Awesome Names for MBTA Stations
Rich corporation names go here! (Photo by Meredith Foley)
In an effort to bring in some money, the debt-ridden MBTA has come upon a novel solution: Selling the naming rights to entire T stations. As the Globe details this morning, the proposal would open 11 prominent stations up to eight-year corporate sponsorships, including Back Bay, South Station, and Harvard, and could potentially bring in $18.4 million a year. Over eight years, the MBTA would be looking at nearly $150 million in revenue. Not too shabby.
The Globe‘s two examples are reasonable, but totally expected: JetBlue Airport Station and Emerson Boylston Station. Yawn. But as long as the MBTA is selling naming rights, why couldn’t they hold a contest for area residents to name just one station? There’s loads of fun opportunity here. (Yes: Fun on the MBTA!) For example, how about:
- Paul Pierce from Downtown! Crossing Station
- Living in a Van Down by the Riverside Station
- Samuel Adams Holiday Porter Station
- Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 Station
You get the idea: The possibilities are endless. (Have a better idea for a T station name? Leave a comment below, or tweet with the hashtag #nametheT)
Regardless of my theoretical contest, though, I think there’s a huge opening for someone like Stephen Colbert to come in and wreak havoc. Back in 2009, Colbert actually won a NASA naming contest for a wing of the international space station. NASA ultimately overruled him — they named a treadmill in the station after him, instead — but surely Comedy Central could come up with $12 million for an eight-year contract. Imagine the branding. Stephen Colbert Harvard Station, anyone?
