Slate’s Hang Up and Listen discusses corporate-named stadiums and what journalists should call them instead.

Why Do Journalists Refer to Stadiums by Their Corporate Names if They Don’t Have To?

Why Do Journalists Refer to Stadiums by Their Corporate Names if They Don’t Have To?

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May 3 2016 1:15 PM
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How Many Sports Stadium Name Changes Is a Game Changer?

When should journalists respect corporate sponsored naming rights to a beloved sports stadium? And when shouldn’t they?

A general view is seen during the first quarter as the Mississippi Rebels take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on January 1, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Mississippi Rebels take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys during the Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Jan. 1 in New Orleans.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

In Monday’s Hang Up and Listen Slate Plus bonus segment, hosts Mike Pesca, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin answer a call-in listener question from Seattle. Why do sports reporters slavishly refer to sports stadiums by their corporate sponsored names? Is it really necessary to call the Superdome the “Mercedes-Benz Superdome?” Tune in to find out what Hang Up and Listen thinks about naming rights.

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