Giants changing their ballpark's name again

[Moose]

Link

 

The name of the Giants' ballpark, which gets changed almost as often as the Giants change pitchers, is about to change again.

 

It's not going to be SBC Park anymore. It's going to be something else.

 

That's because SBC Communications Inc. said Thursday that it will adopt the name AT&T Inc. after it finishes acquiring that company, a $16 billion deal expected to be official by the end of the year. The name will spread to all of SBC's properties.

 

"Once we announce the merger is complete, then we do intend to move to a single brand," said John Britton, spokesman for SBC. "We'll of course work with the Giants to make the transition."

 

The new corporate owners weren't saying exactly what the ballpark's new name would be -- AT&T Park or AT&T Field or AT&T Stadium -- but presumably it will be something with AT&T in it.

 

Oh brother, said just about every fan who had an opinion on the matter.

 

"This is silly,'' said Eliza West, strolling down King Street in the shadow of the brick edifice soon to be formerly known as SBC Park. "Maybe I should just start calling it The Ballpark. That would be easier than remember the latest corporate name they slap on.''

 

"Everything seems so unsettled all the time,'' said Pam Thompson. "It would be nice if we could count on something staying the same for a little while.''

 

"I'm going to call it whatever I want,'' said Stephanie Dimitre. "I'm sick of corporations buying the names of stuff. It should be Giants Stadium.''

 

In 1996, Pacific Bell paid $53 million for naming rights to the ballpark through 2019. For four seasons after the stadium opened in 2000 it was called Pacific Bell Park. Those rights were transferred to SBC, based in San Antonio, Texas, when it bought the local phone company.

 

In 2004, amid much guffawing, the park's name was changed to SBC Park. The new corporate owners spent millions of dollars to change countless stadium signs, logos and monikers, including the 10-foot-tall neon letters mounted high above the east side of the park.

 

It's unclear whether the park could be renamed in time for the 2006 season.

 

Britton had no estimate for how much the undertaking will cost the company -- and it will be the company, not the team, footing the bill. But recalling the renaming from Pacific Bell Park to SBC, he said, "There were a lot of significant references that needed to be changed."

 

The city has no legal sway in naming the ballpark, which was privately financed by the Giants after San Francisco voters shot down two ballot measures to pay for the park with public money.

 

But that hasn't stopped city supervisors from trying to strong-arm the Giants into incorporating local references into the commercial name.

 

Early last year, Supervisor Chris Daly and Matt Gonzalez, then president of the Board of Supervisors, tried to qualify a resolution for the ballot to rename the ballpark "Mays Field at SBC Park."

 

They failed.

 

On Thursday, Daly said he still isn't crazy about commercial names.

 

"On the bright side, AT&T isn't as bad a corporate citizen as SBC," he said. "But a little consistency on the name of the ballpark might be nice. ... If I had my say, it would be renamed after Willie Mays."

 

Britton said marketing research indicates that the name "AT&T" is almost universally recognized in the United States. The research didn't explore the question of whether it is more universally recognized than "Willie Mays."

 

The Giants had no statement on the imminent name change.

 

"Our perspective is it's too soon to speculate because the merger hasn't been approved yet," said club spokeswoman Staci Slaughter.

 

Even more confusing is exactly what all the initials stand for. SBC, which used to stand for Southwestern Bell Communications, doesn't stand for that anymore. Years ago, the corporation decided that since it had gobbled a lot of companies that weren't in the Southwest, the letters SBC would no longer stand for anything besides SBC.

 

About the same time, AT&T decided that its letters didn't stand for American Telephone and Telegraph anymore, because there was no longer any telegraph. They just stood for AT&T.

 

That means that one company whose letters don't stand for anything is paying what some industry analysts predict will be more than $100 million to change its name to another company whose letters don't stand for anything.

 

"That's corporations,'' said Richard Forst, who was shopping for T-shirts at the Giants Dugout souvenir store inside the soon-to-be-renamed stadium. "Companies keep getting bought out. It's just business.''

 

Besides, he said, a lot of corporate names and product names don't mean anything.

 

"What does 'Twinkies' mean?'' Forst said, getting philosophical. "Or 'Ho Hos,' or 'Ding Dongs?' ''

 

On a nearby rack there were still some $18 SBC Park T-shirts and $49 SBC Park polo shirts, and a quick-thinking salesman said customers better hurry.

 

"These are soon to become collector's items,'' he said.

 

Even more eerie was the fact that the Giants store was continuing to sell, for $36, the Giants version of a popular board game in which one of the squares is named SBC Park even though the photo on that square reads "Pacific Bell Park.''

 

The name of the game? It's called Monopoly.

[ORS]

The city has no legal sway in naming the ballpark, which was privately financed by the Giants after San Francisco voters shot down two ballot measures to pay for the park with public money.

 

But that hasn't stopped city supervisors from trying to strong-arm the Giants into incorporating local references into the commercial name.

 

Early last year, Supervisor Chris Daly and Matt Gonzalez, then president of the Board of Supervisors, tried to qualify a resolution for the ballot to rename the ballpark "Mays Field at SBC Park."

 

They failed.

Classic spineless politician behavior. First they are too cowardly to make a decision, so they put the decision in the voters' hands by means of a ballot initiative. Then, regardless of their complete lack of a controlling interest, they try and force their agenda anyway.

[26 to 6]

I liked PacBell, I hated SBC, and I dont think im going to like AT&T very much either.

 

Whatever, regardless what they call it, it wont give them a better pitching staff.

[Moose]

CandleStick was the best name. Too bad, they only drew 1,000 fans a night there.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Its all about the money. I hope they don't do it to Fenway.

[26 to 6]

Its all about the money. I hope they don't do it to Fenway.

Never

 

Its a shame they're going to consider doing it to the new Yankee Stadium.

 

"Yankee Stadium at ___________ Plaza"

 

At least we'll still have "Yankee Stadium" in there.

[Moose]

I won't be surprised if Frankie McCheap renames Dodger Stadium to Tostitos Park or something like that.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Never

 

Its a shame they're going to consider doing it to the new Yankee Stadium.

 

"Yankee Stadium at ___________ Plaza"

 

At least we'll still have "Yankee Stadium" in there.

That would suck. There's Yankee Stadium and no other name that sounds right.

[26 to 6]

I won't be surprised if Frankie McCheap renames Dodger Stadium to Tostitos Park or something like that.

The Dodgers fans would dip his ass in Salsa and eat him alive if he did that.

 

That would suck. There's Yankee Stadium and no other name that sounds right.

Absolutely

[He Hate Me]

They should probably tear it down and build a bigger park, that way Bonds can fit his head in there.

 

Either that or build some urinals so Alou can send his piss down a proper avenue, and not his hands

[MC Hammer]

They should probably tear it down and build a bigger park, that way Bonds can fit his head in there.

 

Either that or build some urinals so Alou can send his piss down a proper avenue, and not his hands

HAHA ... quality.