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Bowl games and traditions.
By Paul J Cella Posted in Miscellanea — Comments (28) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Okay, I’ll say it. It irks me that the Peach Bowl is now the Chick-fil-A Bowl. It vexes me to hear the mandated phrase “Invesco Field at Mile High.” I grieve the loss of the old and honored place-names of sports: Candlestick Park, Three Rivers Stadium, Jack Murphy Stadium. A living tradition — which, as Chesterton famously wrote, is a democracy of the dead — by this process is obliterated, and a sterile materialism replaces it. The whole point of a free enterprise system is that there is no guarantee of endurance for any specific enterprise.* That corporate names, attached to stadiums by means of vast expenditures, can make no claims to the people’s veneration, as opposed to their fleeting fancy, is no mere controversial assertion on my part — it is an admitted feature of the principle of the system.
Now Chick-fil-A, as far as I can tell, is a fine enterprise; in many ways, indeed, an admirable one. The service is generally superior to the competitors; the product is good; the marketing strategy is often genuinely amusing; and the moral character of the corporate countenance is commendable. (I once bore witness to a rather astonishing debate which featured three or four obnoxious atheists delivering sanctimonious censure against Chick-fil-a for the intolerable inconvenience imposed by the closure of its stores at airports on Sunday.) But even granted these laudable qualities, I do not hesitate to admit my embarrassment last night upon hearing the game announcers refer to the Peach State’s signature bowl game by the name of a fast-food chain famous for its clever cows.
Read on.
This whole business illustrates the difficulties of attempting to make, in the celebrated phrase, so creatively-destructive a system to form a basis, or at any rate an element of the basis, of the political tradition of a nation. I tradition is a thing that endures; its quality lies inescapably in its longevity, and in the reverence it acquires in the course of surviving the vicissitudes of men and history. To set a tradition upon a foundation of tumult and instability, no matter how creative, is to some extent to contradict the essence of the things itself.
The example of Chick-fil-A is itself instructive: for what makes this company admirable is its resistance, in certain respects, to the disorder of the free market. Its kids’ meals distribute storybooks the lessons of which are anchored in the older tradition of philosophical and moral order. Its closure on Sundays harkens back to an even older tradition rooted in a profounder understanding of what the creative nature of man is. For even this, as I have noted, Chick-fil-A is singled out for opprobrium. That this older moral order is the only substrate upon which a healthy system of free enterprise (indeed, freedom of any kind) can grow, is an oft-forgotten truth. It was not often forgotten my our fathers, as a cursory review of their statements on the matter will show.**
The importance of sports to our civilization is not to be overlooked. Therefore I will not overlook the ominous portents contained in the trend of effacing older traditions, to be replaced by a kind of anti-tradition of corporate musical chairs.
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* This tenet is part of what distinguishes, in my mind at least, Free Enterprise from Capitalism: under the dominion of the latter, favored enterprises are protected from annihilation, for various reasons; the former makes no such provision of favoritism.
** “Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.” — Patrick Henry. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” — John Adams. “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim tribute to patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness — these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. . . . reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principles.” — George Washington.
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Bowl games and traditions. 28 Comments (0 topical, 28 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
NASCAR and almost every sport has done this
by Just Me
with everything now.
Kind of sad that stadiums can't just carry their names anymore, and sports events can't just be sports events.
It is still my pride that in KC
by Nick Haynes
we were able to hold off the name game until last year, with the still-in-construction Sprint Center (and, boy, do I hate Sprint). But, the Royals still play in Kauffman Stadium, and the Chiefs play in Arrowhead Stadium, which are both located in Truman Sports Complex. I love Kansas City.
Don't be afraid to see what you see.-Ronald Reagan
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
Arrowhead
by Paul J Cella
is a fine name for a stadium. I hope you will forgive me, however, for not volunteering it originally, as I am a Broncos fan. I trust, moreover, that you will accept my congratulations on your team's achievement and beg you not to crow at mine's misfortune.
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And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.
He has lived there for over 7 years now. I visit and love the Royals and George Brett's restaurant.
Gamecock, DeVine Op-Ed for Charlotte Observer, blogs at Race 4 2008.
The Phoenix Cardinals now play in a stadium
by mbecker908
called "The University of Phoenix Stadium". It's interesting that the UoP does not have ANY sports, nor do they have any courses that even relate to sports.
Although on second thought, given the Cardinals lifetime record, that may be appropriate.
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If "pro" is the opposite of "con", what is the opposite of "progress"?
