SAINT PETERSBURG, FL
The Saint Petersburg City Council is accepting proposals for the renaming of Tropicana Field, home of the American League baseball team, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Tropicana Orange Juice company, which originally procured the naming rights to the domed stadium in downtown Saint Petersburg, notified the city that because of economic downturns and the fierce competition from Brazilian orange producers, it could no longer afford the naming rights.
According to Saint Petersburg mayor Rick Baker, the Tropicana contract ends February 30, 2011. As of the present time, the best financial proposal has been made by Kraft Foods, makers of K-Y Jelly Lubricant. Kraft Foods has offered $500,000 a year for 5 years, with an option to renew for an additional 5 year period. Tropicana Field would be renamed "K-Y Jelly Lubricant Field", and would probably just be referred to as "The K-Y", just as it is presently referred to as "The Trop". Asked for a comment, Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said "Whatever."
Financial considerations have long played a large part in the naming of sports venues, Mayor Baker said, pointing to the recent name change of the Ford Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa to the "1-800-Ask-Gary Amphitheatre" earlier this year.
It is a not-so-well-kept secret that should Raymond James Financial Corp. terminate its funding of the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, home of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, Proctor and Gamble is ready to purchase the naming rights for Tampax Tampons and is not inconceivable that by the 2012 season the Bucs will be playing at "The Tamp".
