greasywheels121 Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1999622 FleetCenter hasn't decided whether to accept bid Associated Press BOSTON -- Could the sports arena in downtown Boston, smack in the middle of Red Sox Nation, would be named after one of the hated New York Yankees? Maybe, for one day. Or maybe not. The FleetCenter hasn't decided. It's been selling one-day naming rights for charity while it tries to line up a new long-term naming deal. The winning bid for Tuesday's naming rights was made by a New York attorney. Kerry Konrad bid $2,300 on eBay. He wants the arena to be known as Derek Jeter Center, in honor of the Yankees' captain and shortstop. Not so fast, said FleetCenter spokesman Jim Delaney. Delaney said he told Konrad that his naming request might not be accepted. Konrad is a Harvard graduate with a 20-year rivalry with some of his Boston classmates. A decision could come today. The FleetCenter is the home of the NBA Celtics and NHL Bruins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldmember Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 let it go through. it's only for a day and it's for charity. it's not like the fleet center will then be forever known as the derek jeter center... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Yeah Boston, just be nice, you are the champions and they aren't, show some class off the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelasDaddy0427 Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 QUOTE(Goldmember @ Feb 25, 2005 -> 01:08 PM) let it go through. it's only for a day and it's for charity. it's not like the fleet center will then be forever known as the derek jeter center... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I agree. Shouldn't be able to back out now just because the naming rights were bought by a Yankee fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purdue129 Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 QUOTE(Goldmember @ Feb 25, 2005 -> 01:08 PM) let it go through. it's only for a day and it's for charity. it's not like the fleet center will then be forever known as the derek jeter center... I didn't read this full article so I don't know if they touched on it, but awhile back when this first went on Ebay someone noted that there's some legal thing with the Fleet Center where it could only be renamed a certain number of times. I guess paperwork had been processed for a name prior to Fleet buying the rights, so that, plus Fleet, plus this auction would be the limit. Making it a permanent name. I doubt it'd stick, but it's what got NY people bidding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakes Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 Most guys will rent out a scoreboard message to get back at their friends. This is pretty creative and will be hard to top!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyWhiteSox Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 QUOTE(Purdue129 @ Feb 25, 2005 -> 02:20 PM) I didn't read this full article so I don't know if they touched on it, but awhile back when this first went on Ebay someone noted that there's some legal thing with the Fleet Center where it could only be renamed a certain number of times. I guess paperwork had been processed for a name prior to Fleet buying the rights, so that, plus Fleet, plus this auction would be the limit. Making it a permanent name. I doubt it'd stick, but it's what got NY people bidding. They're auctioning it off for a bunch of dates. Like 5, I think. I saw goldenpalace.com has one coming up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted February 25, 2005 Share Posted February 25, 2005 What is worse is this guy is gonna sue the Fleet Center if they wont allow his name. All I can say is: Brilliant. SB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greasywheels121 Posted February 26, 2005 Author Share Posted February 26, 2005 http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1999921 FleetCenter officials reject 'vulgar' Jeter Center By Darren Rovell, ESPN.com There will be no Derek Jeter Center after all. On Tuesday, New York attorney Kerry Konrad won the right in an eBay auction to name Boston's FleetCenter for a day. For his $2,325, Konrad wanted to honor the New York Yankees shortstop. But, on Friday, FleetCenter officials rejected the name, which Konrad hoped would add to the 25-year rivalry he has had with his former college classmates who are Boston Red Sox fans. "We decided that all the names had to be rated G, and this name was determined to be obscene and vulgar," said Richard A. Krezwick, president and chief executive of the FleetCenter, which has auctioned off daily naming rights to about a dozen companies since its contract with the bank was terminated. "We were afraid of the volume of phone calls bogging down our switchboard, the number of e-mails clogging our portal and the potential graffiti on the side of our building." When reached at his office, Konrad said