Plans to sell naming rights of the AA and War? Thoughts?

[OrediggerPoke]

The whole point is that no one in their right mind would let Only Fans name a stadium so Wyoming would theoretically get way above market value. It's outside the box thinking and something everyone on this site complains the state and admin lack. OF is synonymous with Only Fans. Perhaps O-F stadium would be a compromise but it would be a short term deal for the publicity of accepting the deal and OF would get the publicity of someone actually agreeing to the naming deal. The company is worth $8B. I think we're getting to the point where Wyoming might need to go all-in on something like this. I'd prefer to win 10-12 games and elevate our standing that way but beggars can't be choosers. Is it my first choice? No. But not considering everything is a mistake. More than half the guys at the stadium probably ogle OF girls promoting themselves on Instagram anyway so we can probably dispense with the virtuous nature of football fans.

Nailed it.

Wyoming fans ‘we have to do something different that others aren’t willing to step on the ledge to do in order to set ourselves apart and close the gap on some of the challenges we face.’

Also Wyoming fans ‘oh no, we could never do that, that could lead to promiscuous behavior of our youth and the downfall of society.’

But bladerunner is right. It’s a theoretical discussion of things that will never happen for the very reason of that mindset that exists here and within the legislature.

 

[McPeachy]

In one way or another, politics and/or religion.

And her.

 

[McPeachy]

But frankly, the fact that it hasn't been done already is gross negligence. We are the only stadium in the mountain west (except Falcon stadium) that isn't named after a corporate entity.

This has puzzled me for years. It has to be laziness.

 

[307bball]

I don't know if it's just my old-fashioned sensibilities or what...but I don't really like it.

I guess if you just have to wring every last penny out of everything to just keep up with the Jones's then that's what has to happen.

 

[Brew_Poke]

Policies, and religion will lead to the downfall of society?

Yes.

 

[McPeachy]

I don't know if it's just my old-fashioned sensibilities or what...but I don't really like it.

I guess if you just have to wring every last penny out of everything to just keep up with the Jones's then that's what has to happen.

That, is the primary reason I believe Burman drags his ass on the subject. People / fans / donors - just like you. To that, I say, "change, or be changed". And Burman clearly needs to be changed for leaving what would amount to millions on the table.

 

[307bball]

That, is the primary reason I believe Burman drags his ass on the subject. People / fans / donors - just like you. To that, I say, "change, or be changed". And Burman clearly needs to be changed for leaving what would amount to millions on the table.

It's just not obvious to me what is best...I'm temperamentally opposed to it but I understand that whoring your brand out to the highest bidder is probably required.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

I don't know if it's just my old-fashioned sensibilities or what...but I don't really like it.

I guess if you just have to wring every last penny out of everything to just keep up with the Jones's then that's what has to happen.

I don’t believe it is ‘to keep up with the Jones’s’. I believe the question is if Wyoming desires to sponsor an FBS football team. If so, then there is no feasible way to accomplish that without naming rights along with other ‘non-traditional’ funding mechanisms.

The fact that it took Wyoming this long for something that should have been a no brainer decision (I believe we might be the last MWC team to act on the subject other than Air Force), should be enlightening to how far behind we really are and the likely reality of Wyoming athletics in the future.

But hey - maybe the next Cowboy Joe club bake sale will rake in the millions we have likely been leaving on the table.

 

[McPeachy]

It's just not obvious to me what is best...I'm temperamentally opposed to it but I understand that whoring your brand out to the highest bidder is probably required.

Very true, and why not. UW athletics has whored themselves out forever.

 

[307bball]

I don’t believe it is ‘to keep up with the Jones’s’. I believe the question is if Wyoming desires to sponsor an FBS football team. If so, then there is no feasible way to accomplish that without naming rights along with other ‘non-traditional’ funding mechanisms.

The fact that it took Wyoming this long for something that should have been a no brainer decision (I believe we might be the last MWC team to act on the subject other than Air Force), should be enlightening to how far behind we really are and the likely reality of Wyoming athletics in the future.

But hey - maybe the next Cowboy Joe club bake sale will rake in the millions we have likely been leaving on the table.

We can call it a desire to "..sponsor an FBS football team"...I have no problem with that.

My guess is that there is a combo of factors here. One, as has been described, is an old-fashioned sensibility surrounding the tackiness of certain ways of gaining $$. The other is ... well...does it move the needle? If the amount that could be gained is not going to matter much, then maybe don't sell out?

 

[McPeachy]

We can call it a desire to "..sponsor an FBS football team"...I have no problem with that.

My guess is that there is a combo of factors here. One, as has been described, is an old-fashioned sensibility surrounding the tackiness of certain ways of gaining $$. The other is ... well...does it move the needle? If the amount that could be gained is not going to matter much, then maybe don't sell out?

Point made. That said, I think $1,000,000 / year (minimum) would make a difference at WYO. $2,000,000 and maybe we can continue to compete with San Jose State.

