For 35 years, Chiefs fans have attended games religiously. For 35 years, the fans have filled seemingly every seat every game and have even broken NFL records. For 35 years grown men have cheered, cried and rode an emotional roller coaster that is incomparable in anything else in the world.
The other consistency of the last 35 years is every one of those things happened at Arrowhead Stadium.
Now, the front offices decided to sell the naming rights. That is going to change very soon.
Between now and 2010, the name will no longer be Arrowhead Stadium. My prediction for the new name is Wal-Mart Field… at Arrowhead Stadium.
The new name will have Arrowhead included, in accordance with founder Lamar Hunt's wishes. The name change would not be in the best wishes of Hunt. He was open in expressing his wishes to keep the title corporation free.
In 2001, the Denver Broncos went through the same ordeal. The Broncos were getting a new stadium, which meant they needed a new name. The name changed from Mile High Stadium to INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium. I do not remember the last time I heard an announcer or any person say Mile High Stadium when talking about the present Broncos. I only want to hear Arrowhead Stadium said when I'm watching a game on TV or in person. I never want the PA announcer to say "Welcome to Wal-Mart Field!" instead of welcoming me to the greatest football stadium in the world.
Arrowhead is currently undergoing some major and very expensive renovations. The new renovations are set for completion in 2010 and selling the naming rights of the stadium will bring in about $6 million annually.
No one should start shopping for a new team to fall in love with quite yet though. The Chiefs have tried selling the naming right before and were unsuccessful. So, this time around we'll see how it all works out.
I'm not a grump old man who hates everything to do with change. I love change, and I'm very excited the stadium is undergoing renovations. But I don't think the name is in any need of a renovation.
Once the name is changed, it will lose its mystique. Every time I walk through the parking lot of Arrowhead, I get the same feeling in my stomach that can never be reproduced. I am very sad knowing my children may grow up without that feeling, attending Wal-Mart Field instead of the storied Arrowhead Stadium.
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