he was not disappointed. "I had no idea that this joke would get so much attention in the first place," Konrad said. "It was a joke. I've already had my laugh. But I could have made it much worse, like the A-Rod Center, Bucky Dent Center, the Aaron Boone Center, or the 'Only 25 More [championships] To Go' Center." To be fair, the Red Sox are only 20 championships behind the Yankees' major league record 26. Instead, on March 1, the building will be named the Jimmy Fund Center. Jerry Rappaport Jr., Konrad's ex-college roommate and Red Sox fan, added $6,275 to Konrad's bid -- to reach $8,600 in total to signify the 86-year Boston Red Sox curse that was broken in 2004. The money will go to The Jimmy Fund, which supports the fight against cancer through Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Krezwick said that it's not likely that any future auction winner would get by with naming the arena after anyone associated with the Yankees organization. "I got a lot of e-mails from Red Sox fans in Boston who tipped their cap to me," Konrad said. "They left the back door open. I'm sure if [Yankees owner] George Steinbrenner were foolish enough to auction off the naming rights to Yankee Stadium for a day, Red Sox fans would have thought of something clever." The FleetCenter is the home of the NBA's Celtics and NHL's Bruins. No events are planned on March 1 -- the NHL is locked out, and the Celtics have an off-day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted February 26, 2005 Share Posted February 26, 2005 I'm taking up a collection for it to be named the Buckner Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Honda Civic Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 The other sales went a little awry also.... http://www.washingtontimes.com/sports/2005...20139-5767r.htm No sympathy for Devils By Patrick Hruby THE WASHINGTON TIMES Like most Americans, Drew Curtis believes in free speech. He also believes Duke basketball is an abomination before God and Dick Vitale and quite possibly more annoying than Billy Bush. So when the owners of Boston's FleetCenter auctioned off single-day naming rights as part of a charitable promotion last month, Curtis knew what to do. He cut a hefty check -- $2,550, to be exact -- and prepared to exercise his Constitutional rights. Welcome to ... the Duke [stinks] Center! "It helped that they were donating the money to charity," said Curtis, 32, owner of the entertainment Web site Fark.com. "It was also an opportunity to talk about how bad Duke [stinks]. Because they do." Alas, arena owners nixed the proposal, along with others deemed too profane. (See: Center, the Derek Jeter.) Still, if it's the thought that counts, then Curtis' idea ranks with E=MC2 and beer cozies. As the ACC tournament begins, no college squad is more loathed and envied than the third-seeded Blue Devils. With the Duke [stinks] Center out of commission, MCI Center will have to suffice. "I think Duke will definitely hear it from the crowd," Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood said. "They're the team that nobody wants to win." As a former Tar Heel, Haywood is biased, as objective as male escort-turned-White House correspondent Jeff Gannon. That said, the man has a point. Nobody much likes Duke. Not the Tobacco Road old guard, the bluebloods who despise the Blue Devils out of sheer habit. Not the ACC arrivistes, the football schools still learning the joys of a T-shirt cleverly disguising a curse at the school. Certainly not tournament host Maryland, where students calmly celebrated a regular-season road victory over Duke by setting things on fire. "It's unbelievable," said Vitale, an ESPN basketball analyst. "The Wake Forest people can't stand Duke. Maryland, [the same]. Duke is like the [New York] Yankees. And I love the Yankees." Of course. Who doesn't? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted March 10, 2005 Share Posted March 10, 2005 As a former Tar Heel, Haywood is biased, as objective as male escort-turned-White House correspondent Jeff Gannon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shagar69 Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 QUOTE(WilliamTell @ Feb 25, 2005 -> 02:16 PM) Yeah Boston, just be nice, you are the champions and they aren't, show some class off the field. i wouldnt want this for US Cellular. If somebody wanted to name it some stupid s*** like Kerry Wood Park or Mark Prior Field, no way in hell i would let them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted March 11, 2005 Share Posted March 11, 2005 QUOTE(shagar69 @ Mar 10, 2005 -> 09:23 PM) i wouldnt want this for US Cellular. If somebody wanted to name it some stupid s*** like Kerry Wood Park or Mark Prior Field, no way in hell i would let them That's exactly what I was thinking. It's like someone changing the Cell's name to "Aramis Ramirez Park" or "Corey Patterson Field" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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