It had to happen eventually.....

[smphantom]

The 'your-name-here' Grey Cup
February 15, 2007

(AP/File)
Sportsnet.ca NewsCFL may sell naming rights to Grey Cup

Sportsnet.ca - The CFL's board of directors are looking to sell the naming rights to the Grey Cup for as much as $10 million per season.

As reported in Thursday's Toronto Star, a high-ranking CFL source says that "as soon as 2008 you could see players competing in the Rona Grey Cup or the Ford Grey Cup. It's for sale and the league will be pushing ahead with this."

The franchise owners are enticed by the prospect of an additional $1 million a year per team. "If you had the chance to put an extra million dollars in your pocket and it meant changing the name of the championship, what would you do?" the league source said.

[Rammer]

At $10M, I would be okay with it, less than that not so much. $10M gives up over $1.1M per team in revenues, with a cut to the league as well.

Just as long as Peptol Bismal or some such advertiser isn't the accepted coporate sponser.

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

the pepsi grey cup lol :lol:

[Hutch85]

*gag* no thanks.. regardless of the extra $$, some things shouldn't be for sale.

The "Wendy's Grey Cup" (or whatever..) sounds *so* classy and reflects the history of the trophy.. riiiight.... If they don't want the CFL to be called "bush league", then pimping out your most valuable award probably isn't the best way to go...

[tigger]

"The Grey Cup, presented by _______",

Wonder Bra

[Rammer]

*gag* no thanks.. regardless of the extra $$, some things shouldn't be for sale.

The "Wendy's Grey Cup" (or whatever..) sounds *so* classy and reflects the history of the trophy.. riiiight.... If they don't want the CFL to be called "bush league", then pimping out your most valuable award probably isn't the best way to go...

That should read 'Classic' in refernce to Wendy's now shouldn't it?

So we would have the Wendy's Classic Grey Cup, that is alright by me.

[D]

"The Grey Cup, presented by _______",

Wonder Bra

wouldn't they need 2 cups?

[Rammer]

"The Grey Cup, presented by _______",

Wonder Bra

Then the Rider fans and their 'Canada's Team', would claim that it is theirs with the fact they most resemble that title, having only won two cups.

[Hutch85]

The "Kraft Canada Grey Poupon Cup"...?? mmph, snicker...

[David]

*gag* no thanks.. regardless of the extra $$, some things shouldn't be for sale.

The "Wendy's Grey Cup" (or whatever..) sounds *so* classy and reflects the history of the trophy.. riiiight.... If they don't want the CFL to be called "bush league", then pimping out your most valuable award probably isn't the best way to go...

But I don't hear the same desparaging label put on NCAA for the "Tostitos BCS National Championship," the "AT&T Cotton Bowl" and the like, so what's the difference here? I'm not saying I like it, but to Rammer's point, if it means say, $1 million per team and ancillary league revenue, those monies could be put toward increasing player salaries, attracting better talent, and creating overall stability for the league.

Nothing bush about that.

DH 8)

[Rammer]

*gag* no thanks.. regardless of the extra $$, some things shouldn't be for sale.

The "Wendy's Grey Cup" (or whatever..) sounds *so* classy and reflects the history of the trophy.. riiiight.... If they don't want the CFL to be called "bush league", then pimping out your most valuable award probably isn't the best way to go...

But I don't hear the same desparaging label put on NCAA for the "Tostitos BCS National Championship," the "AT&T Cotton Bowl" and the like, so what's the difference here? I'm not saying I like it, but to Rammer's point, if it means say, $1 million per team and ancillary league revenue, those monies could be put toward increasing player salaries, attracting better talent, and creating overall stability for the league.

Nothing bush about that.

DH 8)

You forgot about reducing ST package costs.........well it was a thought. :lol:

[sixbeamers]

Hopefully, it won't be referred to as the Wendy's Grey Cup or the Rona Grey Cup.
More likely, it will be the Grey Cup presented by Wendy's or the Grey Cup presented by Rona.
Granted, there's not much of a difference, but having a corporation as a presenting sponsor is more palatable than changing the name of the Cup to suit the whim of the CFL marketing department.
Surely, the CFL isn't going to wipe out nearly 100 years of history for the Almighty Dollar? Okay, 10 million of them.

[Rammer]

Hopefully, it won't be referred to as the Wendy's Grey Cup or the Rona Grey Cup.
More likely, it will be the Grey Cup presented by Wendy's or the Grey Cup presented by Rona.
Granted, there's not much of a difference, but having a corporation as a presenting sponsor is more palatable than changing the name of the Cup to suit the whim of the CFL marketing department.
Surely, the CFL isn't going to wipe out nearly 100 years of history for the Almighty Dollar? Okay, 10 million of them.

I suggest that it is that 100 years of history that affords the amount that is being discussed. If it wasn't there, we would be talking $10M over 10 years otherwise. If the CFL was also the precident for this kind of corporation association, I would have more trouble with it, but it is now more the norm than not, so capitalize on it while the iron is hot.

[mightybuck]

I dont like the idea

Grey Cup
Super Bowl
World Series
Stanley Cup
World cup

These championship games dont need a 'Cheesy cheezits name in front of it. Let the college bowls do it - but not at the pro level

[Lions4ever]

But I don't hear the same desparaging label put on NCAA for the "Tostitos BCS National Championship," the "AT&T Cotton Bowl" and the like, so what's the difference here?
DH 8)

I think there is a difference DH. The bowl games have always had a specifically commercial intent to them. They are usually in warm weather locations and were originally created to entice snowbound Northeasterners and Midwesterners to travel to sunnier climes in the dead of Winter and to promote towns as travel destinations, be it Pasadena, El Paso, San Antonio, Miami or what have you. So that blatantly commercial component rests far more easily on the mantel of a bowl game than it does on the Grey Cup, the history of which is completely different. I realize that there are ten million good reasons to do this naming thing, but I will remain vehemently opposed to it. The CFL needs to promote it's own brand more often rather than have it's palm out to promote somebody elses.