Why not call it Burrito Stadium?
Business First
By James Fink
Someday
in the not-too-distant future could Doug Flutie be completing passes
to Eric Moulds at "Mighty Taco Stadium"?
If a series
of tongue-in-cheek ads from the popular restaurant chain are to be believed,
the stadium in Orchard Park that was formerly known as Rich Stadium and is currently
nameless may soon carry the Mighty Taco moniker.
Yeah, right.
Mighty Taco,
through its advertising agency, Paragon Advertising, routinely pokes fun at local
issues. They've done it in the past when Pilot Field's name was changed
to North AmeriCare Park.
When the Rich
Products Corp. naming rights contract expired July 31, there was speculation
on what name would be attached to the home of the Buffalo Bills. Team owner
Ralph C. Wilson Jr. has said he doesn't like corporate names on stadiums and
venues, even though the naming rights to the stadium could bring the team as
much as $1 million per year.
Mighty Taco
and Paragon decided to seize the moment and play off that in their current ad
campaign.
"We're
just poking fun at an issue that does exist," said James Gillan, Paragon
partner.
The fun isn't
just limited to a series of radio ads. During several of the Bills' home
games, an airplane was hired to fly a banner promoting the notion of "Mighty
Taco Stadium."
While the
stadium naming rights issue has been the source of much debate, especially in
light of the team's quest to sell $11 million worth of premium seats and luxury
boxes by Dec. 1 to extend the lease another five years, neither Paragon nor Mighty
Taco have heard any complaints.
As for the
Bills, they realize the campaign is all in jest. They're willing to play
along… to a point.
"In all
honesty, I haven't heard the ads," said Scott Berchtold, Bills' director
of media relations. "But as long as there's nothing degrading in there
and they are not picking on a specific player, we're comfortable with it."
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