Miller Park
Miller Park is getting a new name. Under a sponsorship deal with American Family Insurance after the park's current naming rights deal with Miller Brewing expires in 2020, the park will be known as... well, we don't know yet. At a press conference this afternoon, the team announced that the new name will be revealed later. Here's hoping they opt for American Family Field or AmFam Something or Other instead of trying to cram the word insurance in there.
Beyond the signage, the park isn't changing. So is it irrational to be upset about this? Well, yes. And no. Miller Park was more than just a beautifully concise name for a stadium. It was a celebration of two of the city's proudest exports—beer and baseball—so naturally paired that the name doubled as an homage to Milwaukee itself. It was an honor for the city to be synonymous with Miller Park in a way it never could be with American Family Field. Brewers fans have 20 years of memories tied up in Miller Park. Of course they're sad to see the name go.
As the news broke this morning, Brewers fans began working through the seven stages of grief on Twitter.
And at least one former Brewer weighed in:
But at least a few saw the bright side:
"Sure, it’s simply a matter of trading one corporate name for another, so it’s not like anyone should cry too many tears about this, but it still seems wrong somehow," NBC's Craig Calcaterra wrote. "How do the Brewers not play in Miller Park? It’ll take a lot of getting used to."
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For more background, Miller's Wisconsin general manager Jim Kanter sent the following email out to employees this morning. Interestingly, his account differs from American Family's claim on Twitter that Brewers approach them about the deal.
"Last season was a special one for Brewers baseball, and with this team I'm sure there will be many more to come.
"We're proud of our shared history with the Brewers – as we're proud to be part of celebrations across the great state of Wisconsin, whether that's at Packers and Bucks games, at Summerfest and the State Fair or in backyards and in beer bars.
"In fact, were it not for Miller Brewing, Major League Baseball would have looked a lot different in Milwaukee – if it existed there at all.
"Miller Park opened for Brewers baseball in the spring in 2001, but the effort to build (and fund) a new stadium began 14 years earlier. The period in between was marked with deep concern that without funding for a new stadium, the team would be forced to leave Milwaukee.
"While a heated political fight ultimately resulted in the State of Wisconsin agreeing to fund the vast majority of the construction of a new baseball stadium through a new tax, the final piece of the funding puzzle came from Miller Brewing. In March 1996, Miller Brewing purchased the naming rights to Miller Park through the 2020 season for $40 million – securing the money the team needed to fund the stadium.
"As Brewers vice president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said a few years ago, "there's no question that Miller Park has been integral to the success we've had."
"Late last year American Family Insurance proactively pitched the Brewers an incredibly rich offer for the future naming rights to Miller Park, and we're proud to welcome American Family to the family we've been part of for generations.
"While the name on the stadium will change following the 2020 season, our relationship with the Brewers remains as strong as ever. We fully expect that the great play and great products Brewers fans love will remain staples of summer in Milwaukee for years to come. And the Brewers fans will continue to celebrate every home run and every strike out with one of our beloved brands, just like Brewers fans of the past and present."
We'll have more details about the deal as they're available.
