The Dodgers are “selling naming rights to the field” at Dodger Stadium, according to Terry Lefton in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Sources said that the name “would be X Corp. Field at Dodger Stadium” and has been “on the market since early spring with an asking price” of $12M per season. Sources said that Entitle is “quietly selling the package for the Dodgers” (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/17 issue). Dodgers President & CEO Stan Kasten said that the Dodger Stadium name is “not for sale.” Kasten: “That has never been for sale. It never will be for sale.” In L.A., Bill Shaikin notes the possible sale of naming rights for the field is "no different than the previous sales of naming rights for the stadium suites (BMW) or the baseline club (Ketel One) or the right-field pavilion (Coca Cola).” Kasten said that he is “not concerned about the risk of sullying the name of an iconic stadium.” Sports and entertainment consultant Bob Wagner said that fans would “disregard a corporate prefix” to the field. He said that the Dodgers could “mandate that their broadcast partners use a corporate field name, and the team could paint that corporate name on the field, but they could not reasonably expect fans to use it” (L.A. TIMES, 7/19). MLB Network's Tom Verducci noted fans will continue to call the ballpark Dodger Stadium, so he does not view it "as a great investment." However, he added, "If you want them to go out two years from now and get (Bryce) Harper or (Manny) Machado, don't complain about them getting $12 million a year for naming rights" ("MLB Now," MLB Network, 7/18).
