PA-based Comcast Corp. "is negotiating to put its name"
on the Univ. of MD's proposed arena, according to sources of
Jon Morgan of the Baltimore SUN. The school "is looking for
one or more major corporate sponsors to pay" for $25M of the
projected $95M construction cost. Sources say that Comcast
"has been in discussion with the university for some time,
but a deal is at least weeks away." The school "also has
been negotiating" with TX-based Enron for a possible naming
rights deal, and Morgan writes that "one scenario under
consideration is for both companies to be involved, with one
paying to put its name on the building and the other paying
to secure the university as a big customer." Comcast "could
profit" by providing cable service to the school's dorms and
classrooms, while Enron could manage campus buildings. This
type of deal "may be needed" for the school because the MD
General Assembly has only approved design funding for the
project and "has asked" the MD Stadium Authority and the
university "to explore contributions to raise at least half
of the construction costs." Enron holds naming rights to
the Astros new ballpark in Houston (Baltimore SUN, 11/10).
