Miller Park name change coming after the 2020 season

[JohnBriggs12]

I still refer to Miller Park as County Stadium so this changes nothing for me.

 

For me it's:

First Wisconsin Building

Marquette Warriors

Marc Plaza

 

Don't forget the MECCA Arena.

 

For an oldtimer like me it's simply the Arena. I saw my first game at the Milwuakee Arena in 1967 when George Thompson led the Marquette Warriors over Lefty Driesel's Davidson team. At the time a few miles away County Stadium was sitting idle. As a high school basketball player at the time, the dream was to get to the Arena to play for a WISAA championship. Warrriors, County Stadium, Arena, and WISAA are in the trash bin of history now.

 

While I get the Brewers' ownership going for the higher bid, I think in the long run the tie in to an iconic beer brand that dates back to the 1800's in Milwaukee is better for the Brewer brand than tying it to one of dozens of insurance companies that insure Wisconsin residents just because that one happens to have it's headquarters in the state. I'm no longer a Wisconsin resident, but I don't pick the insurance company I insure my home and car with based on where it's located or if they outbid a brewing company for naming rights of the stadium of my favorite team. It's a lot easier to grab a 12 pack of Miller Lite or MGD over say Bud or Bud Lite. In fact with all respect to the American Family employees, I'm less likely now to become an American Family customer because I prefer the Brewers play in an appropriately named Miller Park.

[brewmann04]

It give the brewers more money and that a good think they will remain the Brewers so nothing changes, maybe we see a return to a new old logo.

[JohnBriggs12]

It give the brewers more money and that a good think they will remain the Brewers so nothing changes, maybe we see a return to a new old logo.

 

Does it though? Sure in the short run it puts more money in the Brewer coffers, but this is being done after the most successful Brewer season in almost 35 years. But as they go through the inevitable series of rebuilds, and going to games is more of just a summertime tradition to pass a few pleasant hours on a nice summer day, doesn't the sound of "hey, let's go to Miller Park and see a game, sound better than, hey let's go to American Family Field or whatever? At that point the team struggling and having sold it's naming rights for a few extra bucks becomes sort of like when the politicians promised money from the lottery would keep taxes down. If you can't see and feel the benefits as a fan, they don't really exist. All you remember is ownership got more money and the iconic fitting name Miller Park is history.

[xisxisxis]

In fact with all respect to the American Family employees, I'm less likely now to become an American Family customer because I prefer the Brewers play in an appropriately named Miller Park.

Briggs, do you get up to Milwaukee at all to see the Brewers "live"? Would the name change impact your "investment" in brewers? Just wondering as there has been a lot of unhappy people on social media and wondering if there would be any real impact to the name change other than negative comments on it...

 

In general, for those who are really unhappy with the name change, how will this impact your spending on the brewers? None, some, a lot? How are you going to put your unhappiness into action?

[MrTPlush]

I actually question this for American Family. Is this really a good investment? Seems most people who will experience this change (namely Brewers fans) are either furiously angry or don't care. Don't see anyone happy about this. I'm guessing even the "don't care" people would have greatly preferred this didn't happen.

 

Not sure how much "Miller Park" stuff the Brewers actually sell, but I can bet you I will buy nothing featuring American Family as our home etc. Miller Beer was already garbage so that won't change me not buying that and American Family pretty irrelevant to me as I have insurance already. Sure doesn't make me want to get it now.

[Crew2323]

Calling for a grassroots movement to name the park "Ding Dong City".

 

I'd be cool if they called it the "AmFam Ding Dong Dome".

[tmwiese55]

It give the brewers more money and that a good think they will remain the Brewers so nothing changes, maybe we see a return to a new old logo.

 

Does it though? Sure in the short run it puts more money in the Brewer coffers, but this is being done after the most successful Brewer season in almost 35 years. But as they go through the inevitable series of rebuilds, and going to games is more of just a summertime tradition to pass a few pleasant hours on a nice summer day, doesn't the sound of "hey, let's go to Miller Park and see a game, sound better than, hey let's go to American Family Field or whatever? At that point the team struggling and having sold it's naming rights for a few extra bucks becomes sort of like when the politicians promised money from the lottery would keep taxes down. If you can't see and feel the benefits as a fan, they don't really exist. All you remember is ownership got more money and the iconic fitting name Miller Park is history.

