Purist fans decry corporate stadium naming-rights deals as another step in the crass commercialization of sports. Owners see the deals in a different light; a well-negotiated package can bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for a team. Sixty years ago, no one would have seen this debate coming. At the time, stadiums and arenas were mostly named after people or their geographic location, and now it’s a bit unusual to see a stadium going by such a nondescript moniker. (Just look at the case last week when McAfee Coliseum in Oakland reverted back to its old name of Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum; officials quickly advertised that the stadium’s name was back up for corporate bids.)
So how did our stadiums become billboards capable of seating thousands of people? Here’s a bit of history and a few choice anecdotes on the expensive, gaffe-filled world of stadium naming deals.
This Bud’s To Blame
If you thought Anheuser-Busch’s only advertising breakthroughs were Clydesdales and talking frogs, think again. In 1953, the brewery wanted to buy the naming rights for Sportsman’s Park, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, and rename the park “Budweiser Stadium.” National League President Ford C. Frick wasn’t so hot on naming a stadium after booze, but he allowed Augustus Busch to stick his family’s surname on the park. The Cardinals opened the 1954 season in Busch Stadium. Anheuser-Busch quickly rolled out “Busch Bavarian Beer” to take advantage of this advertising. This Busch Stadium closed in 1966, but the Cardinals’ two subsequent homes have kept the name. Busch Bavarian Beer morphed into what’s now Busch and Busch Light, so thank Ford C. Frick and Stan Musial the next time you play beer pong with those suds.
The Astros Learned a Valuable Lesson
When a team sells its naming rights to a corporation, even the mascots are crossing their fingers that nothing goes terribly and embarrassingly wrong during the life of the deal. Just ask the Houston Astros. The team thought it had pretty much taken care of naming its beautiful new stadium when it signed a 30-year, $100 million deal with a local energy company in 1999. The same company’s CEO and chairman threw out the ballpark’s first-ever ceremonial first pitch when the stadium opened in April 2000. As you may remember, Enron was the sponsor, and its disgraced leader Ken Lay tossed out that pitch. The Astros actually bought the naming rights back from Enron for $2.1 million after the energy giant’s scandal and fall, and quickly sold them to Minute Maid for a rumored $100 million-plus over 28 years.
But they weren’t alone. The Astros weren’t the only team to suffer such a debacle. The Tennessee Titans couldn’t have liked playing in Adelphia Coliseum after the cable company went bankrupt due to massive internal corruption. The Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins thought they were getting a great deal when they sold the naming rights to Joe Robbie Stadium to Pro Player, a company you might remember for making sports-themed outerwear in the mid-90’s that was very similar to Starter’s but nowhere near as cool (at least not at my middle school). Pro Player was part of Fruit of the Loom, which liquidated the division as part of a 1999 bankruptcy episode. Unfortunately for Miami’s teams, the stadium-naming deal was for a full decade, and the name Pro Player Stadium stuck until 2005.
It’s Not Just Corporate Names That Can Embarrass You
The University of Missouri learned this one the hard way. When Mizzou opened its new basketball arena in 2004, it bore the name “Paige Sports Arena.” The titular Paige was Elizabeth Paige Laurie, the daughter of Wal-Mart heiress Nancy Laurie and her husband Bill. The couple had donated $25 million to help build the arena. This name seemed like an odd but endearing gesture from ultra-rich parents, but it was a bit puzzling, particularly since Paige went to college at USC, not Missouri.
It turned out, however, that this wasn’t the first time one of the Lauries had opened their wallet in a major way on a college campus. Later that year Paige’s freshman-year roommate at USC revealed that Paige had paid her $20,000 to write Paige’s papers and do other coursework at USC. The Laurie parents promptly returned the arena’s naming rights to the university following this scandal.
