CTA to allow naming rights

[Guest ctafan630]

From the Chicago Tribune:

The CTA will go out for bids next week to sell naming rights to its rail lines and stations, bus

routes and other assets, CTA president Richard Rodriguez announced Wednesday.

The transit agency expects to award corporate sponsorships by next spring, Rodriguez said.

He said a corporate adviser will help package the sponsorship opportunities.

In addition to bus and rail lines, retail spaces and special events will also be made available

for corporations to put their names on, Rodriguez told the CTA board.

CTA board member John Bouman asked whether the Red Line might become the Cubs or the White Sox line, considering it serves both Wrigley Field and U.S. Cellular Field.

The highest bidder will be able to hoist the "W" banner over its ballpark, Rodriguez indicated.

The CTA has not so far sold naming rights on it facilities, but it did recently conclude a deal

with Apple that led to major improvements at the North/Clybourn station on the Red Line.

--Jon Hilkevitch

I can see it now. All you need to do is take the Fed Ex line to the UPS station where you can transfer to Home Depot Line. Take the Home Depot Line and get off at Starbucks.

[Busjack]

I thought I had some prize suggestions in this Chicago Now post that presaged this by about a month. :lol:

[Guest]

I watched the report about this on Fox news and I think this has to be one of stupidest ideas Ive ever heard of! It just sounds so ridiculous to be changing station or bus route names into corporate names. This makes it look like CTA is selling itself out to corporate America. I hope the CTA isnt really serious about this, they seriously need to drop this dumb idea. This is no doubt going to confuse a lot of people who are unfamiliar with our system. If CTA is dumb enough to fall for this idea I only hope that Pace and Metra will not follow this stupid idea. It just sounds so ridiculous.

[Busjack]

... It just sounds so ridiculous to be changing station or bus route names into corporate names. This makes it look like CTA is selling itself out to corporate America....

Aside from whether everything is being sold out to corporate America (probably corporate World), I don't think this s quite as bad as you think.

It undoubtedly will be something like Soldier Field--still Soldier Field (or Soldier's Field as da Mare says) with the Bears presented by whatever the Bank's name is this week. The example was given about how Apple bought the rights to renovate the North and Clybourn station, but, it is still North and Clybourn (or as Mr. CTA says "North and Clyboorne.") The proliferation of brown street signs indicates that the #56 bus line will still be Milwaukee and won't be renamed for Mrs. T.

Now that one thinks about it, most of the buses are now wrapped and the fronts of CTA ones are pretty much all sponsored by The U. Whether the corporations want to be more associated with the CTA than that remains to be seen

Of course, (maybe I shouldn't bring up personal profession), would you prefer a fire truck sponsored by Pepto Bismol (kills heartburn) or none at all? That may be the next place the presumptive next mayor is going.

[rotjohns]

I knew this was coming once word got out Apple paid for the renovations for the North/Clyborn stop and got it's naming rights to the station. I even read an article about how much of a good idea it would be to do this for all stations. This comes down to one thing: MONEY!!! CTA is using whatever it can to generate income since the state and feds can't come up with it. This is truly sad.

[sw4400]

I can see it now. All you need to do is take the Fed Ex line to the UPS station where you can transfer to Home Depot Line. Take the Home Depot Line and get off at Starbucks.

This line naming is so ridiculous! I'm just going to take pick up the Home Depot Line at Best Buy Station, transfer to the Dunkin' Donuts Line at the Fanny May Station and take that to the Money Gram Station, get off and grab the Jewel Bus to go to work!!! :lol:

[Guest]

This line naming is so ridiculous! I'm just going to take pick up the Home Depot Line at Best Buy Station, transfer to the Dunkin' Donuts Line at the Fanny May Station and take that to the Money Gram Station, get off and grab the Jewel Bus to go to work!!!

SW thats exactly what Im talking about!! Even joking, the names sound ridiculous!! I hope this dosent happen! CTA can figure out other ways to generate revenue but not this way!.

[PACE 834]

Have they(CTA)thought of how visitors(or the elderly) will take to this? I'm also curious how they will print these up,and in how many languages? :unsure:

[Guest]

This line naming is so ridiculous! I'm just going to take pick up the Home Depot Line at Best Buy Station, transfer to the Dunkin' Donuts Line at the Fanny May Station and take that to the Money Gram Station, get off and grab the Jewel Bus to go to work!!!

Were already the laughing stock of the nation because of the history of political corruption. We dont need to be the laughing stock because of our ridiculous train station names and lines. This is going to be the mst ridiculous idea in Chicago since the "Cows on Parade" a few years ago.

[Guest ctafan630]

This line naming is so ridiculous! I'm just going to take pick up the Home Depot Line at Best Buy Station, transfer to the Dunkin' Donuts Line at the Fanny May Station and take that to the Money Gram Station, get off and grab the Jewel Bus to go to work!!!

