Over the Line
I thought this was a joke when I first read it on Fark, but it’s true:
The Chicago Bears are more or less changing their name to “Bears football presented by Bank One” for the next twelve years. Corporate sponsorship of stadia is somewhat understandable, especially if the ballparks are new (Bank One Ballpark, Target Center, Fleet Center, etc). But changing the name of a team is too much. Names for new franchises are already focus grouped to death; do businesses really have to get in on the action, as well?
If there is any justice, this will fail miserably, and teams will continue to be known by their current monikers.