Mizzou wasn’t alone in this sort of embarrassment, though. Villanova’s basketball arena, the Pavilion, was originally du Pont Pavilion in honor of John Eleuthere du Pont, a du Pont heir and philanthropist. This name sounded great when the arena opened in 1986, particularly since du Pont had helped fund the construction. It took a decidedly sinister turn in 1996, when du Pont, a paranoid schizophrenic, murdered Olympic wrestling gold medalist David Schultz. Following his conviction, the venue’s name changed to just “the Pavilion.”
Not All Companies Want Naming Rights
When the St. Louis Rams moved to town in 1995, they played the first half of their home slate in Busch Stadium while waiting for their new dome to open. The team then moved into the Trans World Dome, named after Trans World Airlines. Unfortunately TWA could lose money as quickly as the “Greatest Show on Turf” Rams offense could score touchdowns, and in 2001 American Airlines bought TWA, which was bankrupt. American Airlines didn’t want the naming rights to the stadium, though, so the dome picked up the generic name “Dome at America’s Center” for a season before brokerage Edward Jones bought the rights in early 2002. Apparently American Airlines wasn’t opposed to all naming-rights deals though; it now has its name emblazoned on two different NBA arenas, the homes of the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat.
It Can Be a Huge Windfall
When the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium opens next season, it will probably be one of the biggest sports stories of the year. The $1.3 billion venue will feature 80,000 fans, the world’s largest high-definition television display, and Tony Romo’s infectious charms. What it doesn’t yet have, though, is a name. Someone will eventually shell out for the naming rights, though, and they won’t come cheap. It’s rumored that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants upwards of $1 billion for a 30-year naming-rights package. While Jones may not pull that sort of coin for his football cathedral, he’s not going to take pocket change for it, either; even more conservative analysts estimate the stadium’s name could fetch a 30-year deal for between $10-18 million a year.
If the Cowboys’ new digs get a deal at the upper end of that range, the contract shatter the current record for stadium naming. Citigroup is forking over $400 million over 20 years to sponsor the Mets’ new home after Shea Stadium closes this season (Citi Field). Jay-Z and his Nets will enjoy an equivalent deal when they move into their new home in Brooklyn, the Barclays Center.
Ethan Trex co-writes Straight Cash, Homey, the Internet’s undisputed top source for pictures of people in Ryan Leaf jerseys.
See also…
5 College Bowls With Peculiar Corporate Sponsors
*
How Sports Owners Made Their Money
*
An Unofficial Guide to Life as a Ref
*
All-Star Voter Fraud
*
Quiz: Mr. Burns’ Softball All-Stars
*
Quiz: Where Are They Now? College Superstars
*
The Bud Bowl: A Definitive History
Comments (14)
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I was pretty happy around the office when my company (a large international bank that shall remain nameless…) sponsored the arena in my hometown (and thus my hometown hockey team!) instead of sponsoring the better known team near the corporate headquarters. Hopefully the company won’t embarrass the team (and vice versa in the playoffs!)
posted by ac on 9-25-2008 at 10:20 am
Yeah, companies pay for naming rights, the taxpayers (even those who aren’t interested) pay for the stadium, the fans pay higher ticket prices.
Ain’t that great?
posted by BassMan on 9-25-2008 at 10:33 am
I also enjoy when venues try to get creative to either retain a historical name, or to pile on multiple names. For example, Browns stadium in Cleveland instead named their gates after various corporations. Ohio State’s basketball facility is the Value City arena which is part of the Jerome Shottenstein Center. I suppose the center encomppasses the offices, locker rooms and other facilities in addition to the actual seating and playing surface.
posted by Cassandra on 9-25-2008 at 10:46 am
I am an Ohio native and love the Cleveland and Columbus teams. Cleveland has some of the worst names with Progressive Field for the Indians and Quicken Loans Arena for the Cavaliers. People around here just call them the P and the Q. The previous names were okay being Jacobs Field and Gund Arena named after the owners of the teams.