A rather odd-named one
by Aleks311
is the St Pete Times Forum-- in downtown Tampa.
Insightful
by Neil Stevens
The whole point of a free enterprise system is that there is no guarantee of endurance for any specific enterprise.* That corporate names, attached to stadiums by means of vast expenditures, can make no claims to the people’s veneration, as opposed to their fleeting fancy, is no mere controversial assertion on my part — it is an admitted feature of the principle of the system.
Therefore, any business that depends on tradition and history is making a silly mistake by doing this. It's just bad business.
Run like Reagan!
Not that clear-cut.
by Paul J Cella
Tradition is hardly without its marketing potential. Chevy's late series of truck commercials, plainly appealling to patriotism with the Mellancamp song, is so obvious an attempt to trade on tradition as to hardly be worthy of further remark. In truth, I fear, "any business that depends on tradition and history is making a silly mistake by doing this" is an thoroughly irresponsible and unsupportable statement.
There really is no objective principle of "bad business" in marketing appeal. Principles are governed by the opinions and fancies of the audience. And since Americans are a traditional people, tradition will endure as a possible source of business opportunity until some other force transforms them.
But I think, off at the end, there is wisdom in what you say. And it is emphatically worth repeating that at times Tradition and Capitalism will clash, and men will be forced to choose sides. And only the most short-sighted of defenders of Capitalism will forget the importance of the moral atmosphere upon which his system depends.
That so many of Capitalism's defenders have succumbed to such forgetfulness, is in my view cause for a very real and active alarm.
_____________
And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.
It's not about tradition
by olderthangandalf
It's about repeating the brand name a million - no, a zillion - times in the press coverage. It's about keeping the brand name front and center in the news segments so that it remains near the top of your mind when you think about the kinds of things they sell. As expensive as it is, it's cheap compared to buying that kind of repetition in the ad spaces.
Marketing has moved beyond paid advertising, and if you think stadiums is too much, hang around. The game has only begun.
BTW, for you marketers out there, did you know you can buy text ads in a section of the Catholic church bulletins in Chicago? It's a very effective way to advertise the right kind of business.
That's every bulletin, everywhere. (nt)
by Thomas
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Even those who learn from history are surrounded by those doomed to repeat it.
no
by Doc Holliday
my church does not sell out. otoh, not a horrible idea, good way to give to churches.
I'll be danged.
by Thomas
I don't think I've been in a Catholic Church, across the country, that doesn't sell advertising space. They won't, say, let Planned Parenthood buy space, but they assuredly sell it.
That's two corrections for the day.
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Even those who learn from history are surrounded by those doomed to repeat it.
How did they forget to re-name the Georgia Dome?
by gamecock
Its rather unbelievable that they trash the long tradition of the Peach Bowl, yet the stadium remains "purely" the Georgia Dome, as its been from its inception, when most cities sell the name to most stadiums these days.
Gamecock, DeVine Op-Ed for Charlotte Observer, blogs at Race 4 2008.
Texas Stadium!
by Doc Holliday
Yankees Stadium. See, it is all about money, if you have a ton of money because you have fans all over the world, you can afford to keep a corporate brand off your stadium or event. The Cowboys are now building the largest football stadium in the world. Will it get a corporate name? I can not think of a new stadium that has not recieved one. I guess it is hard to turn down all that cash. We shall see what happens.
But I ask you, would you change the name of your house at 123 maple avenue to "The Tostitos House at 123 Maple Avenue" for a million dollars.
The Louisiana Superdome!
by Vladimir
...uhhh, after last year, no takers.
Yes, but with a disclaimer
by Nick Haynes
I don't make nearly as much as a team does in order to pay the bills, so I would sell it off in a heartbeat.
I understand that teams are simply looking to maximize profits. It just sucks that one day, my kids will watch the Chiefs play at H&R Block Field, and then catch a baseball game at the Dirt Devil Dome (named after a vacumm, because although I love the Royals, when my kids are around, they will still suck).
Don't be afraid to see what you see.-Ronald Reagan
For more common sense conservatism, visit the Show Me Conservatism blog.
I remember that debate, Paul.
by Thomas
Think Harry developed a new hobbyhorse after that?
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Even those who learn from history are surrounded by those doomed to repeat it.
It was a memorable one.
by Paul J Cella
Who knows?
I'll tell you what, though: for whatever reason -- perhaps it was a mere state of mind -- that debate was an eye-opener for me.
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And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.
