Financial group Guaranteed Rate has agreed a stadium naming rights partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) outfit Chicago White Sox. Fans resigned themselves and made best of it by calling it “The Cell”.
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In the White Sox’s defense, if they played at a legendary place such as Wrigley Field or Soldier Field, they probably wouldn’t change the name.
The Chicago White Sox are having a bit of an identity crisis.
A Chicago-based mortgage lender has just signed a 13-year naming rights agreement with the Chicago White Sox for the team’s ballpark – but is fan ire worth the notoriety naming rights will bring?
The ballpark has been named U.S. Cellular Field since 2003 after being called new Comiskey Park from 1991 to 2002.
The deal gives Guaranteed Rate, which ranks at No. 8 among national mortgage lenders, significant in-stadium signage, merchandising and community outreach opportunities, the Tribune reported.
Stadium naming deals are not without their risks.
“Gosh, they got the same grief when they changed it to U.S. Cellular”, he said in an interview, adding that the money the company is spending will improve “the product on the field”.
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Awkwardly, Guaranteed Rate’s president Victor Ciardelli is known for being a Cubs fan.
