GaryMrMets
10-28-2005, 12:44 AM
Giants' Park Likely to Get Third Name
By GREG SANDOVAL
.c The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - SBC Park, formerly PacBell Park, is likely to receive its third name since the home stadium of baseball's San Francisco Giants opened five years ago.
SBC Communications Inc. plans to rename itself after federal regulators appear ready to approve the company's $16 billion merger with AT&T. Executives at San Antonio-based SBC said the company will take on the much better-known and 120-year-old AT&T brand.
According to spokesman John Britton, SBC will begin the transition to the AT&T brand once the merger is completed.
``There is no timetable to changing the name of the ballpark,'' Britton said Thursday. ``No decisions have been made about what the name will be.''
Two years ago, SBC acquired Pacific Bell, which paid $53 million in 1996 for the naming rights to the stadium until 2019. Sports fans have long complained about stadium name changes and the encroachment of corporations into sports.
Indeed, many Giants fans have continued to refer to it as PacBell Park.
Britton said that SBC plans to work closely with the Giants and other sports franchises that partner with the company, which includes the SBC Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, and SBC Classic golf tournament in Los Angeles, to come up with a new name and discuss when to make the change.
``Sometimes teams have printed tickets in advance or have other concerns,'' Britton said. ``We're very sensitive to the great partnerships we have.''
10/27/05 18:54 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
By GREG SANDOVAL
.c The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - SBC Park, formerly PacBell Park, is likely to receive its third name since the home stadium of baseball's San Francisco Giants opened five years ago.
SBC Communications Inc. plans to rename itself after federal regulators appear ready to approve the company's $16 billion merger with AT&T. Executives at San Antonio-based SBC said the company will take on the much better-known and 120-year-old AT&T brand.
According to spokesman John Britton, SBC will begin the transition to the AT&T brand once the merger is completed.
``There is no timetable to changing the name of the ballpark,'' Britton said Thursday. ``No decisions have been made about what the name will be.''
Two years ago, SBC acquired Pacific Bell, which paid $53 million in 1996 for the naming rights to the stadium until 2019. Sports fans have long complained about stadium name changes and the encroachment of corporations into sports.
Indeed, many Giants fans have continued to refer to it as PacBell Park.
Britton said that SBC plans to work closely with the Giants and other sports franchises that partner with the company, which includes the SBC Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs, and SBC Classic golf tournament in Los Angeles, to come up with a new name and discuss when to make the change.
``Sometimes teams have printed tickets in advance or have other concerns,'' Britton said. ``We're very sensitive to the great partnerships we have.''
10/27/05 18:54 EDT
Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.