backlash against corporate "naming rights"

[Gary Ruskin]

Commercial Alert			March 14, 2001

Crass commercialism is on the rise, but so is the backlash against the
sale of "naming rights" of public assets to corporations.
						
MASSACHUSETTS
Following public outcry against selling the naming rights for four
Boston subway "T" stops, the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority can't
find a corporation willing to buy the naming rights to the subway stops.
(See New York Times article "Bid to Sell Naming Rights Runs Off Track in
Boston" at
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/09/national/09TRAN.html?pagewanted=all>.)				

COLORADO
Denver citizens are suing Denver's Metropolitan Football Stadium
District over the sale of naming rights for Denver's new stadium to
Invesco Corp. (See Rocky Mountain News article "Group Sues in Bid to
Keep the Name Mile High Stadium"
<http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_71929,00.html>.)
					
OREGON
Oregon State Sen. Chris Beck introduced legislation (HB 3299) to
prohibit Oregon from naming public buildings after corporations.  Text
of the bill is available at
<http://www.leg.state.or.us/01reg/measures/hb3200.dir/hb3299.intro.html>.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP:
* Ask your state legislators to introduce legislation to prohibit state
and local governments from naming public buildings after corporations,
or spending taxpayer funds on buildings or stadiums named after
corporations.

* Tell us about proposed legislation and citizen victories against
commercialism in your area.  Write to us at <alert@essential.org>.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
* Read Ralph Nader's oped on the sale of naming rights to Denver's new
stadium is at
<http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/commercial-alert/2001/000064.html>.

* Read Ralph Nader's letter to Massachusetts Gov. Paul Celluci on the
sale of naming rights to Boston subway "T" stations is at
<http://www.commercialalert.org/mbtalet.html>.


Commercial Alert opposes the excesses of commercialism, advertising and
marketing.  Commercial Alert's website is at
<http://www.commercialalert.org>. 

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PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY
-- 
Gary Ruskin | gary@essential.org
Commercial Alert | Congressional Accountability Project
http://www.commercialalert.org | http://www.congressproject.org
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