Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Rights

by IndyDave on Jan 10, 2008 10:14 PM EST Comment 28 comments

WTAM is reporting the Indians have scheduled a Friday press conference regarding naming rights for the Jake. Far be it from Kevin Keane to mention the time of the press conference for the 10 minutes I listened.

It will be strange calling it something other than The Jake. I have to imagine the name is changing.

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Re: Friday press conference

Then just keep callig it The Jake.

I swear, next year is it.

by fwembt on Jan 10, 2008 10:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re:

Don't worry friends, it'll always be the Jake. I've said it oodles of times on this site, but we up here still call it Skydome, and likely always will.

by supermarioelia on Jan 10, 2008 11:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Progressive Field?

Hmm.

by doowop on Jan 10, 2008 11:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Progressive Field?

How much did Progressive pay for the marketing research on this move?

A tarnished image is what I think they got for their money.

by ploni on Jan 10, 2008 11:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Progressive Field?

I hereby propose that LGT bans the phrase "Progressive Field" from these hallowed pages.

Anyone second the motion?

by ploni on Jan 10, 2008 11:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Progressive Field?

If it's going to be a local company, i think Progressive is the most likely. A few years ago I was convinced that eventually it would be Key Bank or McDonald Investments that would get the name. It was at a time when banks were buying up all the naming rights. But a lot of banks are hurting for cash currently (which probably diminished the Indians' market for naming rights partners) so I would rule them out.

Another possibility might be Medical Mutual, or another company in the health/medicine industry. It might be a good forward-thinking move for such a company to get the naming rights now, as Cleveland is a bigger player than its size would suggest in the health field, and is apparently trying to get even bigger.

Either way, as far as I'm concerned the only building to ever sit on the corner of Carnegie and Ontario is Jacobs Field

by mpstable on Jan 11, 2008 12:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

The official.

If Richard Jacobs was dead he would be rolling in his grave right now.

Really though, I'm fine with it.

by nickjs21 on Jan 11, 2008 1:27 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Could be worse. Better than Mr. Hero Field.

by cclemens31 on Jan 11, 2008 1:31 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Wanna catch a game at the Prog this summer?

by nickjs21 on Jan 11, 2008 1:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Pronk plays at the Prog - has a nice alliteration

ring to it! :-)

May the Tribe be great in 2008! :-)

by indiansfan on Jan 11, 2008 2:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Pronk in The Prog.

Eh. Whatever. Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium. I thin those are really the only safe parks; everywhere else will be a corporate name eventually. Progressive should just write checks directly to CC for the next 5 years. People would be a lot more understanding then.

by CU Adam on Jan 11, 2008 3:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

I believe Wrigley is named after gum

by Roger Dorn on Jan 11, 2008 8:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Technically, the field is named for William Wrigley - who owned the eponymous gum company and the Cubs for a time.

William J. Wrigley Co. never owned the Cubs, nor do I believe it ever paid to have its name on the field.

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on Jan 11, 2008 11:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

I strongly dislike it

by Roger Dorn on Jan 11, 2008 8:09 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Progressive Park would have been much better. Progressive Field sounds like some sort of air force base.

Will the hot dogs be insured now?

by mikebrowns26 on Jan 11, 2008 8:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference

Who cares as long as there's mustard?

"Hey, you! Get off our lawn!" -- New Detroit Tigers Team Motto

Pronk Needs You

by woodsmeister on Jan 11, 2008 9:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

I'm perfectly fine with this. For one thing, while Dick Jacobs was a fine owner of the Indians, it's not like he was a saint or a beloved city figure or anything. He was just one of the brothers that bought the team 22 years ago, and sold it later for a huge profit.

So at least the company buying the naming rights is a successful, Cleveland-based company (there aren't very many of those!) without one of those stupid made up names like Qualcomm or something. And I personally admire their former CEO Peter Lewis (check out his wikipedia page for a list of his charitable donations), so I'm glad he's now associated with my favorite team.

by mrich on Jan 11, 2008 9:41 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Jacobs' sainthood has been exaggerated, particularly relative to Dolan. But Jacbos did get the stadium built, did hire the first competent management the Indiand had had in 30 years, and did more or less let them (Hart) do their jobs without interference. Those things alone put him in the front ranks of all sports owners.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2008 9:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

As I remember it, Jacobs bought the naming rights when the stadium was built mostly because no one else would.

It's hard to imagine something like that in today's atmosphere of corporate tie ins, but, at the time the stadium went it, being tied in with the Indians was not a particularly good thing.

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on Jan 11, 2008 11:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Jacobs owned the team, which owned the naming rights, so he didn't have to buy anything.

Jacobs bought the naming rights through 2007 as part of the terms of sale of the team to the Dolan family.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2008 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Jacobs owned the team, but Gateway owns the stadium and leases it to the Indians. To put his name on the stadium, Jacobs had to buy the naming rights.

He did that on March 24, 1994 - more than 5 and a half years before Dolan bought the team. (http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1994/march_23_1994_169663.html)

And, most importantly, I remember that he bought them because they couldn't find anyone THAT interested in having their name associated with the Indians.

It's great that the team has done so well that this no longer seems to be the case.

"It's hard to win when you don't score." Cliff Lee, 9/28/05.

by Harry Doyle on Jan 11, 2008 5:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Well, he evidently bought the naming rights on behalf of the team, in perpetuity, since it's the team that is now leasing those rights out, not Gateway.

by Jay on Jan 11, 2008 6:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Not to be nit-picky, but Qualcomm buying the naming rights to Jack Murphy Stadium almost perfectly mirrors our situation, as in a local company with a good reputation stepping in for the rights. Not sure where the whole "made up name" comment is coming from, as Qualcomm is a hugely successful company, but I assume that was tongue-in-cheek.

by Pronktastic on Jan 11, 2008 10:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

I'm just saying, at least the word "progressive" is legal in Scrabble.

by mrich on Jan 11, 2008 10:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

Ha ha, nice.

Burn on, big river, burn on...

by Turkmenbashi on Jan 11, 2008 10:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Friday press conference on Stadium Naming Righ

touche

by Pronktastic on Jan 11, 2008 3:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't even think about the "Letters"

we have downtown, but now we have the "P" and the "Q." :-)

Now, what is the letter abbreviation for Browns Stadium - the "B"? Therefore, we'd have the "B," the "P," and the "Q"?

BPQ - it almost sounds like a new type of BBQ. :-)

In all seriousness, I really don't have a problem with the new name - it has a nice ring to it, moreso than some stadium names I've heard, and the company seems to have a good reputation, including charitable contributions. Add in the fact that the Indians have found another revenue stream and I'm all for it.

It will just take some getting used to not hearing it called "Jacobs Field" or the "Jake," but I'll manage. :-)

Just my 2 cents.

May the Tribe be great in 2008! :-)

by indiansfan on Jan 11, 2008 4:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs