Naming Stadiums

[CYFAIRDAWG]

Joe Aillet Stadium, sponsored by ...

.....Stow's.

Oops I guess if they do that I can no longer go to a game since I am banned from Stow's for life.

[StrayDawg]

You probably haven't missed a thing. I banned myself from Stows for the first several years I was at Tech. For some stupid reason it became "the place to go" for a few months, so I went a couple of times.

If they paid for the stadium rights, then we could install lights in the endzone like they have on their dance floor. Troy Edwards would have loved that. He could have done a celebration dance on those old psychadelic 70s disco lights with his helmet off. Talk about a marketing tool!!

[HogDawg]

The question is: Who would want to put their name on our stadium in the condition it is in now?

How about Michael's Stores, Inc.?

Michaels Stores Inc. is a chain of Arts and Crafts retail stores with over $3.9 Billion in sales and 805 store locations nationwide. They are huge and they are PROFITABLE. Very profitable. For the year ended 2003, Michaels posted a net profit of $178 million, up 20% over the previous year. Michaels has 11 stores in Louisiana, 58 in Texas, 3 in Arkansas and 3 in Mississippi.

Why, you ask, would Michaels Stores be interested in Louisiana Tech?

First, the company founder and Chairman of the Board of Michaels Stores Inc. is none other than Louisiana Tech alumni Charles Wyly. And Charles' brother Sam Wyly, also a Tech grad, is the company Vice Chairman. Something tells me the "leadership" at Michaels would be very interested in anything that could improve their advertising business model and help Tech at the same time.

Since Michaels Stores depends on everyday shopping consumers (unlike "business to business" transactions), the company must rely on heavy advertising. As such, Michaels would likely benefit from the REGIONAL advertising associated with sponsoring Louisiana Tech athletics in Ruston and Shreveport. Also, advertising during football season is a great way for Michael's Stores to reach every day consumers in the fall leading up to the Christmas holidays.

Just imagine all those "Michaels" ads running before game time on our new GIGANTIC Jumbotron as the Michaels company introduces its new products. Also, since 92% of Micahels' customers are women, and 68% are college educated, the company would likely benefit from having their name posted on any college arena or stadium.

I've been saying for YEARS that Louisiana Tech needs to be selling itself in the BOARDROOM, not just the classroom. If Louisiana Tech had done a better job of selling itself in the BOARDROOM's of corporate America over the past 3 years, we would not have been shunned by CUSA. Instead, Tech lost out to UTEP because we are PERCEIVED as being weaker in this area than the Miners.

But hey...I'm just a businessman living in the real world. What do I know? (That's a rhetorical question, so you guys can save the smarta$$ comments. HA! )

HD

[DeepGreen]

HogDawg, not trying to be nosey, but what kind of business are you in? Your own?

[OkieDawg]

Thanks HD!

Good to know that my wife is supporting a Tech alumnus while spending our money!

[BongDog]

I would like to offer up my thoughts, but I am afraid that CHC would jump me!

[HarborPointe]

Not to get off topic, but I do find it strange that LSU can simply "auction off" its naming rights, yet in 2 or 3 years of trying nobody can seem to find a taker for the rights of a facility that's the largest of its kind in a 300-mile radius, gets on TV at least 11 times annualy between its NFL team, the Bayou Classic, and two I-A bowl games, and hosts the freakin' SUPER BOWL every few years.

[TYLERTECHSAS]

How about Michael's Stores, Inc.?

Michaels Stores Inc. is a chain of Arts and Crafts retail stores with over $3.9 Billion in sales and 805 store locations nationwide. They are huge and they are PROFITABLE. Very profitable. For the year ended 2003, Michaels posted a net profit of $178 million, up 20% over the previous year. Michaels has 11 stores in Louisiana, 58 in Texas, 3 in Arkansas and 3 in Mississippi.

Why, you ask, would Michaels Stores be interested in Louisiana Tech?

First, the company founder and Chairman of the Board of Michaels Stores Inc. is none other than Louisiana Tech alumni Charles Wyly. And Charles' brother Sam Wyly, also a Tech grad, is the company Vice Chairman. Something tells me the "leadership" at Michaels would be very interested in anything that could improve their advertising business model and help Tech at the same time.

Since Michaels Stores depends on everyday shopping consumers (unlike "business to business" transactions), the company must rely on heavy advertising. As such, Michaels would likely benefit from the REGIONAL advertising associated with sponsoring Louisiana Tech athletics in Ruston and Shreveport. Also, advertising during football season is a great way for Michael's Stores to reach every day consumers in the fall leading up to the Christmas holidays.

Just imagine all those "Michaels" ads running before game time on our new GIGANTIC Jumbotron as the Michaels company introduces its new products. Also, since 92% of Micahels' customers are women, and 68% are college educated, the company would likely benefit from having their name posted on any college arena or stadium.

I've been saying for YEARS that Louisiana Tech needs to be selling itself in the BOARDROOM, not just the classroom. If Louisiana Tech had done a better job of selling itself in the BOARDROOM's of corporate America over the past 3 years, we would not have been shunned by CUSA. Instead, Tech lost out to UTEP because we are PERCEIVED as being weaker in this area than the Miners.

But hey...I'm just a businessman living in the real world. What do I know? (That's a rhetorical question, so you guys can save the smarta$$ comments. HA! )

HD

AMEN! The Wyly's doing this would be a great idea for them as well as TECH. Of course they do a TON already I know. The Michaels store in Tyler just moved into a huge old KMART that folded. BTW, does Ruston have a Michaels yet?

[Jetstorm]

Not to get off topic, but I do find it strange that LSU can simply "auction off" its naming rights, yet in 2 or 3 years of trying nobody can seem to find a taker for the rights of a facility that's the largest of its kind in a 300-mile radius, gets on TV at least 11 times annualy between its NFL team, the Bayou Classic, and two I-A bowl games, and hosts the freakin' SUPER BOWL every few years.

I heard that the state's asking price for naming rights to the Superdome is a little high, and that's the reason they are having trouble getting a company on board. If it were up to me, it would stay the Louisiana Superdome, and I'd name the New Orleans Arena, which is now part of the complex, after the father of it all, the late Governor John McKeithan. John McKeithan Memorial Arena has a nice ring to it.

Personally, I have never liked naming stadiums after corporations, and I think that it is pretty tacky and is the wrong road to go down for biggest advertising bang. Adverstising by having sporting events played in (insert megacorporation name here) Stadium is in fact, more likely to turn potential customers OFF to your product and company rather than get a ringing endorsement, and I believe studies have been done that confirm this. I would say that having a sporting event played and having adverstising during the game on TV and on the Jumbotron saying "This game is presented by (insert mega-corporation name here)" or just old-fashioned billboards is better and a more proven method of advertising without getting on the wrong side of traditional sensibilities about the "hallowed ground" upon which your favorite team plays.

But like all snowballs, one corporation did it, then suddenly EVERYBODY had to start doing it, without even taking the time to see if the stupid idea actually worked. The "herd mentality" in action.

I know that Coach Bertman and the LSU Board of Supervisors had better be careful on this. Our major facilities' names (Tiger Stadium, Alex Box Stadium, Pete Maravich Assembly Center) mean something to our fans, and if that special meaning and tradition is treaded upon just to make a quick buck for the university, then it is gonna make a lot of people really, really mad. I also know that, for Tech fans, the names borne by their major sports facilities (Joe Alliet Stadium, Thomas Assembly Center, J.C. Love Field) mean something to them, and I think selling out and erasing those names (and that is exactly what it would be, selling out) in favor of MegaCorporation X Stadium or Assembly Center might bother some people. I would think that there are better ways, a gazillion better ways, for La. Tech to get the money they so desperately need.