National Guard purchases name rights to JFK stadium in D.C.- 6 million

[donsu]

http://www.counterpunch.com/

War Games and War Names
Why the National Guard Bought the Rights to RFK Stadium in Washington

"It's a perfect marriage," bleated Washington, DC City Council member Vincent Orange. He was not talking about Charles and Camilla although the marriage in question is just as repellent. The unctuous Orange was celebrating the National Guard's proposed $6 million purchase of "stadium naming rights" for Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, home of Major League Baseball's Washington Nationals. According to the Washington Post this deal is all but certain. Now, in the middle of Southeast DC, the Washington Nats will come to you "Live from National Guard Field at RFK."

This is the first time a branch of the armed forces has thrown its helmet into the stadium name game. It's worth understanding why.

-snip-

The National Guard's attempted RFK purchase is as fitting in 2005 as was Enron's mid '90s hubris. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the Pentagon need the guard to grow, and grow now. Recruitment is down more than 30%. Dissatisfaction among guard members is at an all time high. Lt. Gen. James Helmly, the commanding officer of the Army Reserve, said in January that the Guard and the Reserve are "rapidly degenerating into a 'broken' force."

-snip-

But now the Guard - the under-trained, under equipped, one-weekend-a-month-National Guard - is an astounding 40% of the boots on the ground in Iraq. The persistence of the Iraqi resistance and the "War on Terror's" expansionist agenda means the Pentagon needs more boots. This is why, according to Time Magazine, the Guard has hired 1,400 new recruiters. This is why, even though 25,000 soldiers are currently on food stamps, there is 6 million dollars in the Pentagon Budget for stadium naming rights. This is also why RFK stadium of Southeast DC is a perfect locale for their new publicity push. Since September 11th, Armed Forces enlistment by African-American men has dropped by 47%. Southeast DC, with its decrepit high schools and spiraling unemployment makes for an ideal location. Presumably, even if they can't afford tickets, they can come on by to sign up at the adjacent recruitment stands. It's telling in fact that the only objections to this purchase, which could scuttle the deal, are from Sen John Warner (R-VA) who thinks the purchase doesn't do ENOUGH to raise the guards profile and increase recruitment.
-snip-
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the author ends with saying that this is "an act of aggression" by the military in using sports to sucker in recruits.

[BiggJawn]

1. Maybe it'll be like the "RCA Dome"

RCA had a presence in Indiana going back to when the cabinet shop was there making those nice wood cabinets for radios and TV's. then when Thomson bought 'em out, they built their US headquarters there.
and there was the RCArecord pressing plant, but that got sold to Sony Music years ago.

Anyway, Thomson drops 10 megabux in Steve Goldsmith's lap, sticks their name on the former Hoosier Dome, and about a year later, announces that they're pulling all their operations out of Indiana (Indianapolis and I think Bloomington) and heading for Mexico.

In the mean-time, we're stuck with the "RCA Dome", at least until Jim Irsay gets his way and the city tears it down, builds a new, BIGGER playhouse for Irsay and his millionaire employees and sticks the taxpayers with the bill.


Maybe the National Guard will do like RCA and leave for Mexico once they get their name on the place?

[firefox]

2. Oh boy, the "9-11 Freedom Center" n/t

[SaveElmer]

3. They have this wrong...its not the stadium

They are sponsoring the Nationals games...when the Nationals are playing it will be National Guard Field at RFK Memorial Stadium.

They are not renaming the stadium

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38489-2005Apr8.html

[Nordmadr]

4. Now correct me if I'm wrong...

but wouldn't those be $6 million TAX DOLLARS?

Next we will be using tax dollars to rename Haliburton "Georgies Profit Palace".

Olaf

[DemBeans]

9. that was my first thought

Unless the Guard is going to hold about a million bake sales, this is coming out of OUR pockets as taxpayers.

Outrageous. Does this mean I get to attend the Nats games for free?

[SoCalDem]

10. remember Enron Field??

Lots of Texans do:(

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. Bloated defense budget? Nahhhh..

6mil here, 87bil there, what the hell, the taxpayers have to "Support Our Troops".

It would sure be interesting to see how much "defense" would get if taxes were voluntary.

[KamaAina]

6. Can we please recruit Vincent Orange into the FBI

so he can be Agent Orange?

While we're at it, can we call the team the Nads, rather than the Nats?

Go Team! Go Team! Go Team!

:sarcasm:

[msanthrope]

7. 6 Mil equals how many bullet-proof vests? n/t

[donsu]

8. that's what I was thinking too

nt