Stadium naming rights make sense again

What’s this? An arena naming-rights agreement that doesn’t feel gratuitous? In a world of American Airlines Theaters and US Cellular Fields, it was refreshing yesterday to learn that L.A.’s Universal Amphitheatre will soon carry the name—can it be?—of Gibson Guitar Corp. A musical venue carrying the corporate name of a respected music company—genius! For 18 months the theater will be called the Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal Citywalk. Then it will become simply the Gibson Amphitheatre. The deal reportedly calls for Gibson to pay a little more than $1 million a year for a total of $14-15 million.

—Posted by Tim Nudd

April 5, 2005 | Permalink