One, two, many Enron Fields!

Tue, 28 Aug 2001 08:00:00 +0000

The Denver Post made the stunning announcement earlier this month that it would refuse to call the city's new football stadium by its official name, Invesco Field. Instead, the newspaper will continue to use the old stadium's appellation, Mile High.

"Outside of official circles seldom do you hear 'Invesco Field' except in negative terms," explained Post editor Glenn Guzzo. "In this case, the community's terminology is familiar, positive and clear. We think our decision will be accepted widely."

It comes after the failure of Denver Mayor Wellington E. Webb's campaign to transfer the Mile High name to the new facility before the Broncos sold sponsorship rights to Invesco, a Denver-based mutual funds company, for $120 million.

The Post's own editorial page approvingly noted that the paper's move has "aided and abetted this public rebellion."

Striking Invesco Field from the stylebook has been further hailed by many columnists around the country as a brave stand against the overcommercialization of pro sports. It may turn out to be the climax of a growing national media backlash against corporate stadium names.

SALON Daily Clicks: Newsreal

Thu, 04 Sep 1997 19:00:00 +0000

early in the inaugural half of the inaugural game of the Women's National Basketball Association's inaugural season, Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie prepared to attempt the league's inaugural slam dunk. The 6-foot-5 Leslie eyed the basket, palmed the specially designed orange-and-off-white-striped WNBA ball and leapt toward the rim. But the woman considered by many the world's best female player could not rise high enough to get the ball over the metal cylinder, and it bounced away harmlessly down the court.

The attempt was meant to show the world that women players weren't content to play merely below the rim. The miss showed that their game still has a little ways to go. Most significant, however, was the number of people who watched the part-time Wilhemina model's shot -- a near sellout of 14,284 at the Inglewood Forum and more than 4 million on national television. Throughout the season, attendance averaged an astoundingly high 9,600 per game, with over 1 million fans crowding into the various arenas. If women players can't -- yet -- jump that high, the performance of the WNBA in its first season underscores not only how well organizers -- the men's NBA -- have marketed it but how deep the potential audience appears to be and how sanguine the prospects are for the league's survival.

Salon.com > John Solomon

One, two, many Enron Fields!

SALON Daily Clicks: Newsreal