June 21, 2011

I'm Calling it Seahawks Stadium

Two years ago, when the New York Mets moved into their new ballpark, many folks, including Mets Fan/Uni Watch blogger Paul Lukas, were displeased with the new park's name. Lukas decided that he would simply ignore the name "Citi Field," and continue calling it Shea Stadium.

Thus, the "I'm Calling it Shea" movement was born... The slogan ended up on a T-shirt, the idea caught on in other cities, and a whole bunch of T-shirts have been sold.

Now, it's official: The Seahawks will no longer play at Qwest Field, starting this fall. I already covered this back in March, but this seems like a good time to revisit the issue. I don't think this is some grave injustice or anything- Corporate names on stadiums have been around forever, and will be with us for the foreseeable future... But we don't have to play along. We don't have to rewire our brains every time a company gobbles up another one. They count on the fact that even those of us who piss and moan about the new name on the stadium will eventually wear down, give in, and start calling it what we are supposed to. Hell, maybe we'll even give it a cute nickname like "The CLink" (Barf).

But we can keep it simple. We can call it what it was called before it was even built, and what it was called from 2002-2004: Seahawks Stadium. Many Sounders FC fans already call it "Royal Brougham Park," so why can't the Twelve Army slap it's own nickname onto the arena?

We paid for the stadium. We pay to sit in the stadium and watch the games. We pay for the food, the beer, the team merchandise. Sure, the team can sell the official naming rights, but WE can call it whatever the fuck we want. That new official name? It's fucking lame. For me, it will now ONLY be called Seahawks Stadium, now and forever.

Who is with me on this?

If you are with me, perhaps you'd like our own "Naming Wrongs" shirt, like the others available at No Mas? I'm trying to get them to print some up- I promise that if they do, I will see you at the home opener against Arizona September 25, and you will see me wearing an "I'm Calling it Seahawks Stadium" T-shirt.

If you want to join me in this crusade, it would help to tell the folks at No Mas that you'd ALSO like to buy an "I'm Calling it Seahawks Stadium" T-Shirt. They are on Twitter so you can send them a blast there, or you can call them up at 917-338-4334, or you can email them at admin AT nomas-nyc.com.

Our team, our stadium. We can call it whatever we want. Join the insurgency.

6 comments:

Eric Flatness said...

Royal Brougham Park, the street that runs between the stadiums. Its a fancier name, and doesn't leave out Sounders fans.

Ramona P. said...

It was Seahawks Stadium first. Plus, I don't give a crap about the Sounders :)

Jonathan Dalar said...

Seahawks Stadium. It can be Sounders Stadium for them when they play, but whatever.

KB said...

I'd buy a shirt or two.

Ramona P. said...

If you haven't yet, tell that to the No Mas folks! :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the CLiF (CenturyLink Field).