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Today we'll learn more about the deal between the Cleveland Indians and Progressive. How do you feel about "the Jake" getting a new name? Do you think you'll have trouble getting used to it?
posted by Carrie Young at
4:40 AM
255 Comments:
It would be great if Progressive would name it "The Jake" at Progressive Field or just Indian's Park. Thank goodness Dick's Sporting Goods didn't buy the rights. Can you imagine Dick's Field? I'm glad a local company bought the rights.
Thats just stupid. Why cant Cleveland leave a good thing be. Are they gonna change Browns Statium next or even Tower City. Leave things alone and quit pissing people off. It will still be call The Jake and always will
Progressive Park sounds better than Progressive Field. It really is no big deal. We already went through a change with the Q, for a while people still called it the Gund, but now it is solely refered to as the Q.
It will always be Jacobs filed to me....what are we going to call it for short The "P"?? Larry Dolan you better put the money back in the team...
Just goes to show that with enough money you too can put your name on a building. Cleveland's up for sale, people and one day we'll wake up and won't be known as Cleveland any longer.
I suppose I will get used to it but in conversation with someone where do you say you are going? To the Pro? To the P? Actually it just doesn't fit for a ballpark name. Have nothing against change but the Jake is well, the Jake!!
I am upset that the named is changing. I will still always call it Jacobs Field. It was one of the few ballparks left that didn't have a corporation name. If we the fans are the ones buying the tickets we should have been the ones to decide the name.
p.s. I guess it is better than Pepto Bismol Park....
Wasn't Progessive just in the news not too long ago with laying their employees off? Did they need the extra money for this? I think this is ridiculous.
Does this mean we can abolish the "SIN" tax that helped pay for it?
I am seriously disappointed in this. It seems like there is nothing pure in professional sports anymore, everything has a price on it. Jacobs Field was named after a person, and the organization has become shallow enough to sell that to Progressive Insurance. Apparently more money is far more important than tradition and honor.
Another example of greed. Instead of honoring the man who made baseball great in Cleveland again their going to sell off his name. Why don't the Yankees, Red Sox or Cubs do this? Because they have tradition.
I'm not a fan of sports teams selling naming rights to stadiums in general, the names just never end up being as good. Catch a game at "The Prog"?
Bad timing too, what with Progressive just laying off hundreds of people. Wait, we can call it "The House That Layoffs Built"!
Money Talks.
I don't like the name change.I'm still not used to the Q.How can we expect people from out of town to know what we are talking about when we keep changing names? It will always be the Jake to me!
I don't like it. It will always be "The Jake" to me.
The name only means the ticket prices will be like insurance prices, they'll go up!!
It's a real pity we have to change the name of Jacob's field, to bad Progressive couldn't just leave the name. So instead of going to the Jake, we will be going to the Prog?
I hate it. How can major cities keep a permanent name for a hundred years (Shea, Yankee, Wrigley, Fenway)?
Changing the name takes away tradition, sentiments, and the pure love of the game.
Too bad the name has to be changed. So instead of going to the Jake, we will be going to the Prog ? Can't wait to go, and buy a cup with progressive insurance on it, I guess I will treasure the one's I have now with the Jake on them.
The public is paying for this facility ,the public should have the naming rights!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is and always will be "The Jake" to me.
Progressive did not pay for the field and should not be used in the name, how long until the Browns stadium has a new name?
The Indians and whoever pays to sponsor the field can call it whatever they want, I'll always call it Jacob's Field the same way Gund Arena will always be Gund Arena to me. Just because someone is willing to pay to have their name in lights and the Indians are willing to accept that money doesn't mean I have to acknowledge it or give it a second thought.
do not like it and this will last 15 years????? ugh!
I am so sick of the constant name changes downtown. Why can't they just leave them alone. The current names just fine. Does Progressive really need any more advertisement? I think not. Enough already, It is too hard to get used to all the name changes around the city as far as I am concerned.
Why can't it just be the Cleveland Indian's stadium. Does it always have to be about money. If Green Bay can do it without having to put a company's name first then why can't others. Why can't Progressive sponsor them without having their name on everything. Go Lambeau Field - a former and great player's name name.
Why can't it just be the Cleveland Indian's stadium. Does it always have to be about money. If Green Bay can do it without having to put a company's name first then why can't others. Why can't Progressive sponsor them without having their name on everything. Go Lambeau Field - a former and great player's name name.
That will explain why Progressive had to lay off so many people. They had to pay for re-namine the Jake somehow...
Wel,, I still call the "Q" Gund Arena. Baseball is more about marketing then the game these days, so I'm not surprised the name of Jacobs Field is changing. It would have been refreshing for the Dolans to go for something other than the money, but I think that's what they're all about. Sad.
This is a little crazy. I mean, how many insurance companies do we need naming our stadiums. First it was Gund Arena changed to the Quicked Loans Arena or 'The Q", that in itself is silly and now we have the Jake, a real fan fave, changed to Progressive Stadium. Probably soon to be called, the P. Who knows. This is one part of professional sports I do not like, changing the name just because of the company. SafeCo Field, Comerica Park, Invesco Field, Tropicana Field, etc. Why can't they be what they have been. I understand that Mr. Gund and Mr. Jacobs probably felt that the sale was a good idea and it is, don't get me wrong, it's business, but c'mon, Progressive Stadium. Never gonna stick, people have and always will call it, the Jake. I still call it Gund Arena because that is what we have know for a long time. And I will continue and if anyone wants to argue about that, then they need to become true to their city's sports team and understand that tradition is sometimes the second best thing, behind your teams almost making it big (which happens in Cleveland). I know, they should name each one the same name, Almost Had It Ball Park, There's Always Next Year Stadium (Browns') and We'll Get It Arena. At least that fits the Cleveland motif.
We payed for its construction with the sin tax. So why do the Indians get to profit form selling its naming rights. When these sports teams (with their own money) build their very own stadiums, then and only then should they recieve money for selling them. Any money made should go to the city of Cleveland, or at the very least kicked back to the people that own the P.S.L.s. I want a buisness like this, where the city builds my building, buys my contracts, and then I sell naming rights to it, heck I wouldn't even have to acually do any work.
