Names sweeter than 'The Rose Garden'

I e-mailed the following to The Oregonian's Letters section this morning after reading that the Portland Trailblazers are in the process of selling the naming rights to the Rose Garden.

Missing from the letter is mention of the irony of Billionaire Paul Allen's trying the squeeze every last dime out of his franchise.

Here's the letter:


Re: “Blazers try to sell arena name” Jan. 15, 2013.

Would a Rose Garden by any other name smell as sweet? Does Jeld Wen Field smell as sweet as Civic Stadium?

Names matter.

Don't believe it? Try “Trashco Arena” or "1-800-Got Junk Stadium" on for size. Or how about following Denver’s indirect support of childhood obesity by naming its facility “Pepsi Center?”

Obviously naming rights have value so how about using the name of an admired Trailblazer to support a worthy, cherished cause?

Thousands of Blazer fans would contribute to the name "Maurice Lucas Stadium." The much admired power forward and mainstay of the Blazer’s championship team died of cancer in 2010. The naming-rights money for Lucas Stadium would go to support cancer research at OHSU. Trailblazer owner Paul Allen, just a year younger than Lucas, should understand as he has suffered his own bouts with cancer. Allen, known for his philanthropy, might even match the fans' contribution.

A final suggestion: Drexler Arena, for the greatest Trailblazer of all. I’m sure fans would donate to a Clyde Drexler Foundation dedicated to a worthy local cause.

Names like these smell of civic sweetness — sweeter, even, than a rose.

Rick Seifert
Portland

Rip City asks, "Recession? What Recession?"

Which one doesn’t fit?

a) Housing prices are falling. Bye-bye equity.

b) Car dealers can’t give away inventory.

c) The unemployment rate is soaring.

d) The Blazers are raising their ticket prices 6.7 percent

The correct answer is d) ... I guess.

It’s all a matter of supply and demand, sports reporter Jason Quick of The Oregonian tells us today.

The supply part I get. The supply of seats in the Rose Garden is fixed. The Blazer franchise finally has managed to hire law-abiding, yet competitive players. The place is selling out — at current prices.

It’s the demand part I can’t figure.

Blazer fans apparently don’t turn the pages from the sports section to the business section. Or open their 401 (k) statements.

If they did, they would join the rest of us in thinking about how to hack away at discretionary spending. You’d think Blazer tickets would be right up there at the top of the cut list — along with a spur-of-the-moment trip to Paris, a new car and a five-course dinner in the Pearl.

You’d think. But you’d be wrong.

When it comes to sports fans, we are in the world of fanaticism and fantasy. What do reason and a bank statement have to do with the thrill of victory on hardwood or turf?

The economy can be tanking, but as long at the Blazers are on a Rip City tear, Blazer owner Paul Allen can jack up his prices — the real world economy be damned.

For the ’09-’10 season, that means that the best seats in the house will go for $140 a pop, up from $130. The whole season will cost a cool $6,160.

It’s anybody’s guess what Paul will be asking for beer and parking.

If there is any consolation, it’s that the nose-bleed, blue collar sections won’t cost more next year. For the pleasure of watching ant-sized millionaires race around on a court the size of a playing card, you still will pay $9.