Commonwealth Stadium is now officially Kroger Field, but two members of the Univ. of Kentucky BOT yesterday voted against the 12-year, $22.2M "name-change deal with the grocery chain," according to Linda Blackford of the LEXINGTON HERALD-HERALD. Former UK Student Government Association President Rowan Reid said that she had "heard too much opposition from students and others about the 'commercialization' of a long UK tradition that recognized UK’s role in the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky." UK Trustee David Hawpe said that while he "wished 'commonwealth' could have been incorporated in the new name, he supported Kroger’s corporate philanthropy throughout Kentucky" (LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER, 5/3). In Louisville, Jon Hale notes UK AD Mitch Barnhart "pointed to the university’s contract with JMI and the ability for JMI to sell naming rights to stadiums as being key in the department’s ability to fund" a new baseball venue currently "under construction and a new tennis facility planned for the near future" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/3). Hale notes UK is the first SEC program to "sell corporate naming rights to its football stadium." Two other SEC schools -- Florida and South Carolina -- have "sold corporate naming rights to men’s basketball arenas." Of the 65 schools currently in the Power Five, eight programs have now "sold corporate naming rights for their football stadiums and 12 have sold naming rights to their basketball arenas." With college athletics programs always "searching for new revenue streams," Barnhart "would not be surprised to see more schools follow UK’s example in the future." Barnhart: "Each institution has unique stories. ... How do we move the enterprise forward for intercollegiate athletics and find ways to continue to grow our program and make sure kids have a great experience when they come here?" (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 5/3).
SLIPPERY SLOPE: In Orlando, David Whitley notes other schools have "resisted whatever overtures they’ve received to plaster a company’s name on their football stadiums." But now that UK has "broken the corporate ice, you can’t help but fear others will follow." Whitley: "It's hard to imagine Alabama fans would sit idly by as Bear Bryant’s name is removed from the stadium in favor of an insurance company" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 5/3). In New Orleans, Ron Higgins writes, "Fans of the league schools where stadiums are named after beloved coaches, icons and a school nickname would be up in arms if corporate sponsors bought part of the names." Higgins: "Dollyland Neyland Stadium?" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 5/3).
