Keeping "Mile High" as the sole name of the Broncos'
new $364M football stadium "could be worth millions of
dollars more than selling the naming rights," according to
Ann Imse of the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS. However, the
Metropolitan Football Stadium District said Wednesday that
it "hasn't researched how much money could be earned" by
keeping the Mile High name. Sports marketing analysts note
that in '98, the Cowboys were earning $20M annually by
selling the right to put "Texas Stadium" on Pepsi cans and
other products. District spokesperson Matt Sugar said that
he "wasn't sure the district has the option to sell the
right to put the Mile High Stadium name on commercial
products. Sugar: "I think Denver owns the copyright." But
Andrew Hudson, a spokesperson for Denver Mayor Wellington
Webb, said that transferring the trademark from the city to
the stadium district is "negotiable" (RMN, 10/26).
ON THE WEBB: A DENVER POST editorial states Webb made
"good points" about wanting to keep the name Mile High at
the new stadium. A recent poll shows that public opinion is
in favor of keeping the Mile High name, and the editorial
notes that CO state law "requires the board to consider
public sentiment as well as weigh the relative costs and
benefits of selling ... naming rights" (DENVER POST, 10/26).
