If You Build It - They Will Pay

If You Build It - They Will Pay

A marriage made in boardroom heaven; Seahawks Stadium now morphs into Qwest Field. How much are your eyeballs worth? Qwest decided that $7 million in annual fees was a fair price for attaching their brand name to the retractable stadium which enjoys a visible and accessible downtown location. The deal is comparable to other naming rights agreements in other major NFL markets. But will this help the Seahawks put a better product on the field? The short answer is no.

Most of the monies collected via naming rights goes to maintenance and structural improvements. NFL stadiums today are as political as they are about the revenue they bring in. Used as premium bait and pawns in the negotiations between team owners and city/state officials. It's all about roots, whereby the stadium and the deals involved therein symbolizes how embedded and committed the franchise is to the resident market. The cities want the teams because of the exposure and ancillary revenues they bring to the city. And the teams want to be in the best environment for maximizing revenue and marketability. Naming rights for NFL stadiums isn't a sexy topic for discussion. But for those fans living or near Seattle, it is just another stake in the ground for their beloved franchise.

Stadium's name change is official

Photo: [Jay Cogan - Footblog]
Logo: [Qwest]

Recent Entries:
· Grant enters not guilty plea
· Davis apologizes for missing practice
· Can Indy finally grab Super Bowl?