Penguins name the new Igloo

by James Mirtle on Dec 15, 2008 1:06 PM CST Comment 18 comments

CONSOL Energy Inc. and the Pittsburgh Penguins announced today a 21-year deal for naming rights to the new Pittsburgh multi-purpose arena.

Consol Energy Center will be home to the Pittsburgh Penguins and is scheduled to open in time for the 2010-11 National Hockey League season. The facility will also serve as a centerpiece for year-round entertainment in the region, including world-class concerts, family shows and a wide variety of other events.

A major partner of the organization for several years, CONSOL Energy is most commonly known by fans for its energizing "Power to the Penguins" video played prior to hockey games. The company also sponsored the giant television screen outside Mellon Arena during last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

"We are excited to extend our partnership with CONSOL Energy," said Mario Lemieux, co-owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins. "We think there is some great synergy involving one of the nation’s leading energy companies, an energetic young hockey team and this vibrant city and region."

>> team release

Err, what did they do to Mario? Here's hoping a PR director wrote that quote.

Consol Energy Center is far from the worst named rink in the league, especially considering it's only a matter of time before this one's known as Igloo 2. I had a chance to scout out the new location, just across the street from Mellon Arena, when I was in Pittsburgh in the spring, and it's going to be pretty impressive (whatever it's called).

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I’m sure if Mario did say that it was via index cards with a few of his token “ums” and “uhs” thrown in there for good measure as well.

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by FrankD on Dec 15, 2008 1:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

It will always be the Igloo, regardless of what company owns it. Why can’t more companies embrace the nickname in addition to the corporate name? Prudential did a smart thing by encouraging the nickname of the new arena be the Rock as a shortened take on their logo. I am still waiting on jobing.com to make the next move.

The population of Pominville keeps rising!

by Blackcapricorn on Dec 15, 2008 1:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

When the Philly Eagles noticed fans were naming Lincoln Financial Field “The Linc,” they made a public announcement explaining how much money companies put into the naming rights and that it should be called by it’s full name. As you can imagine it didn’t go over well, especially in a city like Philly. If I recall correctly, a few months later they finally encouraged people to call it The Linc.

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by FrankD on Dec 15, 2008 1:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That’s the funniest part: The disconnect when these companies get upset and clarify, “Hey, we paid for you to call it [Inc. Corp.] Center.”

Better yet when these companies fail or rename themselves (PacBell/SBC/AT&T, or Savvis, Enron, etc.). The unreality required when the same building is called one thing one year and another thing the next … sheesh. It’s a shame newspapers feel compelled to play along; makes digging through archives a little confusing, to say the least.

Lighthouse Hockey: an SB Nation New York Islanders blog with hip issues.

by Dominik on Dec 15, 2008 2:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's all I need is for some corporate jerk-off...

to tell me what I SHOULD call a venue!!! The media may be required to use the corporate name, but the fans can call the structure anything we want…it’s one of the few privileges the fanbase has. Very few people care about the naming rights thing. The ball park where the White Sox play here in Chicago, I don’t even use the traditional name (Comiskey), let alone the corporate one (which I won’t repeat here)…I call it ’Sox Park".

by tbell61 on Dec 15, 2008 5:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What makes it even more difficult ...

Is if for a while a sporting venue doesn’t have a corporate name. The football stadium for the Baltimore Ravens didn’t have the naming rights sold right away, so for a season or so everyone called it “Ravens Stadium.” Then the first company to buy the naming rights was PSINET, and you would have thought the end of the world was coming by how much people ripped on the stupid name with too many syllables and odd capitalization. It also was a sore spot that it replaced Memorial Stadium, which included a memorial to war dead in its facade.

If the team wanted to win over Baltimoreans forever, they would have renamed it Johnny Unitas Memorial Stadium.

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Dec 15, 2008 5:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

@ Dominik

Good point. Why can’t game broadcasters just say, “After one period here in Pittsburgh, it’s the Penguins 2 and the Rangers 1”. Why do they feel compelled to say, “No score after two here at the Bell Centre.” I mean, people aren’t there to buy cell phones (or drill for oil, I suppose, in Pittsburgh’s case), so why mention the name of the arena? Who cares what it’s called?

There’s no excuse for newspapers carrying game stories or sports networks showing highlight reels. Any story that uses the phrase, “Boston has reeled off 10 wins in its past 11 games at the TD Banknorth Waterhouse Capital One Rat House” is more understandable (especially to casual fans) if it’s simply put: “Boston has won 10 of its past 11 at home.”

by Dr Van Nostrum on Dec 15, 2008 2:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Which is funny from a Pittsburgh perspective as well because I’ve always found sentences like “home at Mellon Arena” a bit redundant myself, although I have noticed over the years mentions of it in game stories and such have been at a minimum. With a new arena on the horizon, and an ALL NEW name to brand, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Mario and Co. worked out a plan with Consol to assure their name will be mentioned at least once in every story.

Follow the Penguins on SBN @ Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Dec 15, 2008 3:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Odds that Consol Energy will still be around and solvent in 10-11?

5-1.

See the mess in New York with the new Mets’ stadium being CitiField? Might as well call it Taxpayer Field.

by Afino on Dec 15, 2008 2:36 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

True, but banks are having issues right now. Energy companies, barring a drastic political conversation about renewed energy sources, are probably at an advantage in terms of naming rights.

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by FrankD on Dec 15, 2008 3:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Igloo 2: Electric Boogaloo

by twoeightnine on Dec 15, 2008 2:58 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Heck, most everyone I know still calls it the Civic Arena.

by matskralc on Dec 15, 2008 4:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Folks around here have already decided to call the Consol Energy Center “The Mine”

by daismog on Dec 15, 2008 7:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Mario's place

Justice be done it should be called the House that Mario Built. It was literally built on his back!

by powerplay on Dec 15, 2008 9:28 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking that, too. Actually, I wanted to do a poll but could only think of the two names…

by James Mirtle on Dec 15, 2008 11:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

James

Not sure if you’re old enough to remember this, but back when they were building the Skydome, they held a name the dome contest. My favorite that was printed in the paper was “Taxpayer Gets Scrood Again Dome.”

by Dr Van Nostrum on Dec 16, 2008 2:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs