Let the Name Game Begin

[Burning River]

Last year was the supposed to be the final year of the name "Jacobs Field" for the Cleveland Indians. They left the name for this season because they felt it would cost have cost too much to make changes a year later. I guess it seems Jacobs got an extra year out of the contract?

They have hired IMG to help with the naming rights. There were talks with "National City Bank" and some other un-named companies. I am hoping they do something similar to what the Browns did. It's called "Cleveland Browns Stadium", then each entrance has naming rights. "First Energy", "Northeast", "NationalCity" and "Cleveland Clinic".

It was called "Indians Park" before "naming rights" got involved and then-owner Richard Jacobs bought the rights and named it "Jacobs Field". Obviousy, I hope it's nothing rediculous. This has been talked about before... some of the corporate names can sound nice.

[drivethru1986]

I am really not a fan of naming rights. On the one hand, they give the team who calls the arena/stadium home more money since the company pays for the rights. On the other hand, it seems so impersonal. What sounds better....Giants Stadium or Poland Spring Stadium (sorry I'm drinking it now)? I kind of understand the Giants Stadium thing since the Jets play there as well, however in most of the press things about the stadium when the Jets play it is called simply called the Meadowlands...that works out fine no complaints, why do teams feel like they have to sell naming rights, especially when they have a high revenue stream (Giants and Jets). For teams like the New Jersey Devils (who can't draw flies sadly) then I totally understand the naming rights because the team needs money.

[infrared41]

Last year was the supposed to be the final year of the name "Jacobs Field" for the Cleveland Indians. They left the name

It was called "Indians Park" before "naming rights" got involved

Wasn't it called Gateway Park or Stadium before it became Jacobs Field?

[NJTank]

Jacobs Field was a cool name especially with Jacobs Later

[Burning River]

The whole project was called "Gateway". From what I remember... the Arena was referred to as "Gateway Arena" and the ballpark was referred to as "Gateway Park" I believe. I was there for an Open House after completion. I remember seeing a logo decal on the garbage cans.

It was then named "Indians Park", I guess unofficially. Maybe it was even "Indians Park at Gateway". The logo had the same lay out as the "Jacobs Field" logo. But, it was an arched script "Indians" word mark where "Jacobs" is. It read "P A R K" in the same font and location as "FIELD" is located now. I think it became "Jacobs Field" right before the 1994 season started.

Who knew that this sight would be around 12-13 years ago? I would've taken a picture and had a really cool piece of "logo history".

[infrared41]

Jacobs Field was a cool name especially with Jacobs Later

Jacobs Later? Do you mean Jacob's Ladder or am I missing something here?

On topic: It would be really nice if the Indians went the same route that the Browns did by naming the park something cool and selling the rights to name the gates etc. I would like to see them pay a little tribute to the past and call it League Park.

Then again it was built with the money from a "sin" tax on beer and cigarettes. Maybe they should call it Sinner's Field or Drunken Smokers Park.

[DEAD!]

Jacobs Field was a cool name especially with Jacobs Later

Jacobs Later? Do you mean Jacob's Ladder or am I missing something here?

heh, maybe it's Jacob Two-Two?

[Mac the Knife]

I thought Jacobs bought the rights for 20 years?

[dfwabel]

I am really not a fan of naming rights. On the one hand, they give the team who calls the arena/stadium home more money since the company pays for the rights. On the other hand, it seems so impersonal. What sounds better....Giants Stadium or Poland Spring Stadium (sorry I'm drinking it now)? I kind of understand the Giants Stadium thing since the Jets play there as well, however in most of the press things about the stadium when the Jets play it is called simply called the Meadowlands...that works out fine no complaints, why do teams feel like they have to sell naming rights, especially when they have a high revenue stream (Giants and Jets). For teams like the New Jersey Devils (who can't draw flies sadly) then I totally understand the naming rights because the team needs money.

That being said, I guess you never liked Wrigley Field or Busch Stadiums I-III sine they were "worked around" corporate sponsorship. Especially Busch as their official names were Busch Memorial Stadium. As long as the taxpayer has less and less to do with cost overruns, the better. Heck, even Malcolm Glazier naming Tampa Stadium, "Hoiluhan's Stadium" after one of his holdings even before they were in the Tampa market is fine with me. There will always be a nickname associated with that facility, so why waste brain cells?

It is officially Giants Stadium, but The Meadowlands has stuck, most in part to the media located there. Nearly every other facility is called what it is named because the networks know if they don't name it now, then said company may not buy national ads in the future. And rightfully so. New media has lessened the TV audience so much that they need all teh ad revenue they can get. fox told you teh NASCAR race's sponsor, but ABC/ESPN tries not too. I don't understand that!

[dfwabel]

I am really not a fan of naming rights. On the one hand, they give the team who calls the arena/stadium home more money since the company pays for the rights. On the other hand, it seems so impersonal. What sounds better....Giants Stadium or Poland Spring Stadium (sorry I'm drinking it now)? I kind of understand the Giants Stadium thing since the Jets play there as well, however in most of the press things about the stadium when the Jets play it is called simply called the Meadowlands...that works out fine no complaints, why do teams feel like they have to sell naming rights, especially when they have a high revenue stream (Giants and Jets). For teams like the New Jersey Devils (who can't draw flies sadly) then I totally understand the naming rights because the team needs money.

