The Bears are not presented by BankOne. F*** that

[Guest The Czech Republic]

So I'm watching PTI today and Mike and Tony inform me that my Chicago Bears, because of an inability to sell the naming rights of Soldier Field, have CHANGED THEIR NAME from "the Chicago Bears" to "the Chicago Bears Presented By BankOne."

 

This makes the kick in the nuts that was Comiskey becoming U.S. Cellular Field feel like a tap on the knee. This is freaking absurd. The Chicago Bears have more legacy and tradition than any other team in the NFL, even the Packers, and they're selling their name to a bank. Besides, I was under the impression that selling team names was prohibited in all four of the major sports. The Grizzlies can't use the superior "Memphis Express" name, but the CHICAGO BEARS, established in 1920, can prostitute their history for a few bucks.

 

Now don't get me wrong, BankOne is a fine establishment. But it does not belong in the name of a LEGENDARY TEAM OF AMERICAN SPORTS. That being the Bears. George Halas, Walter Payton, Chris Farley of "Bill Swarski's Super Fans," and Mike Ditka must be all rolling over in their graves. Well, Ditka's still alive, but you can bet if he was dead, he'd roll.

 

Is nothing sacred?

 

United Center? It's a fine building, I can live with it.

U.S. Cellular Field instead of Comiskey Park? It's bullshit, yes, but I hate the Sox, so it's not too bad.

But The Chicago Bears Presented By BankOne? This is too much.

 

B

[Guest razazteca]

Bank One could not buy Soldiers Field name rights so they settle for this? Just name it Bank One Field already.

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

Bank One ad exec: "Now when Chicagoians think of dissapointment, false hope, failure, and general ineptitude, they'll think of Bank One!"

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

Well, no more..

 

DA BEARS.

 

Just like whoever was the first team to sell stadium naming rights, this will probably start another trend.

[Bored 0]

As long as they ONLY say "Chicago Bears presented by BankOne" at Soldier Field then it won't be a big deal but if this does start a new trend I nominate the Bears for contraction or move them to Europe.

[Guest the pinjockey]

Remember a month or two ago when we were joking around in one thread that teams were everntually going to be called the Pepsi Dunkin Donuts or the First Union Goodyears. Well we have started down that path.

[Guest Eagan469]

This is beyond pathetic

[Guest the pinjockey]

At least Wilbon already made it clear that noone will actually be saying the whole phrase. The announcers will have to, but that will only be an annoyance rather than a disgrace. It is only a matter of time now that this happened until someone buys a team name outright.

[Guest Eagan469]

:: thinks again ::

 

wouldn't it be funny if Keebler bought Green Bay's naming rights...

 

The E.L. Fudge Packers!

[Guest the pinjockey]

That Fudge Packers post just made this whole ordeal worth it to me.

 

Of course keep in mind I don't give a shit about the Bears, anyway. Hugh hit Miller clean, babies.

[Bored 0]

:: thinks again ::

 

wouldn't it be funny if Keebler bought Green Bay's naming rights...

 

The E.L. Fudge Packers! 

Well that's another travesty to come soon as Lambeau Field will no longer be Lambeau Field. Thing is though as a 49er fan when they changed Candlestick to 3Com NO ONE in the Bay Area, the media or the fans, called it 3Com. Only ones that ever referred to it as 3Com were the Fox announcers.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

:: thinks again ::

 

wouldn't it be funny if Keebler bought Green Bay's naming rights...

 

The E.L. Fudge Packers!

YES! Tell that one to Kotz!

 

 

Yeah my favorite is the "Talk n' Text Phone Pals" of the PBA, that strikes fear into someone's heart.

 

The Chicago Bears Presented By Bank One:

If Our Linemen Don't Scare You, Our Interest Rates Will

[Guest Choken One]

We're weeks away from

 

Cincinnati Bengals presented by Skyline Chili

 

Although

 

Cincy Skyline is a nice sports team name

[Guest CED Ordonez]

Yeah my favorite is the "Talk n' Text Phone Pals" of the PBA, that strikes fear into someone's heart.

