If you haven't heard, Red Bull is buying the MetroStars and renaming the team Red Bull New York.
Let's evaluate the premise of team naming rights first.
I like the idea a whole lot better than stadium naming rights. (Yes, there will be Red Bull Arena, too.) Fans have loyalty for teams, not stadiums, and the brand is more likely to better activate its sponsorship with a team name instead of a stadium name. You might recall, a couple years back when the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver to Memphis, there was some talk that Federal Express was interested in buying more than just stadium naming rights to connect its image with the team, it tried to get the NBA to allow the team to change its name to the Memphis Express. That, of course, was nixed.
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