spectrum -> CoreStates Spectrum -> First Union Spectrum -> Wachovia Spectrum

New Arena: CoreStates Center -> First Union Center -> Wachovia Center

That the name has changed a bunch of times is still a valid point, though.

[griffelh]

The Mets are losing 800 million dollars with the stadium so this cuts their debt in half. The Mets aren't obligated to pay for New Orleans. Its become common place for stadiums to be named after companies. So why is it terrible for the Mets to do it.

Actually, this is not true. According to MLB revenue sharing rules, any Stadium debt is subtracted from required revenue sharing money, so, in essence, the stadium will cost the Mets far less than the full construction cost. It will cost Kansas City, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh money as they will not receive the Mets share of revenue sharing while the Mets are paying off the new stadium. Put together with new luxury suites, higher ticket prices and sell outs for several years after the stadium opens the Wilpons will be making a very nice profit and the naming rights deal only adds to it. Don't kid yourselves; Wilpon will only make money from the new Stadium!

[Lee.]

...and now it's wrong for a team owner to make money? That sonofabitch. How dare he make money to continue to keep a team in New York City, then build an $800M stadium to make his fans more comfortable.

[griffelh]

...and now it's wrong for a team owner to make money? That sonofabitch. How dare he make money to continue to keep a team in New York City, then build an $800M stadium to make his fans more comfortable.

I'm not complaining about the stadium, nor his right to make money. But he is making the stadium purposely smaller than need be to create an artificial demand for tickets, he is not putting a roof on the place to keep us fans comfortable in April, September or October, and he didn't need to sell off a corporate name. I could have lived with Met Life Field; but evidently they did not bid high enough.

I give George a large amount of credit for not selling naming rights to the New Yankee Stadium.