Corporate sponsorship: America’s new favorite pastime

by Jeffery Racheff

Yankee Stadium. Madison Square Garden. Camden Yards. These names conjure more than just sports; they’re icons of popular American culture. Yet nowadays, the names of our favorite sporting arenas are rarely without corporate sponsorship. Since Anheuser Busch convinced the St. Louis Cardinals, and the commissioner of baseball, to change the name of their park to Busch Stadium in 1954, corporate sponsors have gobbled up as much naming retail space as they can get. Of the 121 professional baseball, football, basketball and hockey teams playing in the United States, almost 70% of them have home fields named after corporate sponsors.

Sometimes this move has gone well for both sides. Sponsors get massive amounts of brand recognition, and clubs can spend the money wherever they like. Just think of what the New York Mets can do with the $400 million they’ll get from Citi over the next 20 years. That should be enough money to reincarnate a bionic army of Babe Ruths and rule the Eastern seaboard indefinitely.

But a move like this can also backfire terribly. After signing a deal to play at Enron Park, the poor Houston Astros tried to slither out from under the steamy pile the fraudulent company soon left on top of them. Embarrassed and faced with a public relations nightmare, the team had to actually buy back the stadium’s naming rights. Now it’s called Minute Maid Park, and fans are still trying to take the place seriously.

Still, no matter what a stadium is called, after enough time it will become a natural part of the landscape. Qualcomm, which lends its name to the San Diego Chargers stadium, doesn’t exactly have that apple-pie American ring to it. In fact, it sounds like quite the opposite. But after a few seasons, they nicknamed it ‘the Q’ and Charger’s fans could care less. You could probably change the name to Money Money Stadium, and as long as football is still played there, nary a soul would care.

Of course, fans have never felt obligated to call their stadium by any designated name. San Francisco Giants fans suffered three name changes in the first six years of PacBell/SBC/AT&T Park. Now, understandably, they call it all three. When a Park changes names so fast that fans heads spin, it doesn’t make it any easier to fall in love with the place.

When you name a stadium, you’re trying to build a place to house history–a place that withstands the test of time. Changing the name all the time, or having a ridiculous corporate sponsor doesn’t help. In the end it’s all about the relationship the team has built with its community and fans. After all, Wrigley Field sounds just as natural as Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park, but only because it’s been around long enough for people to associate it with baseball instead of chewing gum.

As long as there is money in sports, the terrible names for arenas, fields and stadiums will undoubtedly continue. But that doesn’t mean they’re all unsuccessful. If a company name has ties to the local community, for example, or just a cool moniker that lends itself well to sports, everyone can win. Here are some examples of names that actually add something to the stadium, as well as some that… well… not so much.

Good Ideas

Heinz Field – Pittsburgh Steelers – The ketchup king is based out of Pittsburgh, Penn. They also happen to have a great wide receiver named Hines Ward.

Chase Field – Arizona Diamondbacks

Landshark Stadium – Florida Marlins/Miami Dolphins

Louisville Slugger Field – Louisville Bats

Appalachian Power Park – West Virginia Power

Bad Ideas

Jobing.com Arena – Phoenix Coyotes

The University of Phoenix Stadium – Arizona Cardinals – this is just confusing

Jenny Craig Pavilion – UC San Diego Torerros – Aka the “Slim Gym”

Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Colorado Rapids