Jacobs to Progressive? Just another example of corporate greed and the love of money. What motivates you turns you into it's slave. Bob DiBiasio's comment regarding history was a farce. Changing the name does two things, first Jacobs becomes another forgotten name and it's history becomes exactly that. And second, pads the Dolans pockets. Nothing good is accomplished for the fans or the team.
While the name will be different, I think it's not too cumbersome and Progressive Field or "The Prog" will become just as common-place as Jacobs Field or "The Jake".
Great, now Mr." let's legalize pot"Lewis has naming rights. Is he going to put a symbol of a pot leaf at the end of progressive field sign ?
Ok, if we are going to report this, let report the facts as well. Progressive Insurance just laid off hundreds of people that have been dedicated employees for many years because they stated they needed to cut costs, yet they can afford to spend over 2 million dollars a year to change the name of the Jake?!?! What kind of crap is that?
I think this is terrible. Jacobs Field has been the name of this place we've all come to know and love for 14 years. There have been so many magical moments there, and now, it's "Progressive Field"? That's ridiculous.
Eh, let them call it what they want. It will still be Jacob's Field in people's minds for years to come.
I think it should be Progressive Park.
I think it's aweful. Everyone around the country knows the field as "The Jake". Now what will it be called? Why couldn't they have let it be "Jacob's Field at Progressive Stadium" or something like that. It will be very hard to get used to. The only reason "The Q" was accepted so easily is because it's easier to say than "The Gund".
I am so tired of stadiums being renamed for giant corporations. Same thing with the college bowl games--the "chik fil a bowl", etc. It's like everything is just an advertisement/logo for huge companies anymore.
They can call Jacobs Field whatever they want, but it's always going to be the Jake to me.
I have nothing against Progressive or Peter B Lewis, but I HATE this trend towards renaming all these fields, arenas, stadiums, etc, after corporate sponsors. These names have no soul. How many people, 40 years from now, are going to relate stories of their first ball game at "Progressive Field"? Think about it....Fennway Park, Yankee Stadium, Solider Field, Progressive Field? How about Soulless Corporate Park?
I am all for it if it means the team can increase payroll and bring a championship to Cleveland.
How can Progressive buy the naming rights when they just laid prople off? Why didn't they use this money to retain the people?
It's just not going to be the same! There is something special about the "JAKE"!
I think it's great for a company that has been a major business in Cleveland for so long to get the rights to the best MLB team. Go Tribe!
I think it's a dumb name - Just like Quicken Loans Arena - The names are just horrible - Can the marketing dept not come up with something better!
JACOBS FIELD IS JACOBS FIELD, ALWAYS WILL BE. JUST BECAUSE OF MONEY WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME, BULL!!! WHY CAN PROGRESSIVE JUST SLAP THEIR LOGO UNDER OR BESIDE THE JACOBS FIELD SIGN. LONG LIVE "THE jAKE"
Look, you can name the field Grandma's Rear End if that brings in more money to spend on keeping our great players here. Clevelanders will contine to refer to the park as Jacob's field and truthfully Clevelanders are the only people who probably care. To tell you the truth, who's to say the rename won't help us "progress" past the ALCS? GO TRIBE!
I think that both Jacobs Field and formerly Gund Arena should pick a name and stick with it. No more of this changing names after so long. It makes things too complicated and there is no need for it. No other city is changing names of their sports places.
Cheryl from Parma
I think it's great! A local company that has nationwide recognition should be a good sponsor. Progressive Field has a good ring to it and as far as nicknames only time will tell. Hey the old Gund is now the "Q" so the Jake could be the Pro or what ever cutesy name that comes along. It's still the same team, Go Tribe!
I think it's great? Nobody knows who Jacobs is anyway. With 8000 Progressive employees in Cleveland, we should take pride in our hometown companies. goodbye to the Jake-- Hello to the Prog!
It would be hard to get used to anything besides the Jake, but this one is too much. What do we call it now? The "Prog," the "P," do we now have the "P" and the "Q?" How long before all those jokes start??
Plus, now I'll be constantly reminded of the crack pot (albeit a successful crack pot) that owns that company. Great.
just another example of the insurance companies greed...instead of investing millions of dollars on having their name on a sports facility, they should be lowering their customer's rates...but still the consumers will pay and pay, and when the time comes that the insurance is needed, repairs on auto will be made with inferior aftermarket parts used parts that were once 'somebody else's' headache
Progressive has enough money to put their name on a baseball field, but they don't have enough money to keep employed the 430 plus people they just let go before the holidays? They have their priorities screwed up.
Progressive Field? ...sucks
I don't like it. People everywhere know "The Jake". It's too bad Dolan's are joining the ranks of all the other team owners and letting themselves be sold to the highest bidder. If they need the help, let Progressive help support them. But do we have to join the "name-change-go-round" like so many stadiums accross the U.S.?I can see the condiment race now - Mustard, Ketchup and Onion will crash during the race and the Progressive Relish will rush on field with an insurance adjusters clipboard in hand.
I work for Prog and am accustomed to the name 'The Jake' as much as you all are. Bottom line is that the INDIANS initiated the search for a new namesake. Prog didn't initiate it. What a slap in the face it would be to Prog if GEICO swooped in and bought the naming rights - you'd all be scoffing at that.
SOMEONE was going to purchase the rights to rename, the Indians put it up for sale. Prog is one of the largest employers in Cleveland and a teriffic place to work (even with the layoffs everyone keeps mentioning here).
I think it's a WONDERFUL marketing move!
I love "The Prog!"
Great stuff.
Congrats to Progressive -- I'm very glad an company outside of northeast Ohio didn't buy the rights.
I hope the Indians use the money to buy a Championship.
