B_&_B

MARIS & yakbladder,
Why does it really matter what the name of the arena is?

Bottom line is that this would help the financial situation of the franchise. Why that is a bad thing is beyond me.

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"People say we are coming, but I almost think it's to the point where we are here," he said. "I think it's no longer coming. We are here now."... Brandon Roy.

mook

The Nike Arena does make a lot of sense, not just because it drives home the point that it's a domestically managed company (even if their labor is 12 year olds in Thailand).

In a few years you could have an NBA finals in the Nike Arena, featuring Nike's star LeBron James vs Greg Oden.

ebott

I don't think it's like the team's been holding out and they finally caved. It's more like nobody wanted to pay them to for it. But now that the team's profile is significantly higher it's not a bad business move to attach your name to the building the Blazers play in.

If someone had been willing to shell out the cash to buy the naming rights 4 years ago the Blazers would have done it then.

SodaPopinski

If the franchise is losing money (which it is) and you knew selling the naming rights to the arena would generate revenue (which it will) that would help free up money for other things to enhance the fan expereince (which it can), wouldn't you support it?

That's what it all boils down to for me.

Sure, I'll bellyache for a minute once it's renamed The Intel Center or Verizon Wireless Arena, but I'll get over it. And so will you.

This doesn't negatively impact the product on the floor (in fact, you could make an argument it puts the organization in a position to positively affect it).

-Pop

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loyalty4life

To the complainers that don't like the idea of changing the Rose Garden's name: If you were in Paul Allen's shoes, and you had just lost a HUGE chunk of money with your "broken financial model", would you really pass up the opportunity to make several millions of dollors just for a name change? Would you "cave in" and not do it because the Rose Garden is a "cool" name and some might view you as "selling out"? You would do it too if you were in his shoes.

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Have you "pulled a Swirsky" today?™

B_&_B

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"People say we are coming, but I almost think it's to the point where we are here," he said. "I think it's no longer coming. We are here now."... Brandon Roy.

Trader Ed

Gred Oden comnig to Portland sure has changed a lot of things

The naming rights just went up in price as well


the afte of a franchise sure changes at the drop of 4x ping pong balls

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"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

Trader Ed

double post

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"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

SodaPopinski

Nike is a long shot for a million reasons, chief among them being I believe they do and always have looked at that sort of thing as a conflict of interest.

Nike has always been on the athlete side of sports, and I don't foresee them getting into the business side. Doesn't fit their current business model.

Although that does stop me from being able to patent the nickname "The Shoe Box" for any Nike sponsored arenas.

-Pop

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maxiep

Frankly, I hope it's something silly. I'd love to see GoDaddy.com, Extenze or Trojan get the naming rights.

BlazerCaravan

"Welcome to the Widmer Drop Top Amber Arena where the beer is $9.00 and the games are priceless!"

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The kids are all right!

PorterIn2004

It's probably hugely unlikely but I'd love to see some collection of small, locally owned businesses go in together and, in a near unprecedented show of community spirit, talk with the Blazers about a price to keep things as they are.

Presumably there'd be some interest on the part of Blazers management to keep it named as is, so the price wouldn't have to be as high as it would be for, say, Verizon.

I dunno, I guess it's not that big a deal... after all, "everyone's doing it." It's a lot like the "Home Depot halftime stats, brought to you by Intel, Fred Meyer, and Barfo's Supermodels." Still, I'd much prefer it stay as is.

Or, perhaps we all pitch in to name it the Garden of Hap?

B_&_B

"Trojan Man!"

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"People say we are coming, but I almost think it's to the point where we are here," he said. "I think it's no longer coming. We are here now."... Brandon Roy.

mediocre man

I'd like to see somehting like

Miracle Grow Rose Garden
Ortho Rose Garden

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"SHOW ME THE BUFFET!!!"


Former Blazer Alaa Abdelnaby on being a student athlete at Duke. "The only way I could get 5 A's at Duke was to spell my name"


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mediocre man