@OrtizKicks @ChrisCanetti told Sports Authority the Dynamo is close to announcing 10-year naming rights deal for new stadium.
Is it just me or is anyone else a tiny bit trepidacious about the impending naming rights deal? I know this is reality and that it was always going to happen. I know the economics. I know all of that. I just don't want to see something ridiculous. I despise naming rights deals that have nothing to do with the community/city in question ala Home Depot Center, Minute Maid Park, Toyota Center, etc. These stadia could be anywhere and their names say nothing about their community or the team/sport within.
Names I adore: Great American Ballpark in Cincy, Rio Tinto in Salt Lake, Empire Field in Vancouver.
Names I don't adore, hate or just have no opinion about: Almost all of the other naming rights deals.
So I sincerely hope Dynamo Park, where I will be spending largish amounts of time over the next many years no matter who's moniker is affixed, has a name I like.
Constructive suggestions: Houston companies whose names are synonymous with the city (though this happened with Enron Field once before too, which admittedly did not end well), whose names trip off the tongue (No Dick's Sporting Goods Stadium please) and are not just a giant billboard. So please, no more than three to five syllables total (which includes "Park" or "Stadium" or "Field" or whatever). Nothing completely nonsynonymous with the sport ala Minute Maid.
Gulf Oil isn't around here anymore so Gulf Stadium won't work, though it would be nice. Other Houston-centric ideas:
Texaco Park would work. "You can trust your park to the man who wears the star..." Their original HQ is about seven blocks from the stadium.
St. Arnold's Field If they do this, I will be the happiest man in America.
Fiesta Park Local grocery chain gets high profile.
Exxon Stadium They are spending a kajillion dollars for their new home in The Woodlands.
Greenstar Park They already have the shirt deal. Plus, it's a recycling company. Give Houston a nice national pro-environment rep. Now wouldn't that be a nice change?
Anadarko Park Weird name is kinda catchy.
Of course, whatever it's called, it's going to be fabulous and the latest in a long line of Houston pro stadium opening days going back to this one about a 20-minute walk from where Dynamo Park is being built. (My dad used to claim he was there, but he would have been four years old at the time).
And while we're on the subject, here are a few other opening day stadia images from around the Houston area:
Colt Stadium, April 10, 1962:
The original and still the best, the Harris County Domed Stadium, opening day April 12, 1965. (Note the real grass in the outfield.) (aka the original home of the NASL Houston Hurricane):
Still wondering about the Dome hosting soccer. Wonder no more. I just found this great video of a Hurricane win over the Philadelphia Fury in 1979. A game I actually attended (I kid you not).
For opening day images of The Summit, Toyota Park, Reliant Stadium and Enron Field, I direct you to Google. As for me, I'm so amazed I found this video I can no longer go on writing this post! :>