You forgot to mention that you will need to take the #12 Jewel Bus and transfer to the #22 Wrigley Field Bus.

I wonder how the CTA will work the corporate sponsorship into the LED displays on the buses.

Welcome aboard Route #147, The Museum of Science and Industry Outer Drive Express to the Levi Jeans Sta.

I think this a bad idea. This is going to get to confusing for visitors. I am sure at some point in time, there will be somebody/some group that will find offense to the corporate/group that gets a naming right.

[artthouwill]

This is what it has come down to.

Let's look at sports. Cleveland's Jacobs Field is now Progressive Field. San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium is not Petco Park. Comiskey Park became U.S. Cellular Field. Most professional sports stadiums have corporate names attached to them. Why? Because corporations are willing to pay money (millions of dollars) to have their names said millions of times. "Live from U.S. Cellular Field." The sports franchises are happy to take that money, it is a revenue generator to the point that corporations even attach their names to "sections" of ball parks, ie. Bud Light Bleachers at Wrigley. I'm sure a lot of sports fans don't like the seemingly overkill of corporate naming rights, but they tolerate it if it keeps ticket prices somewhat affordable. Without that additional revenue for corporate sponsored sections, skyboxes, suites, etc, teams could be forced out of business.

We can cry all day and make fun of the Jewel or Dominick's route, but if that is what it takes to keep fares at $2.25 and keep my bus routes running, then so be it. I'd rather ride the Doublemint Green Line than to have no Green Line service at all. Why? People want to keep the service, but it costs money that no one wants to spend. We complain about everyone at CTA making too much money, but no one suggesting they should take pay cuts would DARE take pay cuts themselves. In fact, those are the same people who are looking for more money for themselves.

Based on that, I'm all for the Apple- North/Clybourn stop. The Cubs Addison stop, The United Blue Line, the Southwest Orange Line. I'm sure the locals won't necessarily use those names, but you will hear Mr. CTA say "Welcome Aboard Southwest Airlines Orange Line run 715." What is the alternative? INcreased fares AND reduced service? I think not, so if this is what it takes to be a generator of revenue, then so be it.

[Busjack]

...

Welcome aboard Route #147, The Museum of Science and Industry Outer Drive Express to the Levi Jeans Sta.

I think this a bad idea. This is going to get to confusing for visitors. I am sure at some point in time, there will be somebody/some group that will find offense to the corporate/group that gets a naming right.

Already there is a 10 Museum of Science and Industry bus. So, either you are implying that MSI is getting a freebee, or that there will be duplicate route names?

Also, the rest of you seem to assume, but all news reports are to the contrary, that the actual street designations of routes and destinations would change. Everything in the press is to the contrary, i.e. that it would be the Harold's Green Line, not the Harold's Line.

I still think that it is more of an issue that corporations wouldn't want their names associated with the CTA.

[artthouwill]

Already there is a 10 Museum of Science and Industry bus. So, either you are implying that MSI is getting a freebee, or that there will be duplicate route names?

Also, the rest of you seem to assume, but all news reports are to the contrary, that the actual street designations of routes and destinations would change. Everything in the press is to the contrary, i.e. that it would be the Harold's Green Line, not the Harold's Line.

I still think that it is more of an issue that corporations wouldn't want their names associated with the CTA.

Is that the Harold Washington Green Line or the Harold's CHICKEN Green Line?

[sw4400]

What is the alternative? Increased fares AND reduced service?

Going slightly OT here, but one thing that'll definately cause increased fares and reduced service is the Free Rides for Seniors program implemented by that disgrace of a Governor we had. In 2009, that program cost the Transit Agencies between $38-$116 million dollars!!! By 2030, it'll incrase up to around $55-$162 million dollars!!! How many routes do you see cut because of this??? How much is the fare for the avg. citizen 64 and under going to be because of this??? The price of a 1-Day Pass? 3-Day? 7-Day? 30-Day? I'm really thinking the original thought of 81 bus routes eliminated, all rail lines except Blue and Red ending at 12:00a, and fares of $7-$8, without transfer mind you, are possible unless our Legislature wakes the hell up and looks at the picture as a whole. I mean, set the Free Rides with the Circuit Breaker Program!!! Many of the Seniors in the Chicago Metropolitan Area that need the Free Ride are eligible for it. Then they can try to get that gas tax to generate more revenue for the CTA, Metra and PACE(which makes more sense than the Real Estate Tax, as you need gas to drive your car, as does the CTA, Metra and PACE)

I remember that Doomsday Scenario once. Routes like #11, #49A, #49B, #50, #78, #80, #143, #144, #145, #146, #147, #148, #152 and #156 were slated for elimination at the time. Unfortunately I cannot find the full list of the 81 originally planned for elimination online, but you name it, it probably was on the list. This is still a possibility unless Springfield gets it's head together and curtails that Free Ride for Seniors program a bit.

