Oregon State may sell naming rights

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Is corporate sponsorship coming soon to a stadium near you? Maybe, maybe not.

In the changing world of athletics, many sports organizations and athletic programs are following an increasingly common trend: sell the naming rights of a sports venue to a corporate sponsor and reap financial benefits.

"I think that marketing opportunities now days are an important part of college athletics," Oregon State Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart said.

"What we've got at Oregon State is a financial situation that requires some unique approaches - unique approaches to how we solve them."

And at other schools, that has involved naming rights.

Arizona State, a fellow Pac-10 school, recently sold the naming rights for its University Activity Center to Wells Fargo bank. ASU received a $5 million gift from the bank last July. In exchange, the 25-year-old basketball venue became the Wells Fargo Arena.

College bowl games have long looked to corporate sponsors for financial assistance. The "Tostitas Fiesta Bowl," the "Insight.com Bowl" and the "Rose Bowl presented by AT&T" are just a few examples of the growing wave of corporate sponsorship.

"Obviously, that is a trend in college athletics, or rather athletics as a whole, that some are using," Barnhart said.

The same trend is operating at the professional level.

In the National Basketball Association, the Chicago Bulls play in The United Center and the Utah Jazz in the Delta Center. Think airlines. And think big bucks.

In Major League Baseball, San Francisco's Candlestick Park has been renamed 3COM Park. And the list goes on ...

So, have officials at Oregon State ever considered selling the naming rights to any of the school's sporting venues? What about Parker Stadium, named 49 years ago for an OSU alum from Portland who was a major donor on the project?

Asked about it shortly after he was hired, new OSU head football coach Dennis Erickson admitted he had limited knowledge, but said, "I think they have," he termed it, "a good idea."

By state mandate, the Oregon State athletic department must have its $8.2 million debt reduced to $6 million by the June 30 end of the current fiscal year.

Selling the naming rights to OSU's largest sports venue would be one quick means to reduce or even eliminate that debt.

"We have looked at a lot of things that involve facilities, whether it's fields or practice sites or sports complexes," Barnhart said. "There's lots of things we've looked at.

"Is that going to solve all of our financial worries? No, it's not. Is it going to be able to provide us some stability to what we're trying to get to? It very well could."

Parker Stadium is named for Charles Parker, a Portland businessperson who played a major role in its financing back in 1953.

Said Barnhart: "My goal is to not have to do anything that would impact the names of people who have been around here for a long time," But then also said, "Anything's possible."

Does that mean the stadium's name is in play?

"We've had people approach us in a lot of ways wanting to be involved with us and we've talked to other people about being involved with us," Barnhart said. "But it revolves a wide range of sponsorships and marketing opportunities.

"But right now, there is nothing in the works for any of that, any change to the name." But, he added, "When I say, 'nothing in the works,' (I mean) we have nothing final from anyone. I want to be very clear on that."

03-18-99