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June 26, 2009

NY MTA Declares Open Season on Subway naming - Barclays Bags Brooklyn

lg_barclays.gifThe New York Times seems a little anxious over the fact that London-based Barclay's Bank has attached its name to "the nexus of subway stops at Atlantic Avenue, Pacific Street and Flatbush Avenue" at a cost of $4 million.

This is part of the new plan to create a Barclay's Center (the new sports stadium for the New Jersey Nets) in the area by Atlantic Yards and essentially declares open season on the New York subway when it comes to naming rights.

The New York Times continues to state its amazement, writing "if a company can pay to get its name on any station, a New Yorker might wonder what's next: Coca-Cola Presents 59th Street-Columbus Circle?"

Well, yes. The Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) is even open to the idea of Taco Bell renaming Grand Army Station.

The New York Times' Freakomics blog also asks if the next step is "The "Bill Golden Gates Bridge," while jokingly suggesting that Subway should pay New York for getting all that free publicity.

NY-subway.gifAs pointed out on Minyanville, "The possibilities are almost endless: There are 468 stations along the system's 26 lines and 722 miles of track. Advertisers already turn the inside of the subway's 6,400 cars into rolling billboards."

Interestingly, Minyanville also notes that when the subway was opened in 1904 it was meant to be ad-free.

The bloggers over in Chicago have already figured out what the Chicago Transport Authority (CTA) can do with some of the stops in that city, offering us nuggets like:

  • Belmont LifeLube station

  • 18th Street Blick station

  • Clark/Division Viagra stop

  • Diversey Starbucks stop

  • Addison Axe station
Over in the UK, a more sober analysis points out that "There is a Barclay Square in London and a Barclay Street close to where the Twin Towers once stood in lower Manhattan" so the name itself shouldn't be a big shock to New Yorkers.

However, while everyone in the UK knows Barclay's Bank, few in New York do.

This will definitely change.

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Posted by William Lozito at June 26, 2009 8:07 AM
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