Deborah Edgerly
Oakland City Administrator
One City Hall Plaza, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Dear Ms. Edgerly:
I was driving back from the west side of the bay the other day, and for a moment I thought I had lost my way. I had never before seen the exit “Monster Park,” but soon enough it occurred to me that Candlestick Park had changed its name again, before anyone became too accustomed to calling it “San Francisco Stadium at Candlestick Point” after forgetting to call it 3Com Park. The men in the orange vests from Cal Trans must be even more annoyed than the rest of us when they are sent up on those green signs that hover over the swift metal current of traffic to change the name so often.
I just learned, however, that the fed up folks of San Francisco passed a law that will return the stadium’s name to Candlestick again after Monster’s contract expires in 2008. How can we effect similar change in Oakland? It’s such a shame to let commercial references creep into every experience. I have no nostalgic memories of seeing the A’s play at McAfee Coliseum, but simply at Oakland Coliseum. The naming rights phenomenon has gradually gotten out of hand and it is nice to see that people have some recourse. Hospitals even change their names under private sponsorship. What if someone can’t find their hospital in an emergency because they do not know whet the latest name is? Where does it end? A high school in Minnesota is placing ads in a school play! There is also potential for embarrassment, as a stadium in Arizona was nearly named Pink Taco.
I hope the people of Oakland can take action and give the Coliseum its dignity and consistency back. Maybe if people take active interest in their venue the A’s will stay in Oakland!
Truly,
Liz Mann
