University of Phoenix Buys Naming Rights to Football Stadium

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2603052

 

The president of UOP said this would be UOP's first sports marketing venture? Actually, it would be the Cardinals who are doing a university marketing venture, not the UOP doing a sports marketing venture. Hmm.

 

Hmmm... random thoughts

Nothing screams "OVERPRICED" like blowing $150 MILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS for naming rights to a football stadium.

It's almost too bad that UOP does not have sports programs, can you imagine the fit the NCAA would have about this?

 

$154,500,000 over 20 years is a MERE $7,725,000 a year. And it'll be good advertising, right?

 

Ted,

Here's a question, esp. since you're from Ohio (OSU - Buckeye Country)...

Although this isn't quite the same analogy, is having OSU stadium plastered on TV for the Buckyes worth a considerable sum for the University? (If you are not a Bucks fan, insert your favorite big football school here).

From my standpoint, I don't care. U of P believes this will be a good deal for them (esp. during the Super Bowl). They're a publicly traded corporation, and the market and stockholders will react accordingly (BTW - down 0.10 today). Time will tell.

 

You're right - it's not the same analogy:

1. UoP already bombards the web and the radio with ads. If I were a shareholder, I'd question just how much more penetration that $154M would buy.

2. Sports fans (of which I'm one) are already alienated by the incessant auctioning of naming rights, a trend that goes hand-in-hand with the increasing commercialization, and in the end, extortionate ticket prices. UoP diminishes its image by attaching itself to this trend.

3. UoP's image is already tarnished enough by its association with aggressive marketing. This obviously won't help.

 

This will be the site of the 2008 Super Bowl. It might not be such a bad idea after all.

 

Quick, and without looking it up: what's the name of the last Super Bowl venue?

 

Ford Field - Detroit.

Dan, I agree with you, it is a poor analogy. (The big college one). I was just kind of thinking out loud. But when the Super Bowl is played, University of Phoenix will be mentioned on air a great deal.

Shawn

 

Yes.

 

It's a great idea for some very high profile national exposure.

Maybe now they won't be able to afford that annoying pop-up ads and crap on Monster.com...................wishful thinking on my part probably.

 

UOP Joke Naming of Stadium

I live about 15 minutes from the stadium. UOP is a joke. I used to teach there. It is first a sales organization. Secondly, it is a sales organization. Third, it is a sales... well, you get the idea.

I am no fan of the Cardinals or the Bidwells who have found the socialism of the NFL can be a very lucrative venture. But to call it UOP Stadium is a huge joke and black eye for Arizona. The Bidwells had a chance to do the right thing, which would have been to name it Army Ranger Field, for instance, to honor former player Pat Tilman who died in Afghanistan. A nice statue out front would have been great. But nooooo, the Bidwells can find piles of money like a blood hound and found the local UOP willing to fork over $150million... and by the way, the Bidwells could CARE LESS what anybody thinks about them, too.

Just glad my tax dollars didn't go into the stadium; that came from hotels and car rentals. Thanks, tourists.

 

Great point Daniel, that is a dead-on observation. The marginal utility is very low.

Can you imagine the fallout if Kennedy-Western or some other unaccredited had come up with the cash instead?

 

But there are no professional football teams in Wyoming.