To build or not to build?

I was reading an article about the Mets Stadium being branded Citi Field when I decided to fire off a letter of complaint to the Colmunist here it is: (Not exactly in line with the blog's topic but it is about branding.)

First here is the article.
Dear Andrea Peyser:

Your column in today’s NY Post was not only poorly researched it was in poor taste. To compare the new Mets Stadium to Principal Park (or Sec Taylor Stadium to the locals) is a like comparing an apple to an oranges. The Iowa Cubs are a Triple A baseball affiliate that needed funding for their 12 MILLION DOLLAR stadium so they sought outside help from Principal Finance. That is right I said 12 million dollar stadium! The agreed upon terms included the field to remain Sec Taylor Field. And their all-time attendance record for a season is 509,384 in 2002. Do I need to show the Mets comparisons to these figures? Or do you get the point? (Apples to Oranges, Andrea) Further research, would have shown you that Principal paid a measly 2.5 million for the naming rights, a far cry from the Citi deal which was 20 million a year. Don't ya think? (Apples to Oranges, Andrea) The Iowa cubs could build a new Stadium every year for the next 20 years at the Citi price. (Apples to Oranges, Andrea)

Furthermore, branding has its upside and downside, as everyone knows. But to rule out branding for a stadium is to assure a hefty price gap in completion costs and higher ticket and vending prices. We can both agree this is not a good thing. Do you enjoy higher ticket prices to ensure that you are sitting in “Jackie Robinson Stadium”? Here is a suggestion. You can give me 20 million and I will call it “Andrea Peyser” Stadium. Deal?

Is the branding good? I am not sure but "Citi Field" sure sounds more apropos to New York than "American Express Field." My suggestion to you is to stop complaining and start researching.

The egocentric view that you and most New Yorkers take towards the rest of this country is based on assumptions from a life sheltered by the City. The country is now 300 million strong and New York makes up 8 million of those people. A sizable number but nowhere close to a majority. Leave your desk and see the country it’s beautiful and full of great people including Iowans. I say this not as an Iowan but as a Floridian that lived in Iowa.

Finally, do us all a favor and leave your self-serving mumbo jumbo for your friends because I do not want to hear it!

Regards,
Stephen Tompkins

I hope I was not too mean! Oh well, that should wake her up to branding's good side.




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