Permanent Park Names

Baseball Think Factory starts a project to give ballparks permanent names:

As corporate names go, Safeco isn’t bad, much closer to Citi Field than Guaranteed Rate Field. But even if the new name is truly representative of Seattle, Poppy Fields, for instance, we still lose. Names really aren’t made for the name holder, but for the rest of us. My name (whether that’s the one on my birth certificate or my handle here at BTF) is primarily used by others, as a means to identify me. Changing it regularly would be a disservice to those who know me. It’s no different for stadia.

John Cougar Mellencamp could not be reached for comment.

Starting next week, we’re going to change that. Through this effort, BTF is going to establish new names, or at least validate the old ones, for all 30 ballparks. If you think Houston can do better than Minute Maid Park (and who doesn’t?), then let’s find a better name for the joint. Or, if you think the park at Clark and Addison can be known as nothing but Wrigley, that’s cool too.

Every few weeks, I’ll introduce a different team, and solicit suggestions for a new name for the team’s ballpark. Perhaps the park is located adjacent to an interesting geographic feature of its host city, or near the site of an important event in history. Maybe there’s an interesting baseball connection, either with the home team or a ballplayer from the past. A significant local industry might have called that area of the city home at one point in time. I’m looking for the kind of name that will be unique to its home city, and one that can stand the test of time.

I both like and dislike this project. I like it because I have difficulty keeping up with ballpark names. I dislike it because naming rights generate money, and money keeps the game going. The Astros using Minute Maid Park does help keep them competitive with other teams. I’ll keep my eye on this.

from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2uSeLK6