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ChicagocrewIRL
4th June 2007, 02:20
I've been hearing and reading a lot lately that one of the remedies to bring Indy back to where it should be in the world of sports would be to find a title sponsor and boost the purse to the point where the winner gets at least $10 million and the last position gets at least $500K.

The premise is that the money will bring in more entries and more quality to the field. I don't think that this point is disputed. I'm all for it.

What I have a problem with is naming the 500 some gawd awful commercial name like the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl or Peake Antifreeze 300 or something along those lines. I guess I'm a traditionalist and I like not having to put some commercial product name in there. Who doesn't prefer the name Brickyard 400 over The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard? I shudder to think of what awful undignified name they come up with for the greatest race in the world. But if it is to remain the greatest race in the world this might be a necessary evil.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place ...

Back when the IRL had a title sponsor, Pep Boys Indy Racing League sounded horrid, as did Northern Lights Indy Racing. There are just some corporate names out there that are just down right unsavory from an aesthetic standpoint.

I'm thinking it will eventually happen when the 500 does have a title sponsor. I'm just hoping that when they do find one, they take into account the dignity of the event in whatever name they eventually settle with. In my estimation, the event is still iconic enough to land a title sponsor with ease if the IRL ever chose to go that route.

Some title sponsors I wouldn't mind seeing........

FedEx,Chevron,Boeing,Chase,Exxon Mobile,AT&T,AIG,IBM,Altria,Marathon Oil,MetLife,Merril Lynch,Oracle.....especially BOEING !!!!

gawd help us if it's WALMART

Bob Riebe
4th June 2007, 08:30
The closest one will probably ever get to this is: The Indianapolis 500, sponsord by --------

Quetch
4th June 2007, 11:37
This year it was Indianapolis 500 presented by godaddy.com or that was just the ABC broadcast?

indycool
4th June 2007, 15:53
Just the ABC broadcast.....back quite a few years, Marlboro offered $10 million for the title sponsorship and IMS turned 'em down.

call_me_andrew
4th June 2007, 22:06
I wouldn't mind hearing "Indianapolis 500 Presented by Brand X", but everytime I hear "Allstate 400 at the Brickyard" it makes my skin crawl... and I dry heave a little.

Cass
4th June 2007, 22:46
Ya, the article by RM was so easy to put into effect...just gets sponsers to do it, just get sponsers to spend money.....so easy.....god, wish I would of thought of it....you mean...you just find sponsers like that?