Who makes decisions about commissions for these things? Because I think I get a finder's fee.

Also, I'd ask Repoz to join me for a game there sometime, but I don't know if a punk like him could stand to say yes when someone asks if he'd meet them "at the prog."

Though I'm guessing that the laser light show will be awesome.

I'd ask Repoz to join me for a game there sometime, but I don't know if a punk like him could stand to say yes when someone asks if he'd meet them "at the prog."

I wonder if this will pave the way for Yes, King Crimson, and Rush to finally make their way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

What a really, really rubbish name for a ballpark.

naming rights deal to Carsten Sabathia.

if he'd meet them "at the prog."

Sounds like Gentle Giant Field would be a natural.

Better than the Q. ####### I hate that.

Sounds like Gentle Giant Field would be a natural.

One can only hope they'd ask ex-Padre Gary Green to join the organization.

DL, when are you coming to a STVM BB Game?

One wonders how far we are from ads on the uniforms. I think it's only a matter of time, and the nice thing is it's easier to change a uniform logo for a bankrupt company than a ballpark logo.

And the not-so-nice things about it are many. Watching a Premiereship "football" game is significantly less enjoyable for me seeing all the ads, even on the referee.

When the Yankees opened up in Japan a few years ago they had company logos on their sleeves.

The EPL sweaters bother me because there are no team logos. I realize that the colors and scarves are more important team traditions, but i would be fine with company logos on baseball uniforms as long as they maintain the team logos.

The EPL sweaters bother me because there are no team logos. I realize that the colors and scarves are more important team traditions, but i would be fine with company logos on baseball uniforms as long as they maintain the team logos.

The team logo is the crest usually found on the left breast of the jersey.

It's all subjective to me. I am strangely drawn to commercial graphics, logos, etc. for aesthetic reasons (some are obviously better than others). Say what you want about the raw commerce of it all, but there are certain logos that just frickin' work. Sure, on some level Warhol was commenting on commercialization and mass production and whatnot, but if the logos didn't look good, the whole exercise wouldn't have worked.

At the same time, I have a total double standard about this when it comes to baseball unis. I can imagine the Rangers or Marlins or any number of teams looking pretty spiffy with ads on them, while I would cry into my pillow if someone sullied the Tigers' home whites, the Yankee pinstripes, or the Dodgers sharp unis.

One wonders how far we are from ads on the uniforms. I think it's only a matter of time

I really couldn't care less about the stadiums, but the uniforms will annoy me severely. I just got done watching the World Juniors and the European teams had crap on their uniforms. The referees looked like Rocky Balboa with the meat-packing ad on his back.

One can only hope that the uproar over the Spider Man 2 bases will stick with them for a long time.

Jacobs Field, 1994-2007. Alas, we hardly knew ye. Progressive has an awesome sense of timing too, buying the naming rights just a couple months after laying off 300 local employees.

I'm with Dan, though: If this we keep C.C. in town, then I can live with "the Pro".

Progressive. A very ironic name considering the controversy regarding their nickname/mascot/logo.

Finally, Warren S. Stone gets his proper memorial.

Even better, every May 1 is Riot Day at the ballpark...

The nachos are bigger for the skinnier people.

I guess Ohio really is trending Democratic.

I guess Ohio really is trending Democratic.

This is clearly the work of Dennis Kucinich and Stephanie Tubbs-Jones.

I think Zimbalist or a similar sports economist proved pretty conclusively in a study that the only corporate naming rights deals that made any sense for the corporation were deals that were made at or shortly after the stadium's opening (Safeco Field, Comerica Park, Citizens Bank Park, PNC, Petco).

If you are second in (AT&T;Park, Chase Field) or first in after a long-established non-corporate name (McAfee Coliseum, U.S. Cellular Field, Progressive Field), the marketing advantage is lost because no one remembers the new name and just uses the old name, so the deal is a net loser.

So if you are a stockholder in Progressive, congrats - they are giving your cash to the Indians for no real reason.

The question now is whether Cleveland have another Prog spring a la 2007....

#22. I agree, a lot of these naming rights deals don't run their contractual length or whatever you call it. The second guy buys it a lot more cheaply because as you point out nobody remembers what it's called subsequently.

I found this naming rights deal interesting because I thought the trend was reversing. Hicks hasn't rebranded his ballpark post Ameriquest, Casey Wasserman didn't get a deal for Nationals Park although he will get something. Interesting to see what will happen with the "branding" ( ugh ) of Wrigley & the new Yankee Stadium. I think the Mets might be the last team to cash in huge with Citi Field.

It could've been worse. They could've changed their name to Cleveland Red Bulls.

It's funny how left wing political movements like to borrow names from conservative financial corporations: Progressive Insurance; Vanguard Mutual Funds; Commie Pinko Bank; etc.

The Yankees are not branding the name of the stadium.

But seemingly every 50 feet or so will be sponsored by another huge NYC or internationally-based company. They believe they can add up those numbers and match an actual stadium naming rights deal, without (maybe) ticking off the traditionalists.

The next huge cash-in will be the Giants/Jets stadium in the Meadowlands opening in 2010, which will break all such records.

The Yankees are not branding the name of the stadium.

Well, there could be a top-secret naming rights bid made by Yankee Candle Co.

The Yankees are not branding the name of the stadium.

Yankee magazine has owned the rights since the early 1900's.