I dont know why HP didnt step in and buy the rights to this one. They could have called it the HP Invent Center, the ProLiant Center, the HP Compaq Center, the Superdome Center, the Integrity Arena, or any number of cool sounding names. Toyota, on the other hand, has no real local presence in Houston. Sure they are international, why not name it after that Chinese beer? If Toyota had a manufacturing facility, a corporate headquarters, or anything beyond a couple of Joe Meyers dealerships, it would have been ok. But this reeks.
Why? Who gives a crap about local presensc? Why on earth is that so important? Most Houston companies are in industries that are struggling- energy and airline for example. Toyota is great, I am happy we got a huge company.
Here is a question: Who the fu#k cares?!?!?!? Its the name of a freaking arena for chrissake. Besides, nothing is as bad as renaming Comiskey Park - US Cellular Field. There are better things to worry about in this world than the name of an arena.... Toyota = quality automotive products that last. Its not like were naming it after a bad product....
its better than... the kia center the saturn arena the daihatzu dome or in playing to the asian market (not saying its a bad thing, but w/ toyota they seem to be doing so) the nike sweatshop center the grand imperial arena of the proletariat brought to you by dr pepper
I really hope that, someday down the line, the Rockets adopt the team slogan "I Love What You Do For Me" in fan appreciation.
Oh well, so much for a cool name. If we were going with auto makers it should have at least been with Saturn to complete the Rocket theme. I guess it takes two to tango. Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll be the Lexus Center or something, although I really doubt it cuz the US is the only place Toyota uses the Lexus name, and they may want to use this naming rights globally like the Chron says.
Nice for Les, but it doesn't make a damn bit of difference to us. At the same time he gets a nice fat check from Toyota, he's telling the fans he's not willing to pay the luxury tax to field a competitive team. So, not only will our building get a crappy name, the profit won't be reflected in the end-product. Miscellany: My understanding is that Toyota's operations for a third of the US is run from Houston. Would that count as a local presence? I think almost all corporate names suck. But, many would have been better than Toyota Center. Journalists were certainly publish a To-Yao-ta pun in their headlines sooner or later. Man, I'm in a bad mood today.
Yep, that is quite similar. And wasn't the new logo designed by a fashion designer from Japan? Maybe this was in the works all along...
I cannot understand why so many people dislike the name Minute Maid Park. It's a helluva lot better than Enron Field and Astros Field. And oranges actually work well with baseball (since they are round). Can't beat Ballpark at Union Station though...but its better than prob 80-90% of other ballpark names out there. And while Toyota Center doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like Coseco Fieldhouse or Madison Square Garden, at least the name looks classy.
Drive up the Hardy Toll Road. Before you get to 1960, look to your right at the gigantic lot full of thousands of brand new Toyotas about to be distributed across the country and then say they have no presence in Houston. Also, they are buliding a plant in San Antonio.
Exactly, I have a brother who works for Gulf States Toyota here in Houston. That is one of their major U.S. distributors. They have a large presence here in Houston.
What's in a name? What the difference between the Toyota center or Compaq Center? Samething! It is better than The Staple Center, Minute Maid Park, (feel free to add your own).
