Day 16: They Sold Me Out

Moving forward into the new season, the Cleveland Indians kicked off their Annual Winter Caravan on Monday. Amongst the fan question and answer and autograph sessions, the Indians also announced their promotional schedule. Featured giveaways this year are "Cy Cy Sabathia" and "Golden Grady" Bobbleheads and a Progressive Field cap. Progressive Field? Not Jacobs Field? Hmmmm, I believe I heard about this, but in all reality, these naming rights deals are all too common now and difficult to keep up with.

Wasn't Jacobs field recently built? What happened to Jacob? It was easy and hip to say, "The Jake by the Lake." Now what? Anyone know the what the new nickname will be? US Cellular Field in Chicago is known as the "Cell" and Giants Stadium in SF is known as "The House that Balco" built (I just made that up, but I'm sure some people do already refer to it as that). It's changed so many times, that I'm not even sure what it is and quite frankly don't care. I'm thinking AT&T Park, but AT&T went out of business didn't it? Oh boy, its hard to be a advertising pimp in the city nowadays.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer web site, "...Jacobs Field, the Indians' home since it opened in 1994, officially became Progressive Field. Mayfield-based Progressive Corp., the nation's third-largest auto insurer, bought rights to the name, agreeing to pay about $3.6 million per year for the next 16 years."

Get accustomed to seeing the emblem. Besides naming rights, the agreement was sweetened with radio and television advertising, Progressive's new title as the team's official insurer and signs in and outside the ballpark.

Most visible will be a new Progressive Field sign on the scoreboard above the script "Indians." And, of course, the stadium's marquee sign at the corner of Ontario Street and Carnegie Avenue will be changed. The team hopes to preserve the Jacobs Field marquee in some way, but plans were uncertain Friday, a spokesman said.

Club executives said they hoped to have the big signs up by the home opener on March 31 against the Chicago White Sox, but some adjustments could take until the All-Star break.

Nearly 1,000 signs and other items will have to be changed, which the team estimated will cost about $1.2 million. Beyond that other minor expenses, naming-rights deals are essentially pure profit.

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After reading that nearly 1,000 signs would need to be changed, I thought about making today's BSOD "Signs" by the Five Man Electrical Band, or Tesla. Maybe both, considering the field, like the song changed over time.

However seeing as Cash is King (not Johnny - although he was), I'm going with...

BSOD 16: They Sold Me Out
Artist: Van Morrison
Album: Magic Time
Released: May 2005

They Sold Me Out Lyrics

Sold me out for a few shekels and divided up my robes
They sold me out
It's the oldest story that's ever been told
They sold me out
Didn't even give it no shred of doubt, no, no
They sold me out
Didn't even sit down and try to figure it out
They just sold me out

For the few shekels more, they didn't even think twice
For a few shekels more, another minute in the spotlight

My own people did it to me just 'cos they could
They sold me out
So beware brother it could happen to you
They sold me out

For the few shekels more, they didn't even think twice
Just for a few shekels more, another minute of two in the spotlight

My own people did it to me just 'cos they could
They sold me out
Got to beware brother it just might happen to you
They sold me out
Sold me out for a few shekels and they divided up my robes
They sold me out
It's the oldest story that's ever been told
They sold me out
Sold me out for a few shekels and divided out my robes
They sold me out
It's the oldest story that's ever been known
They sold me out
They sold me out
They sold me out