On Naming Arenas

[Moozik: Revolting Cocks - In The Neck]

There's a rather popular concert venue in London called Wembley Arena. Easy to remember because it's (a) an Arena, and (b) in Wembley. So it's no stretch of the imagination that an Arena in somewhere like Glendale be named (wait for it) Glendale Arena.

Then it seems, like all things, the advertising dollar is introduced and simple arena names that make sense are but a second thought. Witness the transformation of Glendale Arena into Jobing.com Arena. Oh yes, just roles of the tongue that one doesn't it? And just when we finally get used to calling it by its ridiculous name, the bloody sponsor will change and we'll have to do it all over again and remember some other equally craptacular name.

When I first moved into the Phoenix area, downtown Phoenix had an Arena called America West Arena. Not as instantly recognizable as something like Phoenix Arena but ok, I'll go with it. Then the name changed to US Airways Center. Meaning that anytime someone said "oh they're playing at US Airways Center" the next inevitable comment was "where's that?".

Now I may not be in the target advertising demographic here but if I read 'US Airways Center' on a concert ticket or promo, or even go to an event in the arena - it doesn't make me want to fly on US Airways the next time I'm going somewhere. Price and date of travel will *always* come first regardless of the actual airline involved. So I'm wondering, for the millions of dollars it costs companies to sponsor arenas, do they really make it back in extra sales? It would be interesting to see how much extra revenue a company reports just because they are now sponsoring an arena in a particular city.