For as long as I can remember Indian's baseball it has been at The Jake. I think a name change is changing tradition. No matter what they call it, fans will call it the Jake. Money is too high on people's minds. There are too many athletic arenas being changed to a name sponsored by a man with money. Progressive Park is more refreshing than Progressive Field, but it sounds like it should be for a new team. I don't like the idea at all.
Well, I work for Progressive Insurance. So its actually kind of neat. I love the Indians!! And to know that the company I work for gets to re-name Jacobs Field makes me feel good. However, it WILL take some getting used to, and may not be the same. Especially since I own a lot of things that have the name jacobs field on them.
The only people in favor of this are progressive employees, everyone else thinks it sucks. I'll never call it anything but Jacob's Field. The only thing this selling out will prompt me to do is never, ever use progressive to insure anything I own.
mr. jacob gave cleaveland more than any corporation did when it comes to sports. i think your just slapping him in the face. that field will always be the jake to me
Knowing Peter Lewis' liking for some certain herbs, here are some upcoming promotions at the Jake, um, I mean Progressive Field:
Munchie Mondays
Tokin' Tuesday
Wacked-out Wednesday
THC Thursday
Fireworks & fatties Fridays
Roll-your-own Saturdays
Bong Sundays!
Of course, Doritos should become the "official" muchie of the Cleveland Indians. Will there be a "Free lighter" night?
Does this mean smoking will be allowed at Progressive Field or only in Progressive's loge?
BTW, I will always call it "The Jake" and won't buy insurance from Progressive due to Peter Lewis' lifestyle so this is marketing $$$ lost on me.
TTFN!
Progressive is a horrible insurance
company that treats there policy
holders very bad. i don't think
anybody wants to see there name
up there, even there employee's !
People are talking as though the Indians have always been at the Jake. Are they just not old enough to remember going to games at the old Browns Stadium? Remember...? The one that was there before the Browns went to Maryland...? Times change. The Indians were looking for a buyer to the naming rights. Progressive is a great local company which was going to spend it's marketing budget somewhere. Why not pour a chunk of it into the Indians? There is a whole generation of baseball fans who will grow up loving watching the Tribe at 'the Prog' or whatever the new nickname becomes. And they will be just as passionate about the change when a new company buys the rights.
Go Tribe!
Hey,
Progressive Park doesn't sound that bad. I agree though laying off people and then putting big time marketing dollars into something looks real bad. It could have been the Dollar General Field or Enterprise Field. Let's face it, initially did Jacobs Field sound good-no. I think it should be called the Indians Field and let Progressive market all over the inside of the building. Who cares anyway. After 1997 loss, I have not spent $1 dollar on going to professional sports. Sure, I watch Indians, Browns, Cavs at home, but hey it's all the about the money and you know where mine is, in my pocket where it will stay. It's millionaires playing monopoly with your money anyway. Don't show up and it will be called Foreclosure Field.
I don't believe how a company can lay off people, don't give their employees raises or bonuses for the past year, but they can afford to name the Jake? I think it's rediculous! It would have been nice to keep it the Jake! GO TRIBE!
Uhmmm, the term Jacobs in Jacobs Field is/was a corporation name.
Well, if I PERSONALLY spent millions every year on a stadium, I'd want my name and picture on the place too.
People - naming rights to ballparks happens every day. One person even said that the Cubs don't do thjis because they have tradition. Are you kidding me? the Cubs were the first! "Wrigley Field" happens to be named after the company that makes the gum.
RELAX! This is really no big deal. Also - you can't talk about layoffs and naming rights in the same sentence. 400 people for a company that employs like 10,000 in the area is not even newsworthy. Let's stop pissing on one of the few companies that stayed here and invests here. After all, they could have gone to Chicago like the other insurance companies, or some other area like the rest of the corporations around here. this ought to be celebrated.
And by the way - nobody cared when the owner named the field after himself. How selfish was that. But we got over it.
LOVE THE NAME "PROGRESSIVE FIELD" GO TRIBE!!!! What a great opportunity for a wonderful company to expand their visibility in Cleveland. Go Progressive, Go Tribe!!
BOOOOOOOOOOO The new name stinks, I think that they need to change it back to Jacob's field.
Hopefully the fans will have the last say in this very bad decsion.
Progressive Field sounds so corporate. Did the indians just sell out?!
that being said. I LOVE the Indians and can't wait the for opening day, only 80 more days.
Happy Friday!!
In case you haven't heard.... Peter B. Lewis stepped down as CEO some time ago.
Hate the name change.
Where do you think that the money is coming from to help pay for the giant salaries of the players? For the last comment, Prog did give raises and bonuses last year. Get your facts strait. They even gave end of year bonuses to those who lost thier jobs.
The naming rights were going to be sold, no matter what. Let's stop complaining (now, THAT will surprise people!) and embrace it.
Progressive Field sounds pretty good, it's a local company that hasn't moved to Mexico and the Indians are rocking. I know change is hard, but it will all work out. Go Tribe!!
Its Just not right! Its nce to see a large company put back in to its community,, uh but wait! is it really? The money goes to the indians to help offset a 70 million dollar bail out of the gateway project. The indians have already raised ticket prices before the n end of 2007 and Aramark is raising concession prices. Soon the only people going to the Jake will be business men who use it as a deal maker. Next Mr. Lewis wil fight to change the name to support his peyote pipe passing pals. The business of major league sports have ruined major league sports.
Why Not just add to the existing name? Jacobs Field at Progressive Park has a good ring to it.
Didnt realize that Cleveland had so many whiners. Get back to work! Progressive is a good northeastern Ohio company. Good for them. Cant wait to go to a game at "The Prog"
as a progressive employee, i'm very excited. and furthermore, we did get raises and bonuses this year to those of you who claim otherwise.
better a local company than anyone else. allstate field in cleveland, makes no sense.
why not progressive park? it's a copyrighted location in iowa so it couldn't be used. Read the press release on the indians website.
Personally I think it's dumb. Progressive is EVERYWHERE. I am sick of seeing it around each corner. I dont know why they have to have their name plastered everywhere. There was NOTHING wrong with "The Jake" or "Jacobs Field" Like Progressive does not have enough advertising now?
