Get used to referring to the home of the SF Giants as Oracle Park, because that's what it is now — the stadium's fourth name and third name change in 19 years.
The stadium that opened in 2000 as Pac Bell Park became SBC Park for a few years in 2003 when SBC Communications (formerly Southwestern Bell Corp.) acquired Pacific Bell. Then SBC acquired AT&T in 2005 and dropped the SBC name, and in 2006 the park was rechristened AT&T Park under an agreement that was supposed to end in 2020.
But then AT&T decided not to negotiate for a re-up late last year, as the Chronicle reported, and the Giants went in search of a new suitor for naming rights. Those rights went to Oracle as of early January, under a 20-year deal worth an estimated $300M to $350M.
Meanwhile, the confusion with Oracle Arena in Oakland won't last long because that is getting a name-change as well. The Warriors' lease there ends in June, and we don't yet know who will be purchasing the naming rights after that. So, goodbye Roaracle.
The Giants' home opener at Oracle Park is April 5, and they just showed off their new $10 million scoreboard (still being assembled) to NBC Bay Area on Friday. The scoreboard is three and a half times larger than the previous scoreboard.
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Photo courtesy of the SF Giants