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Wrigley Not Likely to Pay Naming Rights for Wrigley Field

By Mark

The new owner of the Chicago Tribune has opened a hornets nest with his suggestion, made a couple of weeks ago, that he may sell naming rights to the cozy confines of the Chicago Cubs currently known as Wrigley Field. Now, most of you probably know that the Wrigley Company once owned the Cubs but the ballpark was actually named in the 1920s, for its then owner William Wrigley. The team was later acquired by the chewing gum company, now run by William Wrigley, Jr.

At the company's annual meeting today, Wrigley wouldn't totally discount that the company would pay for naming rights, but didn't indicate that it was high on its marketing agenda either.

"Certainly I and my family have a great passion for the Cubs and the tradition of baseball in Chicago and Wrigley Field and the whole package," he replied. But he indicated the company lacked a compelling business reason to pay for naming rights because Wrigley's marketing focuses on individual gums like Orbitz or Big Red

"We try to put the spotlight on our brands, and not the Wrigley name, and that would be our bias in evaluating any opportunities."

He did say that he would never say never but Cubs fans who want to see the park remain Wrigley, well, I wouldn't be too optimistic.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on March 12, 2008 (boomark / email).