Arenas
There is no law that says that you have to call a sports venue what a big corporation wants you to call it. Nicknames are a rich sports tradition, from Bronco and the Babe to Magic and Dr. J. We often call players by nicknames, and we can do that for sports arenas too.
Let’s stop the commercial degradation of sports by calling arenas by their nicknames, not corporate names. It will help cut back on the commercialism that’s wrecking pro sports.
There are other things you can do too:
1) Ask your favorite sportswriters and sportscasters to use stadium nicknames, not corporate names.
2) Ask the sports editor of your favorite local newspaper, radio and tv stations to use stadium nicknames, not corporate names.
3) Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper encouraging them to use stadium nicknames not corporate names.
4) Ask your friends and colleagues to call sports stadiums by nicknames, not corporate names.
More Information
News Releases
San Francisco Approves Referendum Against Sale of Naming Rights for Candlestick Park
Gary Ruskin | November 4th, 2004
San Francisco Voters Will Decide the Name of Candlestick Park on Election Day
Gary Ruskin | September 28th, 2004
San Francisco Won’t Sell Naming Rights to Candlestick Park; First Pro Stadium to Return to Popular Name
Gary Ruskin | August 6th, 2002
San Francisco Moves to Ban Sale of Naming Rights; First Major City to Counter Naming Rights Trend
Gary Ruskin | July 30th, 2002
Nader Praises “Civic Courage” of Denver Post for Ignoring Corporate Stadium Hustle
Gary Ruskin | August 8th, 2001
Commercial Alert Asks Sportswriters to Call Sports Stadiums by Nicknames, Not Corporate Names
Gary Ruskin | June 13th, 2000
Articles
Trampling on the Memory of Bobby Kennedy
Gary Ruskin | March 28th, 2005
Related Articles and Links
Related Articles
Bradley Center Drops Naming Rights Effort
The Business Journal of Milwaukee | April 23rd, 2008
AT&T Stadium Deal with Cowboys Would be More Than a Name
Andrea Ahles | Fort Worth Star-Telegram | April 21st, 2008
QuikTrip Buys Naming Rights to Grand Prairie Minor League Stadium
Andrea Ahles | Fort Worth Star Telegram | April 16th, 2008
Bobcats Ink Naming-Rights Deal with Time Warner
Charlotte Business Journal | April 8th, 2008
Dallas Cowboys Stadium Naming Rights May Top Record Deal
Suzanne Marta | The Dallas Morning News | March 30th, 2008
For Nats, What's In A Name?
Barry Svrluga | The Washington Post | March 29th, 2008
Real Salt Lake Negotiating Deal for Stadium Name Rights
James Edward | Deseret Morning News (Utah) | March 27th, 2008
LG Electronics to Sign Deal to Rename the NEC Arena
Robert Lester | Marketing Week (UK) | March 26th, 2008
Twins See Naming-Rights Deal Done by End of '08
John Vomhof Jr. | Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal | March 21st, 2008
Juventus Sells Stadium Name Rights to Sportfive
Jo Winterbottom | Reuters | March 20th, 2008
Multiple Firms May Be Part of Rights Deal
Kathy Bergen and Jim Kirk | The Chicago Tribune | March 13th, 2008
Fever Sell Field Naming Rights
Keith Leventhal | KEPRTV (Washington) | March 12th, 2008
Name Game's Prattish
David Pratt | The Province (Canada) | March 11th, 2008
Courage, Vision Needed for Bradley Center Situation
Dave Begel | OnMilwaukee.com | March 11th, 2008
Several Firms in Naming-Rights Talks
Andrea Ahles | Star-Telegram (Texas) | March 11th, 2008
Prices of Stadium Name Sponsorships Soar
Janet Frankston Lorin | Associated Press | February 10th, 2008
Cleveland Indians Formally Announce Naming Rights Sold to Progressive Insurance
Cleveland Plain-Dealer | January 11th, 2008
When Tradition and Naming Opportunities Collide
Erin Stout | Chronicle of Higher Education | January 10th, 2008
New Deal Reached with Cougars to Get Stadium Renovation Project Moving
William Presecky | Chicago Tribune | January 9th, 2008
Wichita arena naming rights are sold for $15 million
Rick Alm | Kansas City Star | January 9th, 2008
What's in a School Name? Maybe Money, Maybe Public Service; Policy's in the Works
Jo Collins Mathis | The Ann Arbor News | June 13th, 2007
Cubs Show Tradition the Door with New Ad Deal
Paul Sullivan | Chicago Tribune | February 15th, 2007
Arena's Name May Be Priceless
Bertrand M. Gutierrez | Charlotte Observer | January 28th, 2007
In Utah, the Half-Life of Arena Naming Rights
Richard Sandomir | New York Times | November 29th, 2006
Stadium Naming Rights Deals Make Rebound
Ben Klayman | Reuters | November 24th, 2006
Some Seek to Nullify U Stadium Naming Rights Deal
Mike Kaszuba | Minneapolis Star Tribune | March 16th, 2006
Willie Mays or AT&T
Jonathan Rowe | onthecommons.org | February 7th, 2006
Do the Yankees Still Play at Yankee Stadium?
Scott Soshnick | Bloomberg | November 16th, 2005
Allstate Seeks Net Gain With New Ads
Michael McCarthy | USA Today | August 30th, 2005
Sponsor sought for RFK Stadium
Eric Fisher | Washington Times | March 28th, 2005
Nuisance Ads: Buying the Naming Rights to Stadiums Is a Dumb Idea
Leigh Montville | Sports Illustrated | August 9th, 2001
Whose Stadium Is it Anyway? For Sake of Fans Everywhere, Fight For The
Ralph Nader | Rocky Mountain News | January 28th, 2001
They Didn't Pay YOU to Call it Safeco, So Feel Free to Call it Whatever You'd Like
Jim Caple | Seattle Post-Intelligencer | June 9th, 2000
External Links
Capital Game: Big Business Has Saturated the Sports Industry with Corporate Branding. Next Stop, a School or Museum Near You.
Norman Solomon, San Francisco Bay Guardian | June 21, 2000
Stanford To Cut Down On Signs; Too Much Commercial Clutter in Sports Arenas, Says President.
Mark Simon, San Francisco Chronicle | June 15, 2000