That being said, I guess you never liked Wrigley Field or Busch Stadiums I-III sine they were "worked around" corporate sponsorship. Especially Busch as their official names were Busch Memorial Stadium. As long as the taxpayer has less and less to do with cost overruns, the better. Heck, even Malcolm Glazier naming Tampa Stadium, "Hoiluhan's Stadium" after one of his holdings even before they were in the Tampa market is fine with me. There will always be a nickname associated with that facility, so why waste brain cells? I can see the city dropping the name since Jacobs no longer owns the team. That simple to me, but I don't know the naming rights. Obviously there was a loophole, thus the new search.

It is officially Giants Stadium, but The Meadowlands has stuck, most in part to the media located there. Nearly every other facility is called what it is named because the networks know if they don't name it now, then said company may not buy national ads in the future. And rightfully so. New media has lessened the TV audience so much that they need all teh ad revenue they can get. fox told you teh NASCAR race's sponsor, but ABC/ESPN tries not too. I don't understand that!

[NJTank]

I thought Jacobs bought the rights for 20 years?

He was the owner and sold the team the deal was with himself I believe

[Mac the Knife]

I thought Jacobs bought the rights for 20 years?

He was the owner and sold the team the deal was with himself I believe

Yeah, I've read the contract (back when the Indians were publicly traded the info was available) which is why I'm confused. I could've sworn it was a 20 year deal.

Oh, and DFWabel? The answer to your FOX/ABC question is simple: Fox gets paid by NASCAR for mentions as part of their TV deal, whereas ABC doesn't.

[xyzzyva]

Jacobs Field was a cool name especially with Jacobs Later

Jacobs Later? Do you mean Jacob's Ladder or am I missing something here?

On topic: It would be really nice if the Indians went the same route that the Browns did by naming the park something cool and selling the rights to name the gates etc. I would like to see them pay a little tribute to the past and call it League Park.

Then again it was built with the money from a "sin" tax on beer and cigarettes. Maybe they should call it Sinner's Field or Drunken Smokers Park.

If they are to name it "something cool" and then sell the rights to the gates, I would propose sticking with the name Jacobs Field. Sure, it was naming rights, and sure, it's the name of a former owner, but it's a quality name, it's not corporate, and I'm for facilities keeping their original (or long-standing) names whenever possible (that is, unless the company with the naming right actually ceases to exist, and even then . . .). Think of it this way, Comiskey Park, Wrigley Field, and Busch Stadium all seem like good names, even though they all are the names of former owners, two of them were corporate names, and none had preexisting local significance.

[VitaminD]

Who cares? It'll be the Jake to all concerned for the foreseeable future.

Corporate sponsors aren't paying individual fans for naming rights. Call it whatever you want.

I still laugh when the suits at Lincoln Financial went and explicitly asked Philadelphians not to refer to their new investment as "The Linc", but rather "Lincoln Financial Field". Yeah, good luck with that. The Linc it is, the Linc it shall be. Until they start putting cash in my wallet in exchange for using their name, it doesn't matter who pays for what.

[SEMOSTLfan]

I was unaware of what the Browns had down with naming the gates but I think that's a pretty cool idea. You still get the corporate revenue but you don't have to hear or see gaudy corporate names unless you are actually entering the stadium.

The whole Busch Stadium is kind of in a league of its own. The original park (Sportsman's Park) was named Busch Stadium in 1955 because MLB wouldn't allow Budweiser Stadium, so that is essentially named after the product. Busch II was named in such a way that it honored Gussie Busch, having thrown "Memorial" into the name. And as far as Busch III is concerned, I'm pretty sure they simply named it after the other two because they knew nobody in St. Louis would stand to attend a game anywhere other than a Busch Stadium. I just wish the other two franchises in town could keep a stadium/arena name for more than 5 years.

Ok so I kind of went on a tangent, getting back to the point either keep it Jacob's Field because I like "The Jake" or go with Indians Field/Park and name the entrances.

[WJMorris3]

OK. I know this is a quite ludicrous idea...

Why don't we, as a board, raise the money, and name the place "Feller Stadium"?

[Andy]

"Chris Creamer's Baseball Field Community"

[Bronxmet]

I'd rather retain the Jacobs Field name to honor the men that saved baseball in Cleveland. If not for the Jacobs brothers, the Indians would either be in New Orleans or Florida (they came close around 1985).

[LEWJ]

:[

Thats gonna be hard to get use to.

[STL FANATIC]

I was unaware of what the Browns had down with naming the gates but I think that's a pretty cool idea. You still get the corporate revenue but you don't have to hear or see gaudy corporate names unless you are actually entering the stadium.

The whole Busch Stadium is kind of in a league of its own. The original park (Sportsman's Park) was named Busch Stadium in 1955 because MLB wouldn't allow Budweiser Stadium, so that is essentially named after the product. Busch II was named in such a way that it honored Gussie Busch, having thrown "Memorial" into the name. And as far as Busch III is concerned, I'm pretty sure they simply named it after the other two because they knew nobody in St. Louis would stand to attend a game anywhere other than a Busch Stadium. I just wish the other two franchises in town could keep a stadium/arena name for more than 5 years.

Ok so I kind of went on a tangent, getting back to the point either keep it Jacob's Field because I like "The Jake" or go with Indians Field/Park and name the entrances.

Just to add, I'm pretty sure Busch introduced the label Busch Beer only after the MLB wouldn't let him name it Budweiser. So he named it after the family, then added a beer brand to his company. Smart guy. Also, was Busch II named after Gussie, or his father (who maybe was also known as Gussie)?