Naming Rights Manhattan Style
Naming Rights. We’re very familiar with the concept by which
an organization offers as one of its valuable assets the right to publish the
name of some entity on one of its properties – the name of a donor, contributor
or sponsor (take your pick). This routine is commonplace in the non-profit
world and it is so entrenched that it is difficult to find out when the process
began. Perhaps in the bad-old, distant 1970s when everything was going to hell
in a hand basket. Sort of like now.
New York City has long been a center for creativity in the
arts, and in business. When some new idea or process is invented, no matter where
the origin, it inevitably, if it is good enough, shows up in New York. But in
the case of naming rights the World City appears to be a little behind the
times.
Recently the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) decided to
visit (or perhaps re-visit) naming rights. What motivates this concern for new
revenue is the lack thereof in the city for maintaining the subways, tunnels
and ports. It is a “revenue strategy” that is being taken quite seriously
now. Now that potential advertisers are
reaching out to the MTA and negotiations are underway, it is time that this idea
meets the light of day.
The central argument against naming rights is that renaming
stations that have traditionally been named for the geographic location of the
station. New names mean confusion for the subway rider. Change 77th Street
and Lexington Avenue to Edward Koch Station and you have a lot of New Yorkers complaining,
to put it mildly.
Clearly the New Yorkers heading up this campaign to bring
revenue in by eliminating simplicity and clarity, should take a lesson from the
non-profits. Namely, just do the name, and let the people get the message.
After all, we’ve got a business to run here.
Naming Rights
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