04/23/24
May 07, 2004
The Texas Rangers now play baseball at Ameriquest Field in Arlington, thanks to a $75 million, 30-year-deal with the mortgage company. The deal will help Owner Tom Hicks pay Alex Rodriguez $67 million over the next 21 years to play for the New York Yankees.
M&T took over PSINet's contract which was front end loaded.
posted by usfbull at 11:43 PM on May 07, 2004
I take that back, looks like they pay $5 Million.
posted by usfbull at 09:13 AM on May 08, 2004
Smooth move Hicks. Steinbrenner's got you by the berries. I hope they never "rename" Fenway.
posted by jerseygirl at 11:08 AM on May 08, 2004
I was a little peeved at first when the Padres named their new stadium petco park , but looking at the list I see it's one of the better corporate-sponsored names out there. At least you can have cool nicknames for it (some of my current favorites - Animal House, the Diamond in the Ruff, the Dog Pen, and the House Ruff Built). To play at the "Office Depot Center" or the "HP Pavillion" simply sounds dreadful in comparison.
posted by CountZero at 12:39 PM on May 08, 2004
Count, most people call the HP Pavillion either the (Shark) Tank or San Jose Arena. As opposed, say, to our northern neighbor, which has always been referred to by the corporate name. Probably, to a large degree, because it's never had a non-corporate name.
posted by billsaysthis at 01:14 PM on May 08, 2004
thanks for the clarification usfbull. i still refer to the arena in east rutherford as the brendan byrne.
posted by goddam at 01:49 PM on May 08, 2004
I would've been happy with Depends Field -- anything is an improvement from The Ballpark In Arlington With a Name That Sounds Like an Office Complex.
posted by rcade at 02:10 PM on May 08, 2004
As well as the Rangers are playing, rcade, I'm sure a lot of people around baseball are dropping a load.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:03 PM on May 08, 2004
I liked the Ballpark in Arlington... sounds old school, and non corporate. I hate named stadiums and as a general rule root for the companies that pay insane amounts for that to fail. I actually didn't even notice that Pac Bell was SBC Park untill the other day. That one always made me laugh. The only local phone company has little to no reason to advertise, yet they're blowing millions on a stadium. Money well spent. I wish they'd keep the stadiums old names at least somewhat intact... like when they wouldn't let the Rose Bowl name and logo be tarnished, and allowed only "the Rose Bowl presented by AT+T"
posted by Bernreuther at 10:41 PM on May 08, 2004
Giants fans were upset by the change from Pacific Bell Park to SBC Park; the old corporate name apparently was OK because it was The Phone Company that people grew up with.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:38 AM on May 09, 2004
espn has a list of stadium naming rights. M&T Bank only pays $5 a year for the balitmore ravens' stadium?