 

I also don't like the change but am keeping it in perspective as really not a big deal. Yes, frankly if AmFam was willing to pay X amount more per year than Miller then it simply is more money for team operations whatever it might be, just no way to deny it.

 

As I said, I don't like it and of course "lets go to MP" sounds better. But won't people just say "hey, lets go to the brewers game". Personally I think I almost always say it that way now, but I don't know for sure because really it doesn't matter and I never thought of it. It's all the same thing really. Basically 5 years after the change it'll just blend into the background. Which is also why I think it's dumb for businesses to waste this kind of money, and apparently Miller thought the same way.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

American Family presents Bud Selig Park sponsored by Kohl's has a nice ring to it.

[WurstTo1st]

Some have said that we will all still call it Miller Park so the 2nd naming of a stadium is worth less than the first, so in effect AmFam is wasting their money. Doesn't really matter what we as fans call it. Every time a sportswriter writes about a game it will be "The Brewers took on the Cubs at AmFam Field," live lookins on MLB Network will say, "Let's head to AmFam Field for the Brewers and Cards," TV broadcasts will be "Live from AmFam Field." I use AmFam Field, but whatever they end up call it, not promoting that name.

Each one of those mentions has an exposure value related to the number of people who hear/read/see it and that's what they're paying for. Not what you and I call it. Anyone of us may feel that that BS Advertising has no effect on us individually and makes you no more likely to buy American Family Insurance, but they will tell you otherwise. How much is a 30 second spot in the Super Bowl going for this year?

 

Just hear on MLB Network that the new deal is worth $30M over 15 years. AND.....That a GoFundMe page has been set up to save the Miller Park name seeking the $30M. So far has raised $15. Almost there!

 

Sure most of you have seen this:

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/columnists/george-stanley/2019/01/23/hank-aaron-park-lets-find-lasting-name-we-all-can-toast/2657554002/

 

No one is paying naming rights for Miller Park Way, or the land that the stadium sits on. This would be a fitting honor for a Milwaukee baseball great. The tailgating experience and time spent outside of the game itself is a major part of attending a game in Milwaukee. If the grounds are called Hank Aaron Park, or Aaron Park, located on Hank Aaron Parkway, everyone has a name we can get behind regardless of what company puts their name on the building. Don't need to even go through the cumbersome effort of calling it AmFam Field at Hank Aaron Park. You're going to Hank Aaron Park and enjoying the tailgating, playground, little league field, Brewers/Braves Walls of Fame, statues, and everything else. When the game starts you head into "Corporate Behemoth Stadium."

[pacopete4]

American Family presents Bud Selig Park sponsored by Kohl's has a nice ring to it.

 

[sarcasm]Pretty ticked Culver's didn't get in on the act. No more butter burgers for me.[/sarcasm]

[MrTPlush]

American Family presents Bud Selig Park sponsored by Kohl's has a nice ring to it.

 

[sarcasm]Pretty ticked Culver's didn't get in on the act. No more butter burgers for me.[/sarcasm]

 

Dang...I would have backed that...

 

You all should be happy I have yet to win the lottery. I would call it Cheese Curd Field or something. Fresh and deep fried curds would rule the land.

[xisxisxis]

You all should be happy I have yet to win the lottery. I would call it Cheese Curd Field or something. Fresh and deep fried curds would rule the land.

Fowl Ball Field?

[recte44]

Aaron Park is the best idea, let’s make it happen.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mtrebs]

Just hear on MLB Network that the new deal is worth $30M over 15 years.

 

I thought the Miller deal was $40 million for 20 years and was signed in 1996. So in 23 years (25 years when it's in effect), there was no increase in value of the naming rights? When I heard the $2M/year in 1996 I thought that was VERY low. I would have thought in 2019 dollars we'd be in the ~$15M million/year range. No increase makes this even more disappointing.

[mtrebs]

It should just be renamed to "1982 AL Champions Field".

