From Deseret News archives:
Will ballpark get new name?
Executives at the Utah-based business management and training company are contemplating whether to renew a soon-to-expire 15-year naming rights agreement with Salt Lake City. The city-owned ballpark is leased to Bees owner Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment Group.
"We don't know what we're going to do," said Franklin Covey spokeswoman Debra Lund. She would not elaborate on the company's internal discussions.
Bees representatives have met with Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker in the past couple of weeks and anticipate meeting with Franklin Covey "in the very near future," said Randy Rigby, president of Miller Sports & Entertainment.
"We're anxious to address that sooner than later," he said, adding the city intends to turn negotiations over to the Bees.
Rigby said the team has fielded inquiries from companies interested in putting their names on the stadium. It's waiting on talks with Franklin Covey before pursuing them.
Miller Sports & Entertainment has discussed but not finalized with Becker a dollar amount the team and city will ask for naming rights. Rigby said it will be more than what Franklin Covey paid.
The going rate for Triple-A baseball stadium naming rights is "all over the place," said Dennis Howard, a business professor at the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.
The Fresno Grizzlies set the bar when the Chukchansi Tribe, which has gambling operations in central California, agreed to pay $16 million over 15 years to have its name on a now 2-year-old ballpark. At other end of the spectrum, the Principal Financial Group signed a 10-year $2.5 million deal with the Iowa Cubs, who renovated their stadium in 2006. The difference between the high and low, Howard said, is whether the park is new.
Howard expects Salt Lake City to be "close to the bottom" of the scale.
"With so many companies already investing with sports naming rights, there aren't many left," he said. "As the pool of prospects shrinks, so does the rights fee."
And the Bees aren't the only team in town looking to secure a corporate partner. Real Salt Lake had three prospects as of last month for its new stadium, according to team owner Dave Checketts.
Recent comments
Can anyone say Gordon B. Hinckley Memorial Field.
Ronald A. Young | April 14, 2008 at 9:50 p.m.
I have a VERY hard time with modern sports. And I'm not even that old...
Purist | April 14, 2008 at 9:37 p.m.
Beehive? Russ, you must have passed the 4th grade up or out test.
...
leroy | April 14, 2008 at 6:31 p.m.
- Former safety chief enters guilty plea 12:11 a.m.
- Chief agent named for S.L. FBI office 12:11 a.m.
- BYU soccer incident still popular 12:04 a.m.
- We need answers from Hasan 12:02 a.m.
- Interpreting Buffett's bet 12:01 a.m.
- Editorial: Education still a priority? 12:01 a.m.
- Letters: Will wrong on warming 12:01 a.m.
- Letters: Mayor has it wrong 12:01 a.m.
- Letters: Term 'Latino' misused 12:01 a.m.
- Letters: Oil violence 12:01 a.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- Hope for single moms
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Soccer MVPs know how to win
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- GOP blasts Matheson after vote
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- House passes health care bill
228 - TCU showdown has big implications
183 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
154 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
118 - Thousands protest health bill
114 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
97 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
Sounds like a good option if you can't or won't switch to AT&T for the...
I worked with and around Bill Sederburg for 5 years while he was at...
hand. He needs to work on his moves to the basket and rebounding. Lateral...
play Fez or Koufos tonight. He went with a smaller line up and Boozer, Okur...
I've met Bennett before and he is a nice man. He also knows the Constitution...
That's never been a secret. Everyone will pay for it except those that don't...
I agree with NonMormon. I am active LDS, and I enjoy Ash's articles, and I...
I kept saying don't resign Milsap, especially after Portland offered that...
BYU is the slowest team that has ever been in the top 25. Utah will put up a...
i think u have the cowboys ranked too low! at least an A- LOL nice work!