[Busjack]

Is that the Harold Washington Green Line or the Harold's CHICKEN Green Line?

The latter. Harold Washington already got the stop renamed at Library.

[geneking7320]

This is what it has come down to.

Let's look at sports. Cleveland's Jacobs Field is now Progressive Field. San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium is not Petco Park. <snip>

Actually, Jack Murphy Stadium is indeed NOT Petco Park. The Chargers play at the former Jack Murphy Stadium [Qualcom ?] and the Padres play at Petco. The San Diego Trolley provides access to both places. I learned this from my 2006 visit to SD.

Gene King

[trainman8119]

I agree..dumb, dumb, dumb. Will a corporation have final say so on a route cancellation. Talk about losing control of the agency !!! Will the Brown Line trains be stored at the Admiral Theatre yard ??

[artthouwill]

I agree..dumb, dumb, dumb. Will a corporation have final say so on a route cancellation. Talk about losing control of the agency !!! Will the Brown Line trains be stored at the Admiral Theatre yard ??

No, but I can see UPS getting naming rights to this line. What can Brown do for you?

[artthouwill]

Actually, Jack Murphy Stadium is indeed NOT Petco Park. The Chargers play at the former Jack Murphy Stadium [Qualcom ?] and the Padres play at Petco. The San Diego Trolley provides access to both places. I learned this from my 2006 visit to SD.

Gene King

Thanks. I stand corrected. But you still get the point.

[BusHunter]

I agree..dumb, dumb, dumb. Will a corporation have final say so on a route cancellation. Talk about losing control of the agency !!! Will the Brown Line trains be stored at the Admiral Theatre yard ??

A good question would be when a sponsor does indeed sponsor a line, will they have control or any audio advertizement towards the customer on the PA system. Will the customer be hearing advertizements on a rotating schedule? That might be annoying like spam or phone solicitors. Also who would pay for all the rail and bus stop signs you would have to change for a new sponsor. As well as the programming for the destination signs on all equipment involved.

[Busjack]

A good question would be when a sponsor does indeed sponsor a line, will they have control or any audio advertisement towards the customer on the PA system. Will the customer be hearing advertisements on a rotating schedule? That might be annoying like spam or phone solicitors. Also who would pay for all the rail and bus stop signs you would have to change for a new sponsor. As well as the programming for the destination signs on all equipment involved.

The first part indicates that you have put your finger on the real annoyance. It is one thing if all the Red Line trains were wrapped for Target (after all, they have a red logo), but something altogether different if there were repeated announcements "get off to shop at Tarzahy at Wilson." This, of course, was foreshadowed by Pace's on again off again solicitation to use its announcement system for ads.

As far as paying for new signs, one would suppose that the new sponsor would--but there is enough of that garbage with ball parks. I figure with all that and bank mergers, there must be money to be made in the sign industry, but I haven't figured it out yet.

[artthouwill]

A good question would be when a sponsor does indeed sponsor a line, will they have control or any audio advertizement towards the customer on the PA system. Will the customer be hearing advertizements on a rotating schedule? That might be annoying like spam or phone solicitors. Also who would pay for all the rail and bus stop signs you would have to change for a new sponsor. As well as the programming for the destination signs on all equipment involved.

Not to mention conflicts of interests if you are giving naming rights out for stations as well as lines. Consider the American Airlines O'Hare station on the United Airlines Blue Line train with Delta Airline wraps. I think the rail lines and stations present the best opportunities for sponsorships, moreso than bus routes. Bus routes would probably be limited to repitition of sponsors name on route at an irritating frequency (read everytime the doors are opened).

[sw4400]

Looks like someone(long time Tattler reader Christopher) took a stab at naming at least the rail lines. Now I highly doubt this'll be 100% correct, but some of these might hold true...

Map here

[BusHunter]

Looks like someone(long time Tattler reader Christopher) took a stab at naming at least the rail lines. Now I highly doubt this'll be 100% correct, but some of these might hold true...

Map here

With all the tire companies and car products on the blue line/kennedy section we may be getting off and proceeding to the Nascar Park N' Ride/Kiss N' Ride lots. Although Allstate Arena or some big hotel would probably be interested in Rosemont station, but what happens with the Rose logo for Rosemont station. (BTW, I wonder if there getting money for that)

[artthouwill]

Looks like someone(long time Tattler reader Christopher) took a stab at naming at least the rail lines. Now I highly doubt this'll be 100% correct, but some of these might hold true...

Map here

I think this whole thing is blown out of proportion. I think selling the naming rights of any rail station will not totally eliminate the current station name. For instance, the North/Clybourn station would probably become the Apple North/Clybourn station or the Apple station at North & Clybourn. The rights winner would get exclusive advertising rights there. We won't have to worry about renaming and memorizing new names for stops.