[brewmann04]

it a name that loyal to fans but the bottom line you go to see the brewers no matter what the name of the stadium is.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

I still call the music venue at Summerfest the Marcus Amphitheater.

[Invader3K]

If American Family wanted to generate some good will buzz, they could call it "AmFam Field at Miller Park", or something like that. My guess is their executives couldn't care less about the public backlash on this, though.

[FVBrewerFan]

If American Family wanted to generate some good will buzz, they could call it "AmFam Field at Miller Park", or something like that. My guess is their executives couldn't care less about the public backlash on this, though.

 

That would be worse, mixing multiple sponsors in the name. I don't see how any parties involved would agree to that.

 

Also, I don't think it's a case of executives not caring what people think, I just a have a feeling they didn't expect a backlash. It's a big PR mistake, they could have done a little research. Send out a letter to season ticket holders with 5-6 corporate names (to avoid exposing AmFam too early) and see what reaction is. Then do the same with the general public, maybe even part of Fan Fest or something.

 

Then based on the feedback, both the Brewers and AmFam could have made a more informed decision. Who knows, maybe they would have forged ahead anyhow. But now that they know, I would suggest they sit down together and make sure they can live with some bad PR and hope that fades away. Otherwise, it's not too late to put the brakes on and go back to Miller to work out a deal. Really doubt that happens though.

[Bob Skube Snacks]

Just hear on MLB Network that the new deal is worth $30M over 15 years.

 

I thought the Miller deal was $40 million for 20 years and was signed in 1996. So in 23 years (25 years when it's in effect), there was no increase in value of the naming rights? When I heard the $2M/year in 1996 I thought that was VERY low. I would have thought in 2019 dollars we'd be in the ~$15M million/year range. No increase makes this even more disappointing.

 

Naming rights money has gone way down everywhere since the 90s.

[TURBO]

Otherwise, it's not too late to put the brakes on and go back to Miller to work out a deal.

 

Pretty sure contracts have been signed and it's a done deal.

 

No way Miller makes it back into the conversation.

[tmwiese55]

Ha, I guess I nailed that a few pages ago guessing it's stagnated.

 

Really if you want someone to blame here it's probably Miller. Essentially they could've just extended their current deal and they said No. One has to think that as long as they were reasonably close they'd have gotten a 'hometown' discount so to speak in order avoid this backlash and because it's a perfect name. So chances are they severely lowballed or straight up said they weren't interested.

[homer]

Ha, I guess I nailed that a few pages ago guessing it's stagnated.

 

Really if you want someone to blame here it's probably Miller. Essentially they could've just extended their current deal and they said No. One has to think that as long as they were reasonably close they'd have gotten a 'hometown' discount so to speak in order avoid this backlash and because it's a perfect name. So chances are they severely lowballed or straight up said they weren't interested.

 

Miller isn't headquartered in Milwaukee anymore.

[tigerbrew]

I always like the Dome name for covered stadiums and the Brewers have the unique baseball retractable fan roof which is the distinctive feature of the stadium.

 

There is the Superdome and Alamodome, I hope they rename Miller Park to the Brewerdome. The AmFam Brewerdome sounds good to me, people will simply call it the Brewerdome.

[tmwiese55]

Ha, I guess I nailed that a few pages ago guessing it's stagnated.

 

Really if you want someone to blame here it's probably Miller. Essentially they could've just extended their current deal and they said No. One has to think that as long as they were reasonably close they'd have gotten a 'hometown' discount so to speak in order avoid this backlash and because it's a perfect name. So chances are they severely lowballed or straight up said they weren't interested.

 

Miller isn't headquartered in Milwaukee anymore.

 

I know. That's why the quotes, I didn't even mean it that way regarding actual localness. Meant more in the it's already there, it works perfect, simplicity, convenience, no backlash etc. Better phrasing would've been a 'friends and family' type discount I suppose. I just meant it in a way that the Brewers might've been willing to take slightly less for them. Obviously just guessing but say it was 15 for 25-27 instead of 30 mil instead for Milwaukee maybe it would've been good enough. Maybe not though.

 

Even if you did want to talk local, they still obviously have a huge presence in MKE even if headquarters is gone now. That's all a wash anyway because AmFam is based in WI