I am just sick of Cleveland always doing the wrong thing. The name is DUMB!!!!
I AM SO MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW COULD THEY DO THAT WHAT KIND OF NAME IS THAT!!!! I LOVE SAYING THE JAKE AND I WILL NEVER SAY PROGRESSIVE FIELD!!!
I can't believe anyone actually still cares about professional sports anymore. Bunch of overpriced criminals - owners and players. You buy their shoes, their jerseys - you bought this name change too, not Progressive. Stop your whining and keep paying for their tickets and anything else they sell - right through your noses ... I'll keep laughing at you. If you're buying, believe me, their selling. You want to do something about it, stop buying ...
Yawn. Who cares what it's called. Sports is the opium of the masses. Wake up people. Your country is going down the tubes. That's more important than a name change. America gets dumber and dumber.
Progressive's 10,000 northeast Ohio employees and $13 billion dollars of annual revenue pumps major tax dollars into our city and state. This should get more money coming to northeast Ohio. This is a win-win-win. Can't wait to see all of us in October. Go Progressive! Go Tribe!
I'm not surprised that we finally gave into the corporate name, but I am disappointed. Tradition and loyalty mean nothing anymore compared to the almighty dollar. Sadly I think the only benefit the fans will get is the opportunity to buy all the new merchandise which bears the new name and logo. I hope ownership will now concentrate on putting a quality team on the field or they will have to re-sell the name in a few years to recoup their money due to low attendance.
What really concerns me about this deal, and I wonder the CEO of Progressive considered this, is the fact that they just cut almost 500 jobs, of course affecting the Cleveland area again. Do you think that 3.6 million they are using to have naming rights could have been put back into the company to keep jobs? Once again Northeast Ohio proves to everyone that sports means more to this area then jobs and education.
How about..."ProGo field"...where the Pro's go to have fun!
Let's to to the "Pro"
ProGo Park...professional, proud, progressive!
The least of my worries are what people call the park. Let's just turn whatever it is into something positive for Cleveland instead of downing it and making the rest of the world think it is okay to make fun of Cleveland. Postive thinking and a little creativity will go a long way! Let us make it our own and love it!
You're all the same goons that would complain if this was sold to a Japanese or Korean company. Progressive is an absolutely integral part of the LOCAL economy. When YOU create 1/100th of the jobs Progressive does, then complain, rather, buy the rights yourself. Layoffs don't always happen due to lack of money either- Processes get efficient, departments aren't profitable, they're running a business folks, not a charity. Why would they leave the name the same???? Advertising is part of doing business..is that hard to understand? This is the BEST possible outcome.
If the Jacobs brothers (Corp) wanted to keep the naming rights (Jacob's Field), they would have stepped up and PAID for the next 15 years. Obviously, they were not interested. It IS called Capitalism everyone. Regardless, a local company backing our local team. Congratulations Progressive!
This whole trend of naming and renaming ballparks, stadiums, etc. just irks me!! Whatever happened to the days of leaving something its original name?
I think I was born a few decades too late, and I was born in the late 1960's!!!
WOW! All I can say after reading most of the comments posted here is "I'm scared of some of you folks" Just spit out whatever ill-informed gibberish that comes to mind, after all no one knows who you are anyway. I'll never call it..., selling out... , layoffs..., too many signs... and on and on. Lighten up, life is to short to get upset over something this trivial. Just ask yourself " Will this really have any impact on my life?" then take a deep breath and think Go Tribe! Enjoy the Cleveland Indians and if you think Progressive Field will stick in your craw just tell anyone that asks you where you are going during the season "To an Indians game!"
What difference does it make as to the name of the field. The important think is that the Cleveland Indians put a winning team on the field.
Heres to the people thinking that Cleveland can be bought. first of all it is a 3.6 million a year deal for 16 years. You hear cleveland people complain about too much crime too much this not enough that. If cleveland is able to partner up with new people and orginization, it will give the city the ability to grow, and provide what it needs for its people. Which is most important, than a NAME. this is coming from a person who will dearly miss the name the Jake, but am all for change.
THAT IS THE WORSE NAME I HAVE EVER HEARD FOR A FIELD. I THINK THAT THEY SHOUD OF LEFT IT ALONE
It will always be "The Jake"! Just like Quicken Loans Arena will always be "The Gund"!
My family still refers to "The Gund" that way and I am sure we will always refer to "The Jake" as ......The Jake!!
you people are complaining like "Jacobs Field" was a sponsored name! Hello - it was!!! Jacob's paid for the naming right of the field and chose not to extend it! Just a new sponsor of the name...not really a big deal
Who cares what the name of the place is. Isn't it about the game being played there and not the name of the place? Let's worry about bringing home a world series trophy rather then worry about the name!
its easy to look at it from a personal point of view. What if you owned a corporation and you were interested in growth and retention? And what if you were the man in charge for the city of cleveland? would you not want to make more money for your city to give it the resources it needs?
SHOULD HAVE LEFT WELL ENOUGH ALONE. IT WILL ALWAYS BE JACOBS FIELD TO ME OR THE JAKE.
MONEY TALKS, BS WALKS
It is plain stupid and all just about money.
Well, you can look at it this way. When the "Busch" series in NASCAR becomes the Nationwide Series and you watch the Ohio State Buckeyes play LSU and it's sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, now we have the Progressive Field. Does this not tell anyone that our country is basically run by insurance companies. Take a look around people.
Progressive provides thousands of jobs for the greater Cleveland area and is one of the few major corporations who is committed to improving the city's economy and spurring growth. I think it is a great business decision. The company itself doesn't represent anything political. It's just great baseball and great business! Go Tribe! Go Pro Field!
whoever posted this makes a GREAT point!!!!!THANK YOU!!!:::
I work for Prog and am accustomed to the name 'The Jake' as much as you all are. Bottom line is that the INDIANS initiated the search for a new namesake. Prog didn't initiate it. What a slap in the face it would be to Prog if GEICO swooped in and bought the naming rights - you'd all be scoffing at that.
