We've been speculating on how they'll misname Mays Field next for exactly one year as of today, which is why we were especially excited to get this tip in our inbox:
Overheard from Larry Baer himself today that tomorrow, Feb. 3, they will officially announce the ballpark's new name: AT&T.
When we read this, we groaned like the hatchback of our 76 Skyhawk. "AT&T park"? Ugh. Well, we guess it could be worse. Right?
Big thanks to our anonymous tipster, whom we will not name unless you want us to.
We're always happy to get tips, send 'em our way!
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To us city folks, it somewhat matters. But not much.
To the sports fans, it's slightly important. But not much.
And SF is changing so much that the rich folks who will populate the China Basin area will never care about a ballpark or what it's called and besides, they *live and breathe* corporate philosophy so who cares.
So basically, Eve, I think you're just whining about something that to most people affected, but not me, is a non-issue.
Let them have their ever-changing corporate whore park.
But let us attack and defend the city "name" heritage that still belongs to us, such as Muni terminals, bridge names, street names, plazas, and such.
k.
It is now and will forever be 24 Willie Mays Plaza to me.
Uh... that should be "at&t". They've dropped the caps since joining sbc.
I think many baseball fans (myself included) have a sense of nostalgia and tradition, and saw Yet Another Name Change as a opportunity to Get It Right.
Putting "Mays Field" in the ball park name, either as a prefix or suffix, would be a nice thing to do.
Of course, most baseball fans, also see the growing influence of corporate interests on the sport, and didn't really expect the Corporation to do the right thing.
But being a baseball fan includes hoping for the best, despite all evidence to the contrary.
Unfortunately, it appears Magowan signed away all input into the park name as a park of the naming rights deal.
People will still call it "Pac Bell" anyway.
The trick will be getting "Mays Field" into the vernacular.
As much as I hate the corporate name and think AT&
T Park sucks (though much better than SBC), the truth is it's a privately funded stadium. The Giants built it all with their money and as such, it's there's to do what they please. And considering the naming rights brings in over $50 million dollars, we'll just have to suffer through it. The reality is that once we voted to not allow public funding of the stadium, we lost any right to say or do anything about how the Giants run the stadium.
I've been referring to the baseball stadium lately as TelCo Park, especially since I'm sure the name will change a couple more times in the next decade.
People, feel free to use it.
Hee hee ---
I just read that they won't even complete the change in signage until midseason.
I imagine the season tickets say "SBC Park"?
Sorry about that "whining" remark, Eve.
I probably shouldn't "drink and post".
k.