Remember the days when stadiums and arenas were named after the team that played there or an influential figure? Nowadays, stadium names are fair game to the highest bidder and often make little sense. The following seven stadiums are prime examples of advertising in sports done falsely.
7- PacBell/SBC/ATT Park
The poor San Francisco Giants. They just can't buy a decent season-though not for lack of trying (*ahem* Barry "BALCO" Bonds). And what's worse, they can't event seem to figure out what to call their own stadium. When SBC bought PacBell the name of the stadium changed, and the same occurred when AT&T bought SBC. A classic series of the big one eating the little one. So what's next for this ball park of a thousand names? The PacBell/SBC/AT&T/Qualcom/Sprint Nextel/Verizon and-so-on-and-so-forth Stadium? Let's just call it "Big Telecommunication Park" and be done with it.
6- U.S. Cellular Field
When you think of ballparks in Chicago most likely your first thoughts will be of Wrigley Field and all its ivy-covered walls. What you may not initially think about is the home to the Chicago White Sox, U.S. Cellular Field. Now I'm all for cheering on my team and even heckling every now and then, but talking on the phone is a definite no-no. And I'm not about to fork over my hard-earned list-driven money so that I can sit next to someone and hear about their latest prostate exam. You're encouraged to shut off your phone during movies, flights, conferences, while dining, etc. Why should a ball game be any exception? Oh right, wouldn't want to deprive those jackasses who sit behind homeplate from making fools of themselves on national television while waving at, and talking to, every friend and relative who may be watching. Televised baseball would definitely suffer without that.
5- INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium
If Denver has anything going for it, it's that its people love their sports teams (even when stuck with such shitty options). So when Mile High Stadium was to be renamed INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium, the citizens of Denver (all 237 of them) decided to protest. The Denver Post even refused to publish the new name of the stadium and instead referred to it as "the Diaphragm" due to the stadium's new prophylactic-like design.
4- Minute Maid Park-aka "Enron Field"
The worst part about having a corporation sponsor a stadium is that if that company turns out to be the root of all evil, the stadium and home teams take a hit too. Take the Houston Astros who sadly had to play on Enron Field from 2000-2002. Once the Enron scandal broke the team was left with a black eye and the stadium had to be renamed fast. The family-friendly Minute Maid Corporation eventually took over, and while it makes about as much sense sponsoring a baseball team as Enron did, at least they're too busy squeezing juice to cook their books. That won't stop us from finding something to whine about, however--who pines for a glass of OJ at a baseball stadium? Sports events are designed for folks to eat and drink unhealthily while watching extremely fit athletes!
3- Quicken Loans Arena
In today's economy most people look for ways to escape their financial woes and often head to a game to take their mind off their worries. With the sub-prime loan mess throwing Wall Street and the Federal Reserve out of whack the last thing a person wants to hear or see when they walk into a stadium is the word "loan." Yet when people head to the hardwood to watch the Cleveland Cavaliers play they're literally surrounded by loans, specifically the Quicken Loans Arena. I guess it isn't too far of a stretch for Quicken to invest in a stadium though, you practically have to take out a loan just to cover the cost of tickets, food and drinks for a small family.
2- EnergySolutions Arena
Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, the EnergySolutions Arena is home to the NBA team The Utah Jazz and the Arena Football League's Utah Blaze. During the 2002 Winter Olympics it held the figure skating and short track speed skating events. Sure, all of these athletes need energy, but what they don't need is radiation. So why would the naming rights of this stadium go to a company that disposes of nuclear waste? We already have a big enough problem with players using steroids in sports, do we really want them becoming radioactive as well? As a fan I would think twice before attending a game at this arena-god knows what's under the floor.
1- PETCO Park
PETCO Park is located in beautiful, sunny San Diego, California and hosts the San Diego Padres. Unfortunately, the Padres' record isn't nearly as pretty as the grounds in which they play. One of the reasons the stadium is so lovely is because of the strict rules that keep pets off the grass and out of the park (except on very special occasions). So if not to loosen restrictions on pets attending sporting events, why did PETCO take over the stadium? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'd definitely avoid eating the hot dogs.
