A Wrigley Field By Any Other Name...

Selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field in Chicago comes up every once and a while, but this time, they might be serious. Sam Zell, owner of the Chicago Cubs, announced his consideration of the sale earlier this year to serious controversy. My question is, could Wrigley Field ever be called something else?

When a brand name is adopted by the masses and becomes a part of the culture (in this case, Chicago sports culture), it doesn't really "belong" to the legal owners anymore. I believe that if they go through with this and officially rename the field, all of Chicago will continue to refer to it as Wrigley. Just like the West's refusal to call Burma by its official moniker, Myanmar, no one in Chicago will be catching a game at EBay Field.

Does anyone still consider the original collaboration of the Wrigley name? The field has had its name so long that people don't even think of the gum company anymore—it's a cherished ballpark, not a product. Any company considering a purchase of those naming rights should think twice before bidding. It would be a long, bloody, and most of all expensive marketing battle to change the name of that park.

But, if it has to happen, may I suggest "Facebook Presents: Wrigley Field?"