What’s in a name?   Obviously plenty.  Take a look at the names of even just the Canadian NHL hockey rinks.  Winnipeg has the Canada Life Centre, Ottawa has the Canadian Tire Centre, Montreal has the Bell Centre, in Toronto we have the Scotiabank Arena, and in Calgary there is the Scotiabank Saddledome (Calgary is building a new arena to be called Scotia Place).   Vancouver has Rogers Arena and in Edmonton there’s Rogers Place.   Arena, Place, Centre.  I remember when Saskatchewan Place, now SaskTel Centre, was built in Saskatoon in the 1980’s.  In 2004 Saskatchewan Place became Credit Union Centre and some folks had trouble with the name.  Not because it’s a bad name, just a little confusing because it sounded like Credit Union Central, a head office for Credit Unions, or the Union Centre on Fairlight Drive in Saskatoon.  Some wondered why it wasn’t called Credit Union Place which offered some continuity from Saskatchewan Place.  When Saskatoon’s Arts & Convention Centre became TCU Place in 2006 some wondered why it wasn’t called TCU Centre for the same reason.    Whether it’s SaskTel, TCU Financial or a Credit Union, I think of a saying, “the customer is always right”.   However, the truth is that the customer is not always right.  But the customer is in control, so if the powers-that-be buying the naming rights want the name to be Arena, Place, Centre, Coliseum, Bowl or Barn it’s their money and they’re in control. 

That’s Coffeetalk.  I’m Vic Dubois.