If you want to know what’s in a name, ask city officials. They see cash.
Now that local businesses have recovered from the intense sponsorship demands of the Canada Winter Games — city recreational facilities are once again chasing sponsorship dollars.
Facility naming rights are up for grabs, if you’re willing to pay for ‘em.
The Yukon Brewing Canada Games Centre?
“It has to remain the Canada Games Centre, but it could have a sponsor’s name attached,” said Linda Rapp, manager of parks and recreation.
Naming rights and other sponsorship has a long history in Whitehorse.
Northwestel has already tacked its name onto the NHL-sized ice rink, ATCO has sponsored the Olympic-sized ice rink and White Pass will sponsor the aquatic centre.
But there is so much that remains unsponsored.
“The child play area ... the boardrooms and the flexi hall, fieldhouse, the track,” said Rapp.
The city’s new indoor facility sponsorship policy has been established to manage the hopeful flood of increased patronage.
“This year it has been a priority for us, and this policy just helps to keep it fresh and focused,” said Rapp.
For those community members who fear their recreational haunts will become patchworks of corporate logos, fear not, said Rapp.
“Our community’s appetite for seeing a sponsor’s name on everything that exists isn’t that great — people don’t like to see it on every door and every wall,” she said.
“Mutually beneficial arrangements” is the goal.
“As an example, say that there was suddenly an interest in lacrosse in the community, but we didn’t have any equipment. That might be something that a sponsor may choose to give us a proposal for,” said Rapp.
“We could arrange something where, if we put their logo on the nets, they would pay for all the equipment,” she said.
The new policies also ensure that sponsorship is kept well within the realm of good taste.
If you sell tobacco, pornography or weapons, Whitehorse’s recreation facilities will not be calling on your support, say the policies.
Negative religious messages, alcohol ads at childrens’ facilities and anything causing “deep or widespread offence” are also restricted.
Contact Tristin Hopper at tristinh@yukon-news.com