Second only to the Santa Lucia Realtors. At least you can have a funny looking mascot with the Phone Pals. Oh and...

 

 

The Beermen own you. They own you all.

[Guest The Czech Republic]

Cincy Skyline is a nice sports team name

Skyliners is better because then it's a plural noun. There's no singular shit in the NFL.

 

Montreal Expos presented by Happy Birthday Timmy Love Mom And Dad

 

On a serious note, why couldn't it be a team like the Jaguars that nobody gives a shit about that has to whore their name? Why the Bears?

[Guest Vern Gagne]

Doesn't bother me. It's a good way to make money, and besides people will still call them the Bears.

[Guest BobbyWhioux]

Let us hope that Bank One meets a fate comparable to that of Enron.

 

Their name dissappeared real f'n quick from Houston's ballpark, didn't it?

 

As far as BankOne the company is concerned, I think I can only describe my feelings for them in Jim Ross-Speak:

 

"THAT DAMN BANK ONE! DAMN THEIR BLACK HEARTS TO HELL BAH GAWD."

 

This company has gone too far. Bad enough that D'backs local broadcasters have to [i believe they still have to do this] refer to D'backs home runs on air as "Bank One Boomers" and they slapped their name on that team's field straight out of the gate.

 

Adjusting team names to incorporate sponsors is intolerable. Fuck Bank One, fuck the Judases who sold the Bears out, Fuck Tagliabue for not disallowing it. The Whoring out of Stadium names always irked me, this really pisses me off.

 

Because you know this is only the beginning unless this insult is stopped and crushed immediately.

[Guest Choken One]

I dont mind Arenas and Stadium corporately named as long as it flows nice and shit...

 

BANK ONE BALLPARK? US CELLUAR FIELD? Don't work like

 

Great American Ballpark or Wrigley Fiel or Miller Park...

[Guest Vern Gagne]

The Cell has a nice ring to it. More so after the fans running onto the field and attacking the ump and the coach.

[Guest Choken One]

Yeah...Thats an nice nickname that gives the place Identiy then...

 

"Welcome to Game 7 here in THE CELL in South Side Chicago!" sounds good..

[Guest CanadianChris]

Bank One could not buy Soldiers Field name rights so they settle for this?  Just name it Bank One Field already.

They can't do that. There was already a huge uproar about how they shouldn't sell naming rights for a stadium that's being built as a war memorial.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

I have a hard time telling whether he is joking or not, but Jim Rome promised to run any callers who don't refer to the bears by their new full name.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Da Chicago Bears Presented By BankOne.

 

Has a nice ring to it.

 

If you live in hell...

[Guest The Czech Republic]

I dont mind Arenas and Stadium corporately named as long as it flows nice and shit...

 

BANK ONE BALLPARK? US CELLUAR FIELD? Don't work like

 

Great American Ballpark or Wrigley Field or Miller Park...

Wrigley Field is not a corporate naming deal, the park is named in honor of William Wrigley, Jr., one-time majority owner of the Cubs. The park is wholly owned by the Chicago Tribune by way of the Chicago Cubs, and no naming rights belong to the gum producer.

[Guest CED Ordonez]

 

Imagine that on a helmet...

[Agent_Bond34 0]

I don't think I want to.

 

Although, it'd be funny to see it on the uniforms, however.

[Guest RepoMan]

Bank One could not buy Soldiers Field name rights so they settle for this?  Just name it Bank One Field already.

They can't do that. There was already a huge uproar about how they shouldn't sell naming rights for a stadium that's being built as a war memorial.

That didn't stop the Rochester War Memorial from becoming Blue Cross Arena, though veterans did have a justified hissy fit.

[Guest Vern Gagne]

They could call it ArmyofOne.com Field. That way there advertising for actual Soldiers.

[Guest razazteca]

So will the team have a BankOne patch on the jerseys?

[Agent_Bond34 0]

They probably will.

 

It'd look pretty funny to see it on there. Kinda like how Arena League teams, and NFL Europe teams have patches of sponsors on their jerseys.