 

[rocket city poke]

Not selling the naming rights and being the last school to not do this (beside AFA) validates that the administration is resistant to change. This is only an example, but a very good one and we have seen tens of others over the past 20 years or so.

 

[bladerunnr]

Air Force probably can't sell the naming rights. They are a gov't entity and rely on gov't contracts for everything defense and scholastic related. But I don't understand this idea that we are whoring ourselves by allowing a corporation to have it's name on our stadium. College football is no longer an amateur sport. It really hasn't been for decades. So what if it's called Southwest stadium (just an example)? If it buys us a better qb or a better Dline, no one will give a shxxt.

 

[307bball]

If you take all of these "naming rights" things and other new revenue streams.... You end up with a market for them. In how many of them does Wyoming have an advantage? How much are the naming rights of the Wyoming football stadium or the basketball arena worth compared to our conference mates? Are we at the top? Bottom? Middle?

 

[OrediggerPoke]

If you take all of these "naming rights" things and other new revenue streams.... You end up with a market for them. In how many of them does Wyoming have an advantage? How much are the naming rights of the Wyoming football stadium or the basketball arena worth compared to our conference mates? Are we at the top? Bottom? Middle?

This has been the exact discussion of this thread. You can see what conference mates received for naming rights by scrolling to posts earlier in the thread. No one knows what Wyoming's market is exactly currently because we have undeniably left significant money on the table by not selling those rights until now. So anything we receive is better than the current $0 income now.

The further debate was whether Wyoming should try to do something bold by bringing in an unconventional naming rights partner (like OnlyFans) and potentially capturing additional monetary upside that other teams in college football likely have not tried to realize. This undoubtedly won't happen but is exactly the type of unconventional approach that could allow a Wyoming to be competitive in the new collegiate landscape.

 

[ZapPoke]

Naming rights would be under the purview of Wyoming Sports Properties aka Learfield. There are only two War Memorial Stadiums in FBS, the other being Arkansas. In the past I have made specific donations because it is War Memorial in honor of my Great Uncle Billy who was killed at the Battle of the Bulge. I found where the Wyoming National Guard has an advertising contract with Learfield. I couldn’t confirm the amount but believe it to be in the neighborhood of $550,000 this year. Maybe they could work on a sponsorship for “Wyoming National Guard War Memorial Stadium”. The guard spends a lot of money on recruiting.

 

[307bball]

This has been the exact discussion of this thread. You can see what conference mates received for naming rights by scrolling to posts earlier in the thread. No one knows what Wyoming's market is exactly currently because we have undeniably left significant money on the table by not selling those rights until now. So anything we receive is better than the current $0 income now.

The further debate was whether Wyoming should try to do something bold by bringing in an unconventional naming rights partner (like OnlyFans) and potentially capturing additional monetary upside that other teams in college football likely have not tried to realize. This undoubtedly won't happen but is exactly the type of unconventional approach that could allow a Wyoming to be competitive in the new collegiate landscape.

Thanks for the summation. Basically, since we have no real market power, we are left with trying to do something "bold" or "unconventional" to field an FBS team. Seems like a low percentage play. Or we could just try to do more with less,

 

[rocket city poke]

Naming rights would be under the purview of Wyoming Sports Properties aka Learfield. There are only two War Memorial Stadiums in FBS, the other being Arkansas. In the past I have made specific donations because it is War Memorial in honor of my Great Uncle Billy who was killed at the Battle of the Bulge. I found where the Wyoming National Guard has an advertising contract with Learfield. I couldn’t confirm the amount but believe it to be in the neighborhood of $550,000 this year. Maybe they could work on a sponsorship for “Wyoming National Guard War Memorial Stadium”. The guard spends a lot of money on recruiting.

I know burman mentioned the ability to keep the "War Memorial Stadium" name in his tour of the new upgrades. So there is a lot of respect we are trying to show. I do believe the correct sponsor (Wyoming National Guard would be ideal) could still make some sort of sponsorship palatable while maintaining the historical significance and respect.

Arkansas is only playing one or at most two games at "War Memorial Stadium" which is in Little Rock. Their main home venue is "Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium" who is basically just a sponsor that donated a lot of money to the football programs. So technically, UW is the only on camput "War Memorial Stadium at the FBS level".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_W._Reynolds_Razorback_Stadium

 

[OrediggerPoke]

Thanks for the summation. Basically, since we have no real market power, we are left with trying to do something "bold" or "unconventional" to field an FBS team. Seems like a low percentage play. Or we could just try to do more with less,

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. You either go for it and maybe fail or don’t go for it and definitely fail.

 

[WyoGeezer]

Back when the AA was ready to open, Jim Brandenburg recommended that the new basketball arena be named EVERETT SHELTON ARENA, in honor of the national championship and all the great teams he coached. No such luck ... Just too logical. Arena Auditorium really is a pathetic name!