Which company will it be?
Sounds like a good idea for a contest. Name which company will step up and purchase the naming rights to what is now referred to as Wrigley Field. Ok, I'll go first. Looking at the larger local companies it seems to me a good match would be WALGREENS. Headquartered in Deerfield (North Suburb) and with annual revenue of 55 billion they can definetly afford it. They have stores in 48 states as well as Puerto Rico.
This is a company which is facing competition from CVS as well as others so it would seem to make sense to get their name exposed.
I don't think the name sounds so bad either, Walgreens Field.
Any other predictions?
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Why?
Doesn't make much sense to me.
Why would
Look at Progressive Insurance
this isn't about name exposure
Chase, Boeing, United, Microsoft, UBS...
Portillo's Park
There are quite a few big companies in Chicagoland, so there are quite a few possibilities. These are the ones I like:
Smurfit-Stone Stadium - perfect for our little blue men like Theriot and Fontenot.
Bally Fitness Field - with our tendancy to spend a considerable amount of time in rehab, this would work well.
Midway Games Park - the video game company that made Mortal Kombat would be perfect for a club famous for Barret vs. Perczynski, Barrret vs. Zambrano, The Bullpen vs. the broadcasters, Lee vs. Young, Farsworth vs. the bloody pulp that was Paul Wilson (fatality)...
Quaker Oats Park - Just because the dude on the box was a little boy when the park was built, plus I really want Wilford Brimley to throw out the first pitch on opening day.
True Value Field - a great name because the fear of irony might prevent the club from raising ticket prices any more.
CDW Stadium - this one is just so the Sox and Cards fans can have witty things like "Cubs Don't Win Stadium" to say. They have little brains, so we have to throw them a bone like that sometimes.
Discover Field - There are so many things I'd like the Cubs to discover...
Pactiv Park - the company that makes Hefty bags would be way too fitting for some of the Cubs teams I've watched in my 34 years.
My favorite and my vote go to:
Ball Park Ball Park - The company that makes Ball Park Hot Dogs, Sara Lee, is based in Downers Grove and makes enough dough (yes, I'm aware of the bad pun) to buy the naming rights. How perfect is this?
by HectorVillanueva on Feb 3, 2008 9:22 AM CST reply actions
Something fitting for Chicago....
How about
by jazzypete on Feb 3, 2008 9:53 AM CST up reply actions
My vote goes to....
Yeah, their stock plummeted lately, and they are strongly considering selling off their mobile phone side of the business.
However, the rest of the company's balance sheet is strong, and acquiring the naming rights to the most sacred ballpark in the country is just the ticket (pun intended) to get the stock price climbing again. It would get major shareholders like Carl Icann off their back for awhile.
I think that regardless who buys it
But while were at it, I vote for Wrigley Field (by Wrigley gum).
by LilLPLancer23 on Feb 3, 2008 9:57 AM CST reply actions
I had heard the idea floated that
Whoever comes up
I don't think it will be either Motorola or United, as they have bigger problems to deal with.
Nobody's mentioned Boeing.
I considered Boeing as they have
Another name not mentioned yet is Oak Brook's very own McDonald's.
I think your right
True, but...
You could be right Al
I can't recall if Exelon has any current naming rights, but if they don't, they could make a run at this.
Other potential candidates:
Allstate
Walgreens
UPS
I don't think Boeing would do it, because they are not a consumer driven business. McDonald's has the dough, but the name just doesn't have the prestige as some of the others.
Allstate...
UPS isn't a Chicago company. Their corporate HQ is in Atlanta.
Walgreens doesn't seem to me to be a company that'd be interested, though I could be wrong.
Exelon might be, but why? They're a power company, they pretty much have a monopoly in the Chicago area. I doubt they'd want to remind people how high electric rates are.
Don't know
Good points on Exelon as well. I do think it could be a good fit for UPS if they wanted to come up with the dough, but the Cubs probably do want a local company.
That is my bet as well
The reality is that whoever buys the Cubs is in part buying the tradition of the Cubs. The Cubs are a more valuable asset if they play in Wrigley Field than if they play in XXX park on the corner of Clark and Addison.
Even if the new owner doesn't wind up with the stadium, the Cubs are still more valuable with that said stadium named Wrigley.
Crains Chicago Business doesn't think Wrigley will
http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/multiMedia.pl?mmId=190
Kasey
At the very least, Boeing should sponsor
"Boeing, Boeing, Gone! Home run!"
naming rights
Juicy Fruit Field
Let's do it!
I would hate this but,
Aren't they based in Oak Lawn?
I think they'd have the money
The best move financially
Mobil Park?
by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Feb 3, 2008 3:12 PM CST up reply actions
Exxon prefers
Chicago White Sox Park
Or maybe Marshall Field by Macy's... after all they claim that they are involved in their local markets. It would be a way to keep the Marshall Field name around.
Or Sam Zell Park at Wrigley Field.... after all he does have the money....
But the one that I like best is Mark Cuban Park at Wrigley Field to drive home the point that in a free market, he would have been the owner.
Call me crazy
I'll see your two cents
I believe the selling of the rights will go straight into the pockets of General Zellusout. If someone can assure me that the income from the rights sale will go into payroll, I'll be glad to revisit the issue.
No matter where the money goes...
On some level, yes
I am not a traditionalist at all costs, and there must be a balance between tradition and profitable changes, but yes, there would be a difference.
WOuld it impact my desire to go to a game? No. Might it impact others? yes.
I am a traditionalist....
Obviously
And when I throw out the first pitch, it definitely won't be the same.
LOL
See Al
Winfrey Field
by 100yearsofineptitude on Feb 3, 2008 9:58 PM CST reply actions
Tru Link Field
Other Chicago brands:
Victory Auto Wreckers
Eagle Insurance
by MerigoldBowling on Feb 3, 2008 10:56 PM CST reply actions
Danville Garage?
Er, Danley of course
$20M/year is a lot so here's a thought
Well, what if the Cubs applied this same concept to their naming rights? Instead of hoping for one company to pay $20M, maybe there's 4 Chicago companies out there that would pony up $5M? And anywhere they'd normally have signage promoting the field's name, they'd just make sure it was one of those rotating ad type signs.
Heck, why stop at 4? Let's keep with Cubs tradition and go with 8. They could call it the "College of Sponsors"...

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