Bob Collins
A near universally-ignored press release, brought to my attention today by reader Nathan Stohlman, announces a new corporate naming deal for the soon-to-be-former Midway Stadium, home of the St. Paul Saints.
The stadium will be renamed, Skinny Water Stadium.
For one week.
Skinny Water Stadium is set to be unveiled for their August 3-9 promotion. Skinny Water will have their name branded throughout the ballpark for one week. All facets of a typical stadium rights deal will be condensed into one week, with the addition of multiple new and creative twists on the concept. The team will sport new Skinny uniforms for their new stadium sponsor and fans will see the Skinny logo branded into the outfield, zero’s around the pitcher’s mound and homeplate, and of course sampling of Skinny water products.
It’s an interesting concept. What if baseball parks give up the outmoded concept of a long-term naming rights deal, and change the name every week instead?
A prolonged team slump. Not a problem. Come out and see the boys play at Pucker’s Mortuary Park.
The thing is, though, the Saints don’t own Midway Stadium. The City of St. Paul does.
(Photo courtesy Hamline University)