SOMEONE was going to purchase the rights to rename, the Indians put it up for sale. Prog is one of the largest employers in Cleveland and a teriffic place to work (even with the layoffs everyone keeps mentioning here).
I think it's a WONDERFUL marketing move!
I can't get over all the people everywhere talking about Progressive, their layoffs, and their budget, like they have a clue. Would you rather they fail, move out of town and lay off 10K local employees? You think the city would be better then? Didn't think so.
Seriously, Progressive is better off after the layoffs, as are many other companies that lay employees off to better themselves. Progressive has a $300 million+ marketing budget, and can spend it however they want. Anyone with any business knowledge knows that budgets are set and vital to the business' success.
Another thing I can't get over is how every article incorrectly identifies Peter Lewis as the owner or "run by". Reporters these days are all about getting the story first, checking so-called facts last (if ever). They should be ashamed of the product they deliver.
Kudos to the Tribe and Progressive for creating a strong relationship that will be profitable for both corporations.
Who Cares!
http://bits.westhost.com/scripts/WonderfulLife/images/wl_100185.jpg
Check out this link!!! A picture says a thousand words! I think is should be called "Potters Field"
"If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less." -Unknown
I think it sucks. That company made billions of dollars exploiting the insurance business. They started by offering only minimum limits to clients so that if you were hit by one of their folks, YOUR insurance paid the difference as underinsured motorists coverage and often times it was much more money than the $12,500 Progressive doled out. BLAH to Progressive Field!!!! Of course, this comment won't make it since the blog author is moderating.
Progressive laid off almost 400 employees to reduce budget and made many others leave their current positions for lower job titles. It's funny how they don't have the money to keep and pay their employees but they have money for this.
i used to work at progressive and they fired more than 150 people...that didnt make the news. progressive field, thats b/s.
I think it is sad, they could have included at least "the Jake" it it somehow..i don't know it seems to be just like everything eles in the world. at least fruit o'lay didn't buy it,
I think it is sad that they can find ways to have money to name a baseball field but can't find ways to stop layoffs. Those of you who said it was smart business are the type of people who no longer care about the type of people who helped build this country. No wonder this country is falling apart.
Who cares? the cleveland progressive bank one nike indians will once again get their asses handed to them. Call it what you want I'm done with pro sports. By the way wait til the Browns have to play good teams next year, God they are going to get destoyed.
It's not a name anymore, it's a
giant advertising billboard.
I am delighted to have a local co buy the naming rights.(very clever) I think change is good. This may spark other companies to invest their money here in Cleveland. Cleveland needs change and I would challenge all of you who complain to do something to make it better!
I don't know why everyone seems so surprised about this. We've known for years that this was coming. I'm not a big fan of the corporate names but at least Progressive Field has a positive connotation to it. Being progressive is usually a good thing. I like the nickname Pro Field. I may call it the Jake out of habit, but it could have been a lot worse. BTW, there have been rumors that Wrigley is looking to sell naming rights.
This SUCKS! Why change it at all? Another corporate sell out.... at least its not going to become Preperation H field!
I will put a sign on my bathroom wall in my house if Progressive gives me $ 1000/month. Now, that's a deal. Then you get money talks and bs well flushes in that case. Call me at 1-800-who-cares.
Professional athletes---overpaid, steriod using, under-educated, losers. I agree with the one guy, don't pay $1 towards anything. Foreclosure field that's funny
Progressive Field sounds like more like an insurance company, Why not just leave Jacobs Field alone and I like that name but Progressive really sucks and I met many people will still call it Jacobs Field.
I think it is stupid. I still don't like that the Gund is now the "Q" and I really don't like that they are changing "The Jake". I think it is just a matter of greed.
If the Chicago White Sox can change the name of their park "Comiskey Park" to "U.S. Cellular Field", The Indians can rename theirs "Progressive Field". Corporate sponsorship is a source of advertising for companies. Many arenas/stadiums have corporate names today:AT&T Field in San Francisco, Chase Field in Arizona, Coor's Field in Denver. And, there is no greater example of this than the college football bowl games. the Jacobs only had a 13 year naming rights contract, so get over it!
I think it's great that a local company maintains naming rights. I do think Progressive Park sounds better though.
This is just another great disappointment in the Cleveland history of sports. Just as others have mentioned, Wrigley, Fenway, and Yankee Stadium. All deep in tradition and and one a loveable loser, still haven't been overcome by corporate greed. Steinbrenner loves money, but he still respects tradition. Another punch in the gut to Cleveland sports fans.
I understand that this is business, but what about all the people Progressive just layed off before the holidays? I am sure that they will be the first ones to bitch about those employee's filing for unemployment. Progressive would not be if it weren't for the employee's.
It will always be "The Jake" to me! As someone else stated, it would be nice if Progressive kept it that way. Doubt it though. It's all about the money.
I guess now we know why Progressive laid off all those employees a few months ago. They needed the money to buy the name. Always Jacob's Field!
It is definitely all about the money. I know I will continue to call it "The Jake." It hasn't been there nearly long enough to change names - shows you what's really important to Mr. Dolan. I think the city should buy the rights to all Cleveland sports teams - just like the Green Bay Packers!!!
Progressive Rock is very boring. They even call it "prog rock" to cut down on syllables. I do not think Prog Field will cut the mustard, do you?
This is a very poor decision made by the Indians Management. It disappointed a lot of its fans especially ones like me who grew up going to "The Jake" each summer. Since Progressive is a hometown company, they should have realized the importance of the name Jacobs Field to its fans and to the city of Cleveland.
It will always be Jacobs Field to me...
This is sooooo funny!!!!
What a bunch of crybabies...it's their field, their name...it's entertainment, not an entitlement.
Prog Rock is hilarious, dorky and uncool. Yet, even though it's not mainstream, it is loved by avid fans around the world.
"The Prog" is a perfect name for the Indians ballpark.
