Camping World "has reached a eight-year agreement for the naming rights" to Orlando's Citrus Bowl, according to a front-page piece by Matt Murschel of the ORLANDO SENTINEL. The company also "purchased the naming rights to the Orlando venue’s series of neutral-site kickoff college football games, dubbing them the Camping World Kickoff." Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan said that yesterday's announcement "was the culmination of several years of work by his group." He added that FCS "helped provide some of the funds up front" for the recent $207.7M stadium renovation and, "in exchange, the city gave the private group the right to sell the venue’s naming rights." Financial terms of the deal were not available. Hogan said that fans "can expect to see the Camping World brand throughout the stadium." Murschel notes temporary signs "could be in place in the next 48 hours, with permanent signs taking shape over the next couple of months." Murschel notes the venue over the years "has gone by many names, including Orlando Stadium, Tangerine Bowl, Florida Citrus Bowl and most recently Orlando Citrus Bowl -- many with a nod to the state’s citrus industry." However, this new deal "breaks with that tradition" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/27). The AP's Terrance Harris noted besides college football, the stadium "has been host to numerous concerts and is set to host the WWE WrestleMania for the second time" next year. The city is "currently in the running to host the NFL Pro Bowl" in '17. The stadium "already plays host to three college bowl games" (AP, 4/26).
CORPORATE MINDSET: In Orlando, David Whitley writes the "battle to keep corporations out of our sports vocabulary was lost about 200 Meineke Car Care Bowls ago." Whitley: "We can rail against selling out, but if Chipotle offered you $5 million a year to put its name on your house, would you turn it down?" Only a few sports cathedrals "are above besmirchment -- Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field." Whitley: "With all due respect to our local gathering place, it's not exactly The House that Ruth Built." However, considering it has been called the Citrus Bowl or Tangerine Bowl for most of its 80 years, it "would have been nice to keep the name somewhat fruity" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/27).