Also, when Ohio State opened a new basketball arena a few years ago the naming rights were bought by the Schottenstein family who owns Value City dept. stores and they named it Value City Arena. Some people were miffed as Value City is an “off-price” store that sells last years styles at a discount. Ohio State never put up a large sign and most people refer to the arena as “Schottenstein Center” or “The Schott”.
posted by J on 9-25-2008 at 10:50 am
@J: I don’t know that the Gund was such a great arena name. Clearly I’m not a native, but I distinctly remember that the first time I heard it on the radio, I thought it sounded… infectious.
posted by R on 9-25-2008 at 12:38 pm
My home state and city are really represented here, Saint Louis! We never really think of Busch Stadium as a corporate name since the Busch family company is such a fond staple here…well until InBev bought the company. I always find it funny that you can’t find a Busch beer at the stadium…only Bud Light and Budweiser.
posted by Marty on 9-25-2008 at 1:13 pm
As a Green Bay Packer fan I’m proud that its a publicly owned team (fans can buy stock) and that the stadium is still Lambeau Field. While there are corporate signs around the place, it still has its original name.
And, here at Ohio State, the football stadium is still known as Ohio Stadium, or The Horseshoe (The Shoe), as its more commonly known.
posted by Amy on 9-25-2008 at 10:40 pm
VERY NICE!!!
Busch Stadium is more than a ballpark–it’s a landmark, an icon, a home for baseball achievement, and the site of record-setting history. Since the gates first swung open at 250 Stadium Plaza on May 12, 1966, millions of fans nurtured their love for the St. Louis Cardinals in the familiar setting of Busch Stadium. Of the 3,227 games played in this beautiful ballpark, this souvenir commemorates six of the most remarkable games.
posted by Jesmi on 9-26-2008 at 3:20 am
The infection has caught on in NASCAR, too. It started when Charlotte Motor Speedway became Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. Sears Point Raceway in California followed suit in 2002, recristened as Infineon Raceway. The Golden State’s other NASCAR facility, California Speedway, became known as Auto Club Speedway earlier this year.
posted by --Mike. on 9-26-2008 at 7:23 am
Speaking of naming rights, I like the previous name for the Wachovia Center in Philaelphia. It was formerly named the First Union Center (and affectionately known as….the F U Center). An appropriate name for the Flyers home turf.
posted by Edward on 9-26-2008 at 2:19 pm
Heck, I still call it the F U Center.
posted by Jim on 7-28-2009 at 11:32 am
And of course the selling of rights goes on ad nauseum. The money-grabbing owners, the TV producers, and the NFL itself will sell the rights to just about anything if it puts more coin in their pocket. We’ve already got the pregame show; the halftime report; the after-game report; and of course the halftime show for the Super Bowl. I’m waiting for the day when the team’s kicker scores a field goal by kicking the ball over the crossbar on the goalpost located in the endzone on the field sited inside the stadium. The poor announcers will have to have diction coaches in order to get all that promotional material out.
-”BB”-
posted by Bicycle Bill on 1-20-2012 at 1:11 pm
Sorry, my tags didn’t take. That should have read as follows:
Comments (12)
I was pretty happy around the office when my company (a large international bank that shall remain nameless…) sponsored the arena in my hometown (and thus my hometown hockey team!) instead of sponsoring the better known team near the corporate headquarters. Hopefully the company won’t embarrass the team (and vice versa in the playoffs!)
posted by ac on 9-25-2008 at 10:20 am
Yeah, companies pay for naming rights, the taxpayers (even those who aren’t interested) pay for the stadium, the fans pay higher ticket prices.
Ain’t that great?
posted by BassMan on 9-25-2008 at 10:33 am
I also enjoy when venues try to get creative to either retain a historical name, or to pile on multiple names. For example, Browns stadium in Cleveland instead named their gates after various corporations. Ohio State’s basketball facility is the Value City arena which is part of the Jerome Shottenstein Center. I suppose the center encomppasses the offices, locker rooms and other facilities in addition to the actual seating and playing surface.
posted by Cassandra on 9-25-2008 at 10:46 am
I am an Ohio native and love the Cleveland and Columbus teams. Cleveland has some of the worst names with Progressive Field for the Indians and Quicken Loans Arena for the Cavaliers. People around here just call them the P and the Q. The previous names were okay being Jacobs Field and Gund Arena named after the owners of the teams.