They aren't cool, they aren't chart-toppers (World Series winners) but they have die-hard fans just the same.
I think the name is great. We all have been caught up in down sizing and at least the name is not CHINATOWN.
Larry Dolan has just proved that he was just dumb enough to rename Jacobs Field, and we will still call it "The Jake"! Always has been and always will be!
Now can all mind or P's and Q's.
Just one more reason to have Cleveland be the butt of all jokes
Sholud have left a good thing alone
They should call it 'RON PAUL FIELD', since The Indians will NEVER WIN IT ALL anyway!!!
Wow. I'm glad that the 3,000+ employees that are no longer employed at Progressive could help pay for this with their salaries. WKYC, you want to have a great story? Investigate the Progressive layoffs, "firings," and force-outs that Progressive employees were subjected to. $3.6 million a year will be dwarfed by the lawsuit settlement.
I'm tired of everyone talking about how Progressive laid people off and then spent this money on the Indians naming rights. If you understand business at all, you would know that there are two separate areas. They have a separate budget for advertising so spedning this money within their budget is no big deal. If they were to be spening money outside of their budget, then I could understand all of the fuss.
Jacobs Field will be renamed Progressive Field under terms of an agreement
between the Cleveland Indians and the auto insurance compan.Former team owner
Richard E. Jacobs had held the ballpark's naming rights, but his contract
expired at the end of the 2006 season.I may be wrong but the Cleveland Indians
didn't pay for the Jake to be built.The tax payers payed for its construction,
remember the sin tax was used.So what gives the Indians the right to recieve
money for selling naming rights to he stadium. The city should recieve any and
all money from such selling of our stadium, that we bought, and payed for its
construction. Same holds true with the Gund arena, and the Browns stadium. When
these sports franchises start building and paying for them out of their own
pocket, then they can profit for selling naming rights to them.
It hould be named what it should have been named from the start! TAXPAYER'S FIELD! since it was built on the backs of the taxpayers for a rich owner!
This damn well better mean they re-sign CC since they can no longer plead poverty when it comes that time. (sooner rather than later!) Tuck
I guess everyone that says "It's all about money, money, MONEY" must work for FREE and not get paid to do a job. Just like union members, not satisfed with $30-$40 an hour, go on stike, we want MORE. Isn't that all about money, money, MONEY? A business IS A business to MAKE MONEY, that's why it's called a business and not a charity. A Company stays in business by making more money year after year OR they close and everyone goes home jobless.
When any of you run a Fortune 200 company, then you can comment on the decisions for lay offs and how to create revenue through advertising. I am embarassed by the negative atttitude of so many Clevelanders and their resistance to change. Maybe that is why the city remains an embarassment to the rest of the nation. Let the entrepeneurs and the succesful people MAKE CHANGE for the city! Embrace change...let the city become what it is capable of! Don't blame Progressive. Thank them for joining forces with the Indians and believing in Cleveland!
You do realize that Jacobs Field was not named after a man, but the Jackobs Group, Inc., a company. Things are always going to change, there is nothing we can do to stop them. A portion of the money does go to the team. It can be used for team development. This may be a good thing.
Correct me if im wrong but didnt Progressive just lay off a large amount of employees? Who in their right mind would support a company who will spend "about" 3.6 million dollars over the next 14 years to put their name on a baseball field, but not spend that money to keep peoples jobs. We are in a time where jobs are hard to come by and no one can survive on most of the jobs they have. Progressive should be looking out for its employees, who with jobs can afford to go to overpriced baseball games instead of worrying about themselves and all the higher ups that make the money to afford to go to Progressive Field. You wont see me there, ever.
People are really ignorant. The problem with America is layoffs are accepted. Someone posted that Progressive has 10,000 employees, but only 400+ employees laid off is part of business plan. I always find that disturbing. I think that if company's staffed properly to begin with then, they shouldn't lay off. That's regressive, not Progressive. I understand budgets and departments. Okay, claims or IT staff may not have enough budget to pay for people, but marketing does. Either way, your robbing Peter to pay Paul. Company's need to look at their business plan before making stupid choices. Insurance is tough market and going through lots of changes with Geckos and Caveman taking their policy-holders daily or with competitors about minimum coverage is good. The consumer is the one that takes his money, opportunity cost and decides where to put it. If you choose Indians great. The way to ending some of the financial problems in Cleveland is this: Jacobs Field Casino.
That's one place I would show up at !
Money talks. Since Progressive owns the rights maybe the field should be called "Collision Field". No. That might be better for Browns stadium. Are they getting that one next?
What better way to honor the 1948 team - how about "Feller Field" or "Boudreau Field" - when was the last time we had a manager / player that took us that far?
Cleveland just has NO imagination. If it did, the city wouldn't be in the business & financial state it is now. Business people here are just too tiresome.
How about honoring the 1948 team? Boudreau Field? Feller Field? When was the last time the Cleveland Indians had a player / manager that took them that far?
If Progressive takes over Browns Stadium they can call it "Collison Field".
They better rethink this. Of course, I still liked the old stadium much better - less claustrophobic and much more magical.
Wait a minute. Didn't the taxpayers pay for this stadium? the money should go to satisfy the debt of gateway and ease the burden of the people who work to support the building. What are they going to do, use the extra cash to extend the contract of another overated choke artist?
It will always be the Jake to me.
progressive park does sound better!! though i will still call it the jake...........
The new name is fine. Everyone should GET OVER IT, there are other things to complain about. The new name flows off the tongue better anyway.
Doesn't anyone remember that both Dick Jacobs and Gordon Gund paid to have their names on their team's stadiums. Is personal vanity any less distressing than corporate?
I don't think it's all about the Money Money Money!! I think the main issue is that they just laid off a bunch of people to cut cost and now they are spending 3.6 million a year for 16 years to have their name on a building. That goes to show me they are not loyal to their employees nor do they care about them. As far as being able to pay the players money now i don't see it happening. When Jacobs sold the team to the Dolan's the players quit getting paid. If i recall right there is only about 3 players on the indians that get paid decent.
