Here's Allen Hopkins latest, about a certain new stadium http://foxsportsworld.lycos.com/named/FSW/Index/USA
I was glad to see Hopkins note that the stadium has been nicknamed "Victoria Street." Has anyone seen that usage before in the general press, as opposed to BigSoccer and mailing list usage? I think this is the first time I have seen it in a general circulation story, and this proivides some evidence that the nickname might actually stick.
If I was Home Depot I'd be pretty pissed that I ponied up 75 mil for naming rights to the stadium and everyone is calling it Victoria Street.
They could open up a new, polished interior design section within each store called "Victoria Street". It would be all the rage. There would be different demo rooms on each side of the attractively landscaped walkway. Different projects from (co-sponsors) HGTV, etc could be demonstrated in each area and each week, they would have a workshop explaining how to do some of the designs, etc. They would continually be updating the various demo rooms, replacing them one at a time so that they kept current. It's brilliant. Honey - why don't you spend some time in Victoria Street while I buy some nails . . . or . . . let's show our support for Victoria Street by going to this soccer match.
Well, GODdamm!! I got excited and tingly just reading that article. I really hoope the Gals draw at least 20K in the new place otherwise it will be a shallow victory. That said, I'll do my part by planning a couple trips out to SoCal to see it.
I totally agree. That's why I refer to it as the Home Depot Center. We want to encourage people to give us free money for stadium naming rights. After all, for MLS to survive the Home Depot Center cannot be the last soccer stadium built. We need one in New Jersey, Dallas, Chicago and DC too at a minimum. But this place looks awesome. I'm so excited for you guys. I can just imagine the atmosphere for the home leg of international competitions in the future. With that roof, it'll be soooo loud! -Tron
No biggee, but its the difference between a "name" and a "nickname." There are times and places for the use each. Yes - I think every LAG fan appreciates the support the Home Depot is giving the sport out here. Some of us may even choose to patronize their stores as a sign of appreciation. But - when you are talking to other soccer fans, all of whom already know about Home Depot's involvement anyway, it hardly hurts the sponsor if you use a more colorful nickname. Sports is full of corporate-named venues and many of them have co-existing nicknames. To suggest that one has to use the official corporate name seems overly rigid and stuffy, particularly where you are talking to other fans who know the official name anyway. Home Depot will get their air time whenever the scoreboard is shown on TV. They will get mentioned by the announcers. Its not going to cost them anything if, here in Big Soccer, we prefer a more traditional nickname. And, if our nickname sticks so that the general public begins to use it (a la Allen Hopkins article) that speaks to the power and appropriateness of the nickname - something, by the way, that is not just for sale to the highest corporate bidder. I hope you are right about the sound and the atmosphere. Come on out to see it yourself! It should really be something,
Imagine 20 years from now 2023: "Today we celabrate the 20th aniversary of The home Depot center, known affectionately as "victoria street" . It was the start of a great american soccer revolution culmianting in the first USA world cup championship. The inagural year of this facility was greated by MLS, Open cup, Fc camps, and peace cup trophys brought by now world powerhouse Galaxy. The young squad of american nats wins the gold cup in Azteca stadium from archrival Mexico in a very exiting and close contest to bring it back to victoria street. And in the followign years it was a culdron where visiting teams did not want to play" Oh what a dream
names are names nicknames are nicknames besides, the whole place is the home depot national training center what's wrong with "here we are broadcasting live from victoria street at the home depot national training center in sunny sided carson, california"
Suggestion to LARS and other singers: The nickname also lends itself to being sung to the old song "Marching to Pretoria" Simple. Hear it once and you know the words: We are playing at Victoria At Victoria At Victoria We are playing at Victoria Victoria Street today repeat as needed