What's in a Name
4/1/2001
San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to officially become the TransAmerica
Bridge.
by contributing editor April Olfos
(SAN FRANCISCO-UPI) The city of San Francisco announced today that
they have completed a deal to sell the naming rights to the landmark
Golden Gate Bridge to the TransAmerica Corporation for $3.5 million,
payable over the next five years. Effective immediately the world
famous icon will be known as the TransAmerica Bridge. Bidding was said
to be fierce for the naming rights, with other contenders including the
Debartolo family, and Quaker Oats, makers of Rice-A-Roni (tm), a
pre-packaged dish frequently associated with San Francisco.
While selling the naming rights to sports stadiums and arenas is
commonplace in today's world, selling the rights to public structures
and historical landmarks is virgin territory. City officials point out
that the sale will raise much needed funds for the city coffers without
raising local property taxes, thus pleasing most local residents. "The
people of San Francisco love the TransAmerica Bridge" says Hugh
Johnson, spokesman for the mayor's office. "We would never do anything
to harm the image of the TransAmerica Bridge. However, this gives us an
excellent opportunity to raise some desperately needed cash."
Some are not so pleased, however. A handful of grass-roots
organizations have sprang up to oppose the sale. Herbert Roller is
acting president of the local Save Our Bridge Society (SOBs). In a
prepared statement, Roller says "Man, this like totally blows. Those
corporate [expletive] have stolen our identities. It's like [explitive]
Nazis, or something. Dude, where does it stop?"
Where indeed. Spurred by the success of the TransAmerica Bridge deal.
Local municipalities across the country are considering similar naming
rights transactions. The state of Nevada is reportedly considering
selling the naming rights to the Hoover Dam. Maytag, the makers of
Hoover vacuum cleaners is said to be interested. According to an
anonymous source, the deal makes sense, in that there would be no need
for any expenditure for new signage, and "it's about damn time we quit
giving them free advertising."
Nevada is not alone, New York and the Nike Corporation were close to a
deal last month for the naming rights to the Statue of Liberty. The
deal fell through, however, when New York refused to allow the phrase
"Just Do It" to be added to the inscription at Miss Liberty's base. Even
our nation's capital is getting in on the act. Ford Motors is said to
be interested in the naming rights to the Lincoln Memorial, and city
officials were reportedly approached last week by Carter-Wallace, Inc.,
the makers of Trojan brand condoms. Their target? The Washington
monument.