Sponsorship is the tradition older than football.
by BooBooKitty
Even the gladiators had sponsors, with individuals of patrician or equestrian status setting up the arena and and the gladiators to curry favor with the public.
Doesn't matter to me, the real tradition is college football and bowl games in the holidays. My family wouldn't give a R's A if the BCS Championship game was sponsored by Preparation-H, as long as Auburn played and won!
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Thou art the Great Cat, the avenger of the Gods, and the judge of words...-Inscription on the Royal Tombs at Thebes
Yes, but what about the other bowls?
by Neil Stevens
Would the fans of schools like Michigan get all worked up if they were due to be visiting the Arco Smog Check Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl?
Run like Reagan!
Broncos player murdered hours after game!
by hoosierteacher
Sorry for the threadjack. The story is just a breaking comment over at Redstate Sports right now, but should become more prominent as details filter in. Redstate fans of football might want to check it out.
"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" - Defoe
we get the stadium names we deserve
by dead armadillo
as a die hard 49ers fan (sorry broncos) I remember the uproar in SF when 3com bought the naming rights for candlestick park. Then it was changed to Monster Park after the cable manufacturer. Also, I believe that when the Mile High name was sold to Invesco, the Denver Post took a stand and refused to use the new name. I think that problem was solved by legal threat. Here in New York City, Yankee Stadium is being rebuilt, and while I don't think it will be renamed, I wouldn't be suprised if Citibank or Chase jumped in and offered a bucketload of cash for the chance to be paired with the one of the greatest sports francises in the history of sport. But the corporate name doesn't end there: look at pre and postgame wrap ups. The Ford play of the game, the All-State Insurance halftime report etc. Pretty soon we'll have the Cisco PAT, the Prudential seventh inning stretch, the Texaco freeline throw. As far as stadium names, the reason this happens is because nobody wants to front the money for these places. The Taxpayers don't want to get socked, and the owners really don't like using their own money. As a member of the media, I realize the idea behind brand building, but I envision a time when everything in our lives will have a company name attached to it: The Merrill-Lynch Ground Zero Memorial, The Aflac Battleground at Bull Run (the sign would have the Aflac Duck in Civil War regalia!), The Microsoft 7th fleet...
just venting. thanks
DA
p.s. The opposite of progress is regress.
A sad state of affairs.
by Paul J Cella
You exaggerate only a little -- that is the horror of it. Now and then you just want to say, "Capitalism can go to h*ll."
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And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.
Naming Rights...
by jaybird
As an Atlanta (area) resident, I, too, lament the passing of our Peach Bowl. Why couldn't Chik-fil-a leave it the "Chik-fil-a Peach Bowl?" Probably because that gave too many people the opportunity to leave out the "Chik-fil-a" in that moniker. Or, perhaps the Peach Bowl committee decided they could pull in a few more bucks by offering Chik-fil-a the exclusive naming rights.
I know it's a small thing, but, geez, couldn't we bow a little to tradition? My main complaint is this gives no continuity to the game. What happens when Burger King outbids Chik-fil-a? Then the bowl just becomes another Fort Worth Bowl or Armed Forces Bowl, or the CarQuest Bowl, or Meinecke Car Care Bowl. Who knows what game they're playing in, or even where it is. Used to be, if you were playing in the Peach Bowl you were going to Atlanta, the Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (usually), and the Citrus Bowl, you knew you were going to ummmm, was it Orlando or Tampa?
Well, it's the American Way, and I suppose we should celebrate the Free Market and responsible denizens of it, such as Chik-fil-a, but I can't help but feel a little cheated...
The Liberal's definition of torture: Anything that provides useful information from the enemy
Well said.
by Paul J Cella
Exactly, the whole enterprise tends toward the annihilation of the system by which it earned its greatness.
I would dispure you resigned statement that this is "the American Way." It is not the American way to despise our ancestors; and if this is to become our "way," we will all the worse and more despicable ourselves for it.
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And the Lord upon the Golden Horn is laughing in the sun.
The worst part about this is
by sturner
The worst part about this is the fact that many of these companies will either be under new names or completely out of business in 15-20 years. It's tough to brag about the big bowl win you had back in the day when it was named after a company that no one has ever heard of.
I don't know if that is worse than the fact that the Championship trophy is named the Sears Trophy.
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We here in Indiana took a collective gasp when they renamed the Brickyard 400 the "Allstate 400 at the Brickyard." Heh. Like people are going to take the time to say that. We Hoosiers still affectionately, if not stubbornly, call it the Brickyard 400...to the chagrin of most NASCAR officials, of course.
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