Where have all the corporate sponsors gone? Long time passing.
Nashville used to be a hub for hometown headquarters and may be again, but we’re in a dry spell now and it’s showing in some very public places.
The Adelphia Coliseum name is long gone and nobody’s stepped up to replace that sponsorship in several years. Gaylord and the arena have an uneasy relationship.
A corporate sponsor for the proposed Sounds stadium would make that a done deal but there’s no one to step up.
The arts are faring better. The Frists put their money where their hearts were in renovating the old downtown post office for our spectacular art museum. And Martha Ingram is playing a hefty tune as she finances our new symphony hall.
Frist and Ingram. Potterville redux from It’s A Wonderful Life where everything in the town was named after its leading citizen. Thank goodness we have them because they’re vested in Nashville in a way no corporation ever could be.
There are new players on the block. Several companies have moved their corporate headquarters to Nashville and need to show loyalty to their new home.
But maybe we just need to readjust our thinking and find a way not to rely on the private sector to move our public projects forward.
The last time my children attempted to “romp through the fountains at Bicentennial Mall,” they were scolded by a uniformed officer on a horse. Actually, they weren’t even romping…just wading. Not to disagree with the editorial…although the sort of romping some tourists have in the Percy Priest lake area is not what most of us have in mind.
As to the issue of corporate sponsorships, I for one believe corporate support of good charitable causes is good for business. We need more good corporate examples. Not that I put sponsorship of a sports stadium in the same category of helping feed the poor. In general, all community institutions need to consider stepping up to the community plate. There are many good examples. But, just to pick on one group, how many churches are reaching out to help their neighbors without trying pull them into the pew and “get them saved?” I grant that there is a place for that, as well. But if every corporate entity in town would be willing to give something up without expecting something in return, then all would benefit from a rising tide of goodwill. Consider the alternate — more taxes to support ineffecient government solutions run by politicians. Capping this off with one of my favorite quotes: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Nashville has long been blessed with enlightened local companies who choose to share their profits and personnel with the community. However, as local firms (banks in particular)that were once headquartered here have been absorbed by larger companies based elsewhere, there is less incentive to support local causes to the extent once taken for granted. I have raised funds for several worthy nonprofit organizations here for several years. I have been impressed by the high level of support that has come from the corporate community, particularly those whose roots are in Nashville. Your observation that this support is dwindling may be less a function of willingness to give than it is the result of higher demand for funds to support those services. Some may argue that a corporation should not reduce profits to shareholders by diverting their assets to fund causes in its host community. I would respond that at least in Nashville there are splendid examples of corporate citizenship reflected in the benevolence of their leaders through contributions to the arts, the social services and to innumerable beneficial nonprofits that enrich the community. Yes, indeed–new corporations that headquarter here need to pull their share of the weight of having a balanced community by contributing generously as sponsors, donors and supporters. And while we are at it, we should thank every business that has offered their resources to keep our community vibrant and healthy, through their support of deserving nonprofits, whatever their causes. Charlie Crow
I don’t consider Naming a sports facility where the money goes to millionaire owners being a sign of being a good corporate citizen. No one in the private sector wants to touch this deal which should tell us a lot. They are worthless without a sucker to bail them out, and the hard sell is on to make us that sucker. Anyone else wonder what ever happened to those other CITIES that were competing for them? Or was that just more smoke and mirrors? I still have that bridge in brooklyn for sale that could easily be converted to a toll bridge if anyone is interested.
Well said idgaf. If the editorial leads us to believe paying to have a name on a professional sports stadium is serving the community, then the editorial is either miss worded or ill-intentioned. Sponsorship of a professional sports venue is just a business decision with a predictable return on investment. Unless, of course, the unwilling investor is a Nashville taxpayer, in which case this is a charitable endeavor with little or no expected return on investment.
Enron was a majot corporate sponsor of good works in Texas and Oklahoma. Adelphia, who rented its name place on the Titans stadium, also went down in scandal. Corporate benevolence is often nothing more than a smoke cloud for something less than good citizenship. Even when the donations are made in good faith, its usually done in anticipation of some unquantifiable public relations benefit, which suggests that it has more to do with senior executive hubris than shareholder value. Let us applaud the shareholders and senior executives whose sense of noblesse oblige lead them to make personal donations to the community and charities, but let us be rationally skeptical of donations by corporations.
Naming a facility is advertiseing, Nothing more Nothing less.
If the churches here would devote their resources to aiding the community instead of trying to save the entire world from pain and suffering and building gigantic worship palaces for ego perpetuation purposes there would be little if any need for corporate or government charity.
NoSoKrankee, no company in its right corporate mind would spend millions on advertising without an educated guess on ROI. But, then, there are the other companies lacking a right mind…Concerning church buildings, amen and amen. We Americans have big houses, compared to the rest of the world. Let churches meet in houses and spend the mortgage money to feed the poor.
NoSoKrankee, yes, I see the connection. But I think exportlaw has it right when he observes that companies that buy naming rights are already troubled companies. Their return on investment can be prolonging their demise through PR.
What tramatic effect will we suffer if the sounds pack up their bags and leave or just cease to exist? My first thoughts is that we will have the Greer stadium property available to a business(es) that would like to create jobs and pay property taxes.