9 replies to this topic

[Neo]

The Chicago Transit Authority is considering letting corporations sponsor transit stations. The original station name (i.e. 95th/Dan Ryan) would stay, but the sponsoring company's name would be added. Obviously advertising plays a part already for the CTA as stations already have ads as do the trains/buses. The CTA has also been known to use advertising in tunnels that appear as motion advertisements when a subway car is passing. The organization has been hurting for money for quite some time and selling corporate sponsorships for stations is an easy money maker for them.

Is this a good idea? Should other cities follow suit to offset rising fuel costs and the inflating costs associated with maintenance of existing lines and construction of new lines?

[nashvillwill]

I can hear it now....

"Now approaching the Verizon Wireless 87th street station. This is the southbound eHarmony.com Red Line train. Next stop is the Apple iPod 95th/Dan Ryan station. Connections to the CTA Budweiser "king of beers" night owl service."

"Speaking of subway, don't forget about $5 footlongs at all area Subway restaurants weekdays from 11am to 4pm."


...i'm just waiting for the Minority Report like optical scans as we enter trains and public spaces so that we can be bombarded by personalized advertisements. "Hey Michael, welcome back to Plaza shopping center. Your records show that it's time for an oil change. Stop by Jiffy Lube on your way out for a quick service."

[Neo]

^ That's all probably closer to becoming reality than we want to believe.

[nashvillwill]

Neo, on 16 February 2010 - 09:29 AM, said:

^ That's all probably closer to becoming reality than we want to believe.

Yeah Neo, i think you're probably right. It's kinda scary to think where our future will take us. Sooner or later (maybe not in my lifetime) i think people will begin replacing credit cards with implanted microchips. It will be trendy at first, but then might be required by law for newborns. I'm not trying to elude towards a robotic future for mankind, ala terminator or the matrix, just curious about how connected we might actually be someday. At what point will living "off the grid" become illegal?

Sorry, i'm going off topic into a conspiracy theory fantasy world.

About the CTA. If corporate sponsorship helps it survive, i guess it's tolerable. I personally get tired of my local sports venue changing names every 5 years, but if it keeps my favorite team in town then more power to them. You always hear opponents of mass transit argue that if transit were actually viable, then it would be privately funded. Well, maybe this is a step in that direction. If corporations see transit as a good place to invest their dollars, then that is a step towards the validity of transit in this country.

A scenario i can imagine that might be happening, is the aging of the El system and needed improvement dollars. Corporations are reluctant to put their name on a dilapidated structure, it just isn't a good reflection on the company. For example, when a sports venue gets a new sponsor, say Sony, said venue often gets many attractive upgrades such as new Sony flat panels in the concourses, sometimes even a new scoreboard(HP pavilion). Perhaps sponsorship would bring great improvements to each station such as new tile/paint (Home Depot) and maybe even things like WiFi connectivity for a telecom sponsor(Verizon station).

[Neo]

^ I think it will be a while before we're at the point of corporations being announced alongside the station before arriving at the stop, but I can see it happening. My take on the CTA's plans is to just sell ad space alongside the station name. Perhaps this will also be displayed inside the train cars. Unfortunately you're probably correct that companies will want station or train car upgrades, but then again the CTA can just discount the cost for more run-down stations.

I think it's a great way to make-up potholes in the budget, but it needs to be well thought out or it could get out of hand rather quickly. Please, no super long-term contracts to keep the option to back out available to the CTA.

[mikedoyleblogger]

It was Metra, the Chicago region's commuter rail system, that announced in mid-February it was seeking corporate sponsors for station names, not the Chicago Transit Authority. So think: Pepsi Joliet Station; not Pepsi Madison & Wabash.

[Neo]

mikedoyleblogger, on 24 February 2010 - 08:08 PM, said:

It was Metra, the Chicago region's commuter rail system, that announced in mid-February it was seeking corporate sponsors for station names, not the Chicago Transit Authority. So think: Pepsi Joliet Station; not Pepsi Madison & Wabash.

Thanks for clearing that up! Was the CTA not considering corporate sponsorship as well?

Do you by chance know how Metra is doing financially compared with the CTA?

PS, welcome to the site!

[MadVlad]

Hey, if it gets the goal accomplished, do it.  Nothing wrong with creating money from thin air for something stupid like naming a train...

[wolverine]

I take no issue with corporate sponsorship, but I don't think any name should be attached to the station.  Just let the company put their advertising about the station.

It is already happening with the CTA North/Clybourn station which Apple is funding the renovation of the platforms and station headhouse

[Neo]

wolverine, on 09 May 2010 - 12:54 AM, said:

I take no issue with corporate sponsorship, but I don't think any name should be attached to the station.  Just let the company put their advertising about the station.

It is already happening with the CTA North/Clybourn station which Apple is funding the renovation of the platforms and station headhouse

Are there any items photo worthy for that station?  If so, maybe if you're over there you could snap a couple of photos for us?