Also, when Ohio State opened a new basketball arena a few years ago the naming rights were bought by the Schottenstein family who owns Value City dept. stores and they named it Value City Arena. Some people were miffed as Value City is an “off-price” store that sells last years styles at a discount. Ohio State never put up a large sign and most people refer to the arena as “Schottenstein Center” or “The Schott”.
posted by J on 9-25-2008 at 10:50 am
@J: I don’t know that the Gund was such a great arena name. Clearly I’m not a native, but I distinctly remember that the first time I heard it on the radio, I thought it sounded… infectious.
posted by R on 9-25-2008 at 12:38 pm
My home state and city are really represented here, Saint Louis! We never really think of Busch Stadium as a corporate name since the Busch family company is such a fond staple here…well until InBev bought the company. I always find it funny that you can’t find a Busch beer at the stadium…only Bud Light and Budweiser.
posted by Marty on 9-25-2008 at 1:13 pm
As a Green Bay Packer fan I’m proud that its a publicly owned team (fans can buy stock) and that the stadium is still Lambeau Field. While there are corporate signs around the place, it still has its original name.
And, here at Ohio State, the football stadium is still known as Ohio Stadium, or The Horseshoe (The Shoe), as its more commonly known.
posted by Amy on 9-25-2008 at 10:40 pm
VERY NICE!!!
Busch Stadium is more than a ballpark–it’s a landmark, an icon, a home for baseball achievement, and the site of record-setting history. Since the gates first swung open at 250 Stadium Plaza on May 12, 1966, millions of fans nurtured their love for the St. Louis Cardinals in the familiar setting of Busch Stadium. Of the 3,227 games played in this beautiful ballpark, this souvenir commemorates six of the most remarkable games.
posted by Jesmi on 9-26-2008 at 3:20 am
The infection has caught on in NASCAR, too. It started when Charlotte Motor Speedway became Lowe’s Motor Speedway in 1999. Sears Point Raceway in California followed suit in 2002, recristened as Infineon Raceway. The Golden State’s other NASCAR facility, California Speedway, became known as Auto Club Speedway earlier this year.
posted by –Mike. on 9-26-2008 at 7:23 am
Speaking of naming rights, I like the previous name for the Wachovia Center in Philaelphia. It was formerly named the First Union Center (and affectionately known as….the F U Center). An appropriate name for the Flyers home turf.
posted by Edward on 9-26-2008 at 2:19 pm
Heck, I still call it the F U Center.
posted by Jim on 7-28-2009 at 11:32 am
And of course the selling of rights goes on ad nauseum. The money-grabbing owners, the TV producers, and the NFL itself will sell the rights to just about anything if it puts more coin in their pocket. We’ve already got the various (corporate sponsor name) stadia, fields. and arenas — many of which bear seemingly no connection to the team(s) that play in or on them; the (corporate sponsor name) pregame show; the (corporate sponsor name) halftime report; the (corporate sponsor name) post-game show; and of course the (corporate sponsor name) halftime show for the Super Bowl. I’m waiting for the day when the (corporate sponsor name) team’s kicker scores a (corporate sponsor name) field goal by kicking the (corporate sponsor name) ball over the (corporate sponsor name) crossbar on the (corporate sponsor name) goalpost located in the (corporate sponsor name) endzone on the (corporate sponsor name) field sited inside the (corporate sponsor name) stadium. The poor announcers will sound like NASCAR drivers thanking all their various sponsors in order to work all that out.
-”BB”-
posted by Bicycle Bill on 1-20-2012 at 1:20 pm
Sorry for messing up the comments. We need a preview function!
-”BB”-
posted by Bicycle Bill on 1-20-2012 at 1:21 pm