Preds to rename Gaylord Entertainment Center "Nashville Arena"

[MAROONSRoad]

"If Preds get their way, name 'Nashville Arena' will be back

By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer

The Predators, already struggling with lukewarm fan support, have apparently had no luck finding a sponsor to step up and pay for the naming rights to the Gaylord Entertainment Center, and the hockey team wants to change the name back to the Nashville Arena.

.....

Gaylord Entertainment Co. signed a 20-year, $80 million naming rights and partial ownership deal with the Predators in 1999. But the agreement was terminated in 2004, with Gaylord agreeing to pay the Predators more than $9 million over the next five years.

.....

The Predators declined to comment Wednesday but have repeatedly said they are working to get a new naming rights partner for the arena.

.....

Money from naming rights is important to NHL teams, especially ones in small markets like Nashville. The Predators rely heavily on the National Hockey League's revenue sharing, have struggled with corporate support, and are still looking for a minority owner to help improve ties with the city's corporate community."

link to full article: http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070308/SPORTS02/703080410/1028

Click to read more...

 

[Seth Lake]

"If Preds get their way, name 'Nashville Arena' will be back

By BRYAN MULLEN
Staff Writer

The Predators, already struggling with lukewarm fan support, have apparently had no luck finding a sponsor to step up and pay for the naming rights to the Gaylord Entertainment Center, and the hockey team wants to change the name back to the Nashville Arena.

If you read the comments section at the bottom of that article...no one was happy with this line. The uproar created...especially after Mullen responded to e-mails saying that it was not he who added the bolded section above, rather that an editor had done it...lead to the Opinion Editor opening up a section of Sunday's newspaper for people to discuss their opinion of the situation.

Here is what was said this morning:
http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/OPINION03/703110361/1007/OPINION

 

[Raptor]

NO!
No more Gaylord?!

 

[CanuckGame39]

about time...

 

[GKJ]

That is not a good sign if you can't find anyone to sponsor your arena.

 

[EbencoyE]

The title makes it sound like they DON'T want a sponsor for the arena. I was like "wah?"

Hopefully somebody steps up though. I still think after a good playoff run this year, everything will start to fall into place for the Preds. I'm sure they'll get a good arena sponsor after that.

 

[Injektilo]

That's pretty awesome that they're going back to a name like Nashville Arena, even if it's for the wrong reasons.

No corporate branded venue ever has a cool enough to match something like Maple Leaf Gardens or The Forum.

 

[nomorekids]

It hasn't TECHNICALLY been GEC for nearly two years, but there's been a protracted legal battle, with Gaylord pulling up most of their sponsorship stakes in Tennessee to focus on some new projects in Texas. This is finally reaching resolution(thankfully) and the Preds are freed up to look for a new naming rights suitor.

 

[Jarnberg]

I love how you fail to quote this part too:

A marketing executive with experience in naming rights issues said it would be smart for Metro to approve the request because it makes good business sense for the team and the city.

"We would ordinarily recommend a venue to do exactly what (the Predators) are doing," said Shawn Bradley, vice president of The Bonham Group, a Denver-based marketing firm. Bradley has spearheaded arena naming rights deals for corporations.

"Go to the trouble to change the name back to a generic name because that will make it more palatable for a new partner to come in and begin to distance itself from Gaylord," Bradley said.

 

[Hawker14]

I love how you fail to quote this part too:

A marketing executive with experience in naming rights issues said it would be smart for Metro to approve the request because it makes good business sense for the team and the city.

"We would ordinarily recommend a venue to do exactly what (the Predators) are doing," said Shawn Bradley, vice president of The Bonham Group, a Denver-based marketing firm. Bradley has spearheaded arena naming rights deals for corporations.

"Go to the trouble to change the name back to a generic name because that will make it more palatable for a new partner to come in and begin to distance itself from Gaylord," Bradley said.

Yes. It does make one wonder why the Preds didn't change the name of the arena back in '05 to make it more palatable to potential sponsors which is what this marketing expert is saying.

 

[MassiveHabs]

gaylord...

<giggles>

 

[XX]

That is not a good sign if you can't find anyone to sponsor your arena.

Better than settling for a sponsor like "Jobing.com"

 

[Big McLargehuge]

That is not a good sign if you can't find anyone to sponsor your arena.

No it's not...hopefully this issue gets resolved.

 

[Jacob]

I got a cool grand that says they're renaming it the Stinky McCheese Grand Auditorium.

 

[Hawker14]

Better than settling for a sponsor like "Jobing.com"

why ? their cheques for $ 3 million a year haven't bounced. and for a franchise that averaged over 3500 free ticket giveaways per game last season, $ 3 million is a substantial amount - so considering the 1st place preds currently receive $ 0 in current naming rights coyotes' fans should be ecstatic for their naming rights deal.

 

[puck57]

That's pretty awesome that they're going back to a name like Nashville Arena, even if it's for the wrong reasons.

No corporate branded venue ever has a cool enough to match something like Maple Leaf Gardens or The Forum.

I wish they could keep the traditional names- my fav is Northlands Arena (Coliseum) - I mean just the PERFECT name for the Edmonton arena. It has almost a romantic ring to it- up in the far north and brings memories of the 80s Oilers and everything- I mean I really wish that name could have stayed.

 

[Hawker14]

I wish they could keep the traditional names- my fav is Northlands Arena (Coliseum) - I mean just the PERFECT name for the Edmonton arena. It has almost a romantic ring to it- up in the far north and brings memories of the 80s Oilers and everything- I mean I really wish that name could have stayed.

I agree 100%. Unfortunately, teams will take a revenue stream over fan preference at every possible opportunity (and the players want the money too). Fan opinion doesn't really matter.

 

[saskganesh]

Better than settling for a sponsor like "Jobing.com"

at least its not something like "Enron Field"

 

[Sniper7]

""Kansas City here they come..."

 

[soundtigersfan]

It sounds a lot better than anything with "Gaylord" in the name. If they go deep into the playoffs then they won't have any trouble building corporate support and finding someone to purchase the naming rights, but I must say that the Nashville Arena sounds pretty solid.

OT, but arena naming related: I hope we get a new arena in Hartford. If "The Hartford" insurance company landed the naming rights then it could be The Hartford Arena AND they'd get money for the naming rights.

 

[TheDanceOfMaternity]

Not only did "Gaylord" sound horrible, but then the fact that instead of being known as a hockey arena it was known as an "Entertainment center"



Yeah, I know the companie's name is Gaylord Entertainment, but STILL!!!!!

 

[nomorekids]

Not only did "Gaylord" sound horrible, but then the fact that instead of being known as a hockey arena it was known as an "Entertainment center"



Yeah, I know the companie's name is Gaylord Entertainment, but STILL!!!!!

But it's not just an arena. It's the primary concert venue in Nashville, and has at various times housed an arena football team, as well.

 

[Wats]

It's for the best.

 

[Mo9]

No.

They can't change it, Gaylord Entertainment Center is the best name for a arena.

 

[Wooty]

I have never heard of Gaylord. No idea what they do or make.