Editorial: The name game seems such a shame

OPINION: What's in a name?

Well, maybe, an easy buck, at least as far as the Nelson City Council is concerned. It is considering a new naming rights and sponsorship policy, prompted in part by the growing success (not to mention earning potential) of the splendid facilities at Saxton Field.

The council cites the ASB Aquatic Centre as a good example of the sort of agreement that might be entered into, for the right price, and is investigating whether it needs to "fine-tune" its policy on signage in order to avoid creating double standards.

While a deep-pocketed corporate could get its moniker on the whole paddock, the naming rights to individual sections of the development might also be sold off to the highest bidder, along with other council-owned community assets. Trafalgar Park and the Trafalgar Centre are among them – but why stop there?

The McDougall's Burger Whakapuaka Cemetery has an obvious link, and the Cawthron Contracting for Concrete Steps and Paving Nelson Provincial Museum a dusty connection.

The Elite Bathhouse and Escort Agency, Pensioner Perks Available Before 7pm Weekdays Riverside Swimming Pool has a certain soggy symmetry to it, and the standard of the rugger would hardly be lessened by playing it at Quality Inns of New Zealand, Instant Online Bookings Trafalgar Park. Why not the Sealording It Over Us Ltd Port of Nelson, or the Air Nu Zeal And Associates Nelson Airport? Why not indeed.

With its prominent position at the gateway to the city, the council HQ would be a natural for flogging off to the corporates. It would look splendid indeed decked out in Burger Ring colours with giant pottles of fries decorating the clock tower. Of course, the city fathers (and mothers) would be foolish to stop at selling their concrete and steel assets. There would surely be a big black entry on the balance sheet if the Nel Big Mac and Son Nelson City Council deal were negotiated properly. And why not really go for broke and auction off the top job? The Nelson Mayoralty Brought to You this Month by Mighty 10 Mega Ltd might marshall up a small fortune for the city.

We exaggerate for effect, of course, but not by much. Trafalgar Park has a long and proud history beneath its current shabby appearance. Corporate sponsors tend to come and go, as the good folk of Christchurch have noted while watching impotently from the sidelines as their much beloved Lancaster Park became first Jade and then AMI Stadium. Historic connections are years in the making and, it would seem, too easily thrown away in the new user pays and sell-anything-if-it-wiggles era.

Perhaps the public soon became comfortable with the Air New Zealand Cup for the nation's premier rugby competition – as long as the Makos stay involved we can live with that name. But how would the Mad Butcher's Ranfurly Shield go down? Would Nelson cricketers players feel quite so passionately about competing for the Hawke It Off At Cash Converters Cup? Names are important. They resonate with and reflect the soul of the places and events with which they are associated. The Super Cheap Auto Saxton Field might knock a few cents from the rates bill, but what would we stand to lose?

- © Fairfax NZ News

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