Comments on: How to Name a Sports Arena

By: Jeremy Stewart

Jeremy Stewart — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 23:07:11 +0000

Ahhh. The Radium Stadium. I work for the State Board of Regents across the street from the E.S.A. I have to look at that ugly logo every day.

By: Eran

Eran — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:16:24 +0000

It appears like Jeremy Votaw designed the Energy Solutions’ logo.

By: Russell Page

Russell Page — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:19:42 +0000

I was kind of suprised that Zions Bank didn’t go for it. They seem to be really aggressive and growing, and this would have been a good way to take them beyond the region.

By: Matthew Reinbold

Matthew Reinbold — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 03:49:00 +0000

Jeremy V.

Do I understand you right? That Energy Solutions is above criticism because they very profitably dump other states nuclear waste in our backyard? That they are beyond discussion because they have obtained a dollar amount larger than most other companies in Utah? That the entrepreneurial spirit trumps good taste?

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 21:21:32 +0000

Josh:

On your comment starting “I think one of Utah’s problems is that people are too hesitant to be critical.”

AMEN!!!

By: Joshua Steimle

Joshua Steimle — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:05:11 +0000

I think one of Utah’s problems is that people are too hesitant to be critical. The dominant religion teaches us to be merciful and forgiving of other’s faults, which makes us hesitant to say what is good or bad. The problem with this is that while some things improve over time due to direct stimulus and obvious causes (revenue, sales, etc.) others are harder to trace. That is, it is often hard to trace the negative impact of poor branding, and so those with the power to make decisions regarding that brand have no motivation to change it because they’re not aware of the problem. In this type of situation the only other way someone might become aware of the problem is if people who have experience with branding speak up and are critical.

Of course there are some people who are critical just because they like to be, and there are others who are critical because they want things to improve, and sometimes it’s hard to tell the two types apart. But for those who want to improve it shouldn’t matter much. All criticism, regardless of the motivation, has the potential to be used for productive purposes.

I think if more people here in Utah were critical of mediocrity instead of forgiving it we could more quickly improve the business climate and economy and achieve more of the excellence that is also a tenet of the dominant religion but which so often escapes us here.

By: Jeremy Votaw

Jeremy Votaw — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 16:36:27 +0000

I think it is funny how people want to critique success. From what I can tell, the people that write and comment on this blog are those that are entrepreneur minded and want success.

Whenever you actually obtain this success - and want to do something good for the community, I hope the community will be nicer to you than you guys are being towards Energy Solutions.

Delta had to let go of the arena. It did nothing for there bottom line. And at $1M/year+ for such advertising - there are only a couple companies that could afford it in Utah. And those companies are smarter than being a title sponsor.

Chase Field (Formerly Bank One BallPark (Arizona Diamondbacks for those not into sports)) will always and forever be “The BOB”. Names stick - advertisers come and go.

Maybe - instead of tearing down a fellow Utah company - you should be saying, “Isn’t it cool we can finally have a local company large enough (aside from Zions) that can sustain our Basketball Arena?”

By: Joshua Steimle

Joshua Steimle — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 13:40:25 +0000

Yeah, I had a dream last night that I was confronted by a group of guys who wanted me to explain my feelings about mainstream sports and I ended up stammering something in order to avoid getting beat up. It was kind of like one of those moments on The Office where Michael Scott says something to the warehouse guys and they all crowd around him in a threatening manner until he caves in.

By: Thomas Bowcut

Thomas Bowcut — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:34:16 +0000

The only thing more horrifying than this new name is your dislike for basketball. That aside, the new name doesn’t sound good. It sounds like a cheap marketing idea that failed to get feedback from the community. Fortunately the Jazz are playing so well this year that the new name will probably not keep people from attending the games.

By: Silent Bob

Silent Bob — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:26:36 +0000

This has all the makings of a disaster. Energy Solutions (Read: Envirocare) is a company that could make mistakes and kill people with very unpopular toxic waste byproducts.

Look at what happened after the Enron implosion. Enron field, home of the Houston Astro’s, was eventually re-named the “Minute Maid Field” .

My prediction: ES ends up killing people and Larry cuts Sr. a deal and the former Delta Center/Energy Solutions Center becomes the “Huntsman Center”. Then Huntsman Corp kills a bunch of people in India so Larry cuts a deal with Paul Allen and the “center” now becomes the Provo Labs Academy Center. Well we all know where this is going…

No matter what the new name it will still be called the Delta Center for years to come.