I can't keep quiet any longer..
1. Peter Lewis retired in 2001. He does not 'own' the company.
2. Progressive did not lay off 3000 employees in Nov. 263 IT people were laid off - out of 27,000 employees.
3. Not all of the employees that were laid off were from Ohio. Further, the last time Progressive had a major layoff was in 1991.
4. For those you who have "all of your memories from Jacobs Field" - Jacobs Field has only been around for 11 seasons!!! Jacobs Field was named after a company (think shopping malls). Cleveland Municipal Stadium is the name most people grew up with - where Feller and all the greats played.
I have never referred to the stadium as 'The Jake' - it has ALWAYS been "the stadium" to me.
Who Cares
The "Jake: by any other name is still the "Jake."
Progressive Field?!?!?! How could they do that to us Tribe fans? I mean seriously, people take tradition seriously in Cleveland, especially when it comes to sports. Jacobs Field and "The Jake" just sound right. You also would think that a local company would understand and respect that, even though it's an advertising thing. Doesn't Progressive advertise enough? Here's a solution, advertise around the park. Not as good as having the stadium named after you, but Tribe fans will respect you more.
why isn't anyone beating on the Jacobs corporation that did not extend the contract for the naming rights? for someone who is the alleged second coming of christ to cleveland baseball-no one is giving him a hard time!
Great PR on Progressive's part...? What an awful situation and name. Unfortunately it has become the norm.
When I was little I went to my first game at Jacobs Field. Progressive doesnt even sound like a basball field. It just sounds like another company trying to advertise themselves, only this time it went too far. Why mess with long time tradition? I hope they realize that no matter what they call it, it WILL be known as Jacobs Field.
OK, people, relax!
Who remembers Liberty Blvd.? (now known as Martin Luther King Dr.)
Or the Detroit Superior Bridge (Bob Hope Memorial Bridge)? You're all acting as if this has never happened before. I'm not crazy about the corporations renaming everything either, but at least it's a local corporation, with thousands of local employees!
All major league sports are BUSINESSES! If you don't recognize this yet, you are only fooling yourself... As for Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers are the only major league team in any sport that is owned by a municipality, so the name of their stadium is the only one not up for grabs by anyone!
On a lighter note (no pun intended) we can always call it Pothead Park!!!
Actually, I like the idea of Pro Park... & would love to see some pros kick some butt!!!!!!!!
After Progressive got rid of so many people...family people...upset their lives with no concern for their future they spend millions for this!!! HORRIBLE TRAVESTY!! Is this what the USA has become? OMG, I hope we all wake up soon before it is too late!! Our country is in trouble with this kind of thinking!
What's the matter with "PRO"? That's what PLAYS there!!!
Skip "JAKE"!!!!
Diane Kasler
Perry Twshp, Ohio
Next year we can have a home run on the P Porch
too bad many of the 600+ employees recently laid off by progressive can no longer afford to attend games at Progressive Field. Maybe "Blood Money Field" would be a more fitting name.
"let's all go frog at the Prog" (translation: let's go jump a lot and make a lot of noise watching the Indians play)... I could see myself saying that to my quickly-becoming-baseball-obsessed 3 year old someday....
Tho as my hubby just said regarding the Q and now the "P"... maybe we should mind our Ps and Qs!
i guess there is no more tradition. Money is everything. It makes me sick.
I dont see that much of a problem. Its just business. There aren't many stadiums out there that dont already have a corporate sponsor as the name of the building. Its just the way things are going, and we have no choice but to deal with it. Progressive Field is a lot better than Gund Arena. Gund Arena sound like an S.T.D.
I've never known "The Jake" by any other name and I absolutely hate the Progressive Field name picked for our Cleveland Team. Why should we support an insurance company for their gain - btw, I'll always call it "The Jake". It just has a nicer ring to it than "The Prog"!!
I wonder how those Progressive employees who were let go back in the last week of November feel about their former employer spending $3 million a year to keep the company name visible. How about asking some of them?
Jim Eaton
Rittman, Ohio
Progressive insurance company's "average yearly payment" won't pay the salary of a rookie. If the company has revenue of 14 billion, don't you think this was a poor business decision for Jacob's Field? Progressive insurance is looking to improve their bottom line, looks like they have found a sacrificial lamb. Progressive has laid off employees, that's how they will pay for this one. This meager amount of money doesn't warrent permission to sweep the sidewalks.
Jacobs Field name was reduced to one sylable, Jake. Progressive will also be reduced to Pro. Field and thats a good name.
Regards--Roger
i;am like some people why don;t leave the name along to me it will be the jake someone is going too make alot of money off this
The timing of the announcement stinks for those who were laid off by Progressive. On the bright side, the money can go to a good cause and allow the Indians to be competitive with an offer to C.C. Sabathia. Go Tribe! Go Cleveland businesses!
Kevin
It's a STUPID Name!! It will always be the Jake to me!
The Prog??? DUMB!
C'mon people, the Jake was laughed at when it was called that at first because it was the same as a nickname for a toilet! Also, Progressive is a local company who stuck up for the area and didn't move their company to North Carolina or somewhere...they deserve to promote themselves in their own hometown. How many whiners would be screaming if it was some Pittsburgh company like PPG who named it? I would have preferred Progressive Park but according to a prior post that was a copyrighted name for somewhere in Iowa and not available. So be it! Progressive Field it is...and I must say Jacobs Field meant nothing to me except that the owner wanted to promote his own business no one outside of Cleveland even cared about. Now to name the Browns stadium STERIS Park before some other city's company buys it...
Instead of renaming the Jake Progressive Field, how about calling it Potter Field? Then we can rename the Gund, Potter Arena. We can even rename Cleveland, Potterville! Where is George Bailey when you need him?
What if Oscar Mayer bought The Jake? Would we then have to go down to The Weiner to see a game?
