leave rfk’s name alone!

There’s this huge argument over the naming rights for RFK Stadium, the home of the Washington Nationals, one that is overblown, in my estimate. The proponents of DC baseball have tried to get a corporate sponsor for the stadium, citing a need for extra revenue.

Amongst the suitors: all branches of the U.S. armed forces. The last major player mentioned was the Natonal Guard, which has an armory across the street from RFK. The proposed contract was a 3-year, $6 million affair, which carried the added “benefit” of giving Uncle Sam prime space for recruitment: all branches would get booths in the councourses of the stadium. The money would ostensibly be spent on DC youth programs, as well as further refitting of RFK for the rich and connected.

Whatever. The beauty of RFK is that it’s completely paid for, having been completed in 1961. Most of the renovations have been completed, and the place wasn’t in bad shape to begin with. And naming rights are a cancer on the modern sports franchise. Why does a stadium need to be any more of a billboard than it already is? There are sponsors for every moment of a game: opening pitch, 7th inning stretch, first crotch scratch, etc. – it’s not like people aren’t being bombarded by brand names all the time before, during and after a game.

If we absolutely need to give RFK a new name, let’s do something unique: let the people of DC get naming rights.