Fed up with stadium "naming rights"!

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I love American football, always have. But one thing I can't stand about the NFL, and sports in general I suppose, is that all the new stadiums and even some old ones are selling their naming rights to corporations.

Does this bother anyone else? I don't understand how team owners and NFL officials can say they care about the integrity of the game when they're willing to peddle the name of their field to the highest bidder. And on the other end, I don't see why corporations think this is necessary. Does it really have any positive effect on business, or to paraphrase George Carlin, is it just a primitive compulsion to smear their brand like feces all over the landscape? It's also confusing. I can't remember where anyone plays anymore when all the stadiums are named or renamed for nationally recognized brands.

But it's an emotional thing more than a logical one. To me, an arena for athletic competition is an important and meaningful place, and naming it after a corporation compromises that meaning. This is a building where champions will rise, hearts will be broken, and players and fans who come to see them will have some of their fondest memories. Must they be forced to tell their children and grandchildren the story of "that one game at LINCOLN FINANCIAL [TM, copyright, all rights restricted] Field"?

It's not quite so bad when the corporation is at least sports-related (for example, Sports Authority at Mile High), but it irritates me to absolutely no end when the company in question has ****-ALL to do with pro football, but is still willing to throw money at the league. To illustrate how pervasive this is, 24 of the NFL's 31 regular team stadiums have sold their naming rights. Only 7 still proudly maintain their traditional names. That is depressing, folks.

For the curious, the full list is below.

SOLD
1. TCF Bank Stadium, Minnesota Vikings (temporary until Vikings Stadium is finished)
2. Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis Colts (automobile oil company)
3. University of Phoenix Stadium, Arizona Cardinals (not as offensive as a corporation, but still purchased by the University like any corporate sponsor)
4. Ford Field, Detroit Lions (forgiveable since Detroit and Ford go hand in hand, but still...sold, and not about football)
5. Heinz Field, Pittsburgh Steelers (want some ketchup on that pigskin?)
6. Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (investment banking firm)
7. Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis Rams (another investment firm)
8. CenturyLink Field, Seattle Seahawks (previously Qwest Field)
9. EverBank Field, Jacksonville Jaguars (financial services company)
10. Levi's Stadium, San Francisco 49ers (moved from Candlestick Park, which had temporarily sold out to 3Com and Monster Cable)
11. Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Eagles (financial services company)
12. Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots (shaving company...at least they were founded in Boston)
13. LP Field, Tennessee Titans (Lousiana-Pacific, a building materials manufacturer)
14. Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego Chargers (semiconductor/telecommunications company)
15. M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore Ravens (a bank, of course)
16. NRG Stadium, Houston Texans (energy company)
17. FirstEnergy Stadium, Cleveland Browns (renamed from Cleveland Browns Stadium...for shame)
18. Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans Saints (called the Superdome since 1975, defiled by Mercedes in 2011)
19. Bank of America Stadium, Carolina Panthers (speaks for itself)
20. Sun Life Stadium, Miami Dolphins (financial services company, not even American--Canadian)
21. FedExField, Washington Redskins (global courier service)
22. AT&T Stadium, Dallas Cowboys (GROAN)
23. MetLife Stadium, New York Giants & New York Jets (another insurance company...and like FirstEnergy, EverBank and CenturyLink, does not know how to use the space bar)
24. Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver Broncos (a sporting goods retailer, at least)

UNSOLD
1. O.co Coliseum, Oakland Raiders (short for Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum...though it is part of the same complex as the Oracle Arena, which IS named after a corporation)
2. Soldier Field, Chicago Bears (decided by a newspaper contest, christened during an Army vs. Navy game in 1926)
3. Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati Bengals (named after the team's founder)
4. Georgia Dome, Atlanta Falcons (soon to be demolished)
5. Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo Bills (named after team's founder and former owner)
6. Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City Chiefs (named for the team)
7. Lambeau Field, Green Bay Packers (named for coach Curly Lambeau)

I also find this annoying. It is happening in some performances spaces as well (for example, Great Woods is now Xfinity Center, and was a few other company names in-between!) Some local civic centers are now named after a company.

I really hate this trend. It depersonalizes the experience.

Yep....life is a not a corporation

Things are moving in very much the same direction in our country.

Famous old football (soccer) clubs like Arsenal, Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers now play at grounds called Emirates Stadium, Etihad Stadium, Reebok Stadium, etc.

Even when a footballer is interviewed on the taxpayer-owned, non-commercial BBC TV channel, it is against a backdrop plastered with the logos of huge corporations.

I haven't attended a football match for over 12 years, and cannot see myself doing so ever again.

Honestly! I don't like it at all. And it not just sports stadiums that are getting the rename. We had a charity project in my city to have a carousel build and it took over 12 years to raise enough money to get it started. they where about $2million short and a local bank came in with the $2M and wanted naming right. They needed the money and it got the project finished. And now the bank had 12 years naming rights to it. what can you say. Money talks.

While I prefer a meaningful and relevant name, corporate sponsorship is what it is it is. These buildings are so often funded by tax payer money and naming rights is just one way of lessening the blow. One way of getting around it is just for the fans themselves to give the building a nickname.