So now we have the "P" and the "Q" whats next the "R"?? Sadly enough "jake" means bathroom so "P" kinda fits :P..... YEAH RIGHT! They should have kept it becuse "Progressive field, the place that the unemployed built"...they just let go alot employees...
The Jacobs built Jacobs' Field and brought us an exciting, winning baseball team. Their name will always be a part of the Indians' legacy, and their name should always be included in the name of the ballpark. I wish Progressive would find a way to include the "Jacobs' Field" name with their name.
This is GREAT for the Intian and the city of Cleveland. I'm proud that a Cleveland based company bought the naming rights. Don't forget, the name was going to change no matter what b/c Jacob's contract was expired. I love the new name!
I left Cleveland almost 2 and a half years ago for a new job in North Carolina. I've always been proud to call Cleveland my home. Dick Jacobs made Cleveland the great city it is now. Without Jacobs Cleveland would still be the city that has a river on fire. Changing the name of the field that brought Cleveland back from the graveyard is disrespectful and a slap in the face of a man who loved Cleveland and spent millions bringing it back to life. Jacobs Field is an instition in baseball and a thing of pride for Cleveland that a few million dollars has ruined. Congrats Cleveland for selling out. Maybe you could at least name a school after Jacobs, the man who put Cleveland on the map again.
I think this choice sucks ..maybe a way to say how much of a slap in the face it is to everyone who paid the taxes to have it built is to not go to any home games this year!!!! Why not leave it Jacobs field and put sponsered by Progressive ,that may be a compromise
Get a clue people. The name Jacob's Field was sponsored by the Jacob's Group - a Real Estate and Development Firm - and they paid $10 million for the naming rights. It wasn't done to honor Dick Jacobs, it was done to promote his business. And this is a Cleveland company sponsoring another Cleveland company; would you rather an out of town company, one that doesn't employ 10,000 Clevelanders, to sponsor the field? Finally, $3.6 million a year can sign a pretty good player, and isn't the ultimate goal, and the only thing we should care about, is winning a World Series?!
It should be named "THERES ALWAYS NEXT YEAR FIELD"!!!
I think it's great that a local company bought the rights. Those people that speak poorly of Peter B Lewis and the company are probably just disgruntled ex customers that didn't pay their premiums and were cancelled. Long Live the Prog...oh and by the way no one outside of Cleveland knows the name of our stadium..so whether it's the Jake or whatever..it doesn't matter. It's about the game.
I used to be a Progressive customer, until I found out that Peter Lewis is a huge contributor to the ACLU. I cancelled the same day, and am gladly paying a higher rate at a company that's a little more red, white, and blue. I would suggest that people pay more attention to where their hard earned money ultimately goes, like for frivolous advertising campaigns like this one. I feel sorry for the broadcasters who must mentally prostitute themselves, and remember to call the park by it's new financially leveraged namesake, and not its proper (and permanent) name, The Jake. I can only hope, in 20 years, there is a trivia question revolving around the theme..."Why do they call this ballpark The Jake?" That will bring a huge smile to my face.
It will always be the Jake to me. I agree with those that say we are paying for the field, not Progressive. It's too bad it has to be about money. When are the sports teams going to care about their fans who loyally support them? Real baseball is about tradition and a pitcher pitching 9 innings.
I dont care if they are called the backwards as long as they win the World Series.
Phil
I think it should be called Corporate America Park. Progressive just let about 350 people off due to budget cuts, yet found 58 million in their shallow pockets to cover the corporate sponsorship of a ML ballpark. This whole process is ridiculous. The average family can barely afford a ticket to the game much less a ticket and hot dog--why? Because they are struggling to stay on top of their finances--like paying their Progressive Insurance bill that goes towards funding the baseball stadium that they can't afford to visit. Sick.
really people, who cares. it doesn't what the place is called, what matters is whats done inside the place, and thats great PLAYOFF baseball. by the way, dick jacobs paid 91 million of the stadium, with the county paying the rest. also larry dolon GAVE 70 million to gateway the save them and in turn they gave him the naming rights.
How about lay off field because they plan on laying of more people in Febuary
Why not leave a good thing alone? Doesn't Progressive have different things to spend their money on like reducing their rates to give more people coverage
I hate the name and the smug-looking man who happily said how good it would be for Progressive, but I guess it could be worse. I loved the post that said "can you imagine Dick's Field?" Indians' Field would be nice. I guess Progressive's Jacobs Field would be stupid, but including some reference to the Jake would be great. The comparison with the Gund and the Q does not wash; "the Jake" is a much better and catchier name. Maybe it could be The Prog.
Didnt the taxpayers pay for the Jake, shouldnt we have a say .....
I don't like the name change considering it was Jacobs Field from the day the place was built. I'm more surprised that the new logo looks so cheesy. The Jacobs Field logo has a classic ballpark look to it. This new one looks like it was made by a high school student in art class. Yuk.
It has been almost 18 years since the "sin tax" on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to help pay for construction of a new baseball park and arena. When will it be taken off? The tax payers of cuyahoga county are still paying for it with the purchases of cigarettes and alcohol. Even my husband and I quit smoking years ago we buy our beer or wine in lake county and well as a lot of other people we know.
It seems to us that now it has been built and receiving all this money ( laying people off has helped) and raising the price of tickets and food at the park, they can start giving back some of the money or dropping it. May 8,1990 to this May, 2008 is eighteen years. Do your math.
As a former employee of Progressive,I feel that they just added salt to the wounds of all those who have recently lost their jobs. (by the way it was more like 700 folks who were let go and it is still going on)...I understand business and
marketing, so spare me the justification(s). It is plain and simple that Progressive used blood money of innocent former employees to obtain the rights to 'The Cleveland Indians Field'. & yes they planned this for some time! I can only hope that those who no longer have jobs will someday look back on this and somehow find the good of what happened and that GLENN does not do this again to existing employees!
Lets go to Progressive field...we can park at LAY-OFF LANE !
I too forsee it being called "The Prog" for some reason. Hideous.
Progressive Park/Field is fine, but the likely abbreviations are horrendous.
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