KFDM COOP Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Ameriquest out; it's now Rangers Ballpark in ArlingtonRangers rename their homeAmeriquest out; it's now Rangers Ballpark in Arlington 03:27 PM CDT on Monday, March 19, 2007By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News[email protected] The Liberty Bell no longer tolls for the Rangers. The club on Monday severed its relationship with Ameriquest Mortgage, the financially troubled lending company that uses the bell as its logo and that had served as the title sponsor on the ballpark in Arlington. Effective immediately, the stadium is now Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Rather than simply add "The" to the title and restore the original name, the club wanted its name as part of the title to help build the Rangers' brand. "All our research showed that our biggest asset was the perception of the ballpark," owner Tom Hicks said. "We need to make sure that we identify our brand with our biggest asset. That is a huge plus for us." To get the brand name on the stadium, the Rangers are giving up a significant amount of cash. The club signed a 30-year, $75 million agreement with Ameriquest in 2004. The Rangers have received approximately $7.5 million of that money. Ameriquest, one of the leaders in the now-troubled subprime lending industry, announced on Friday that it was laying off a substantial number of workers and consolidating operations. The Orange County Register reported that Ameriquest would lay off between 2,800 and 3,200 workers. Last year, Ameriquest cut 3,800 employees and also agreed to pay $325 million in a multi-state settlement over claims of deceptive lending practices. Hicks said the Rangers had sought to buy back the stadium name as early as the middle of last year. Ameriquest, he said, resisted until late in 2006. The Rangers hope to make back about $1 million to $1.5 million per year in reselling the signage in and around the park that had been given to Ameriquest as part of the deal. Among the signs in the ballpark is a giant replica of the Liberty Bell in the left field upper deck. "It's worth more to us to have our brand back than it is to have the relationship [with Ameriquest]," Hicks said. "You never say never, but as far as I'm concerned, it's going to be Rangers Ballpark for forever. It's going to be 'Welcome to baseball at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
Guest WBFan09 Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 i like the name "The Ballpark in Arlington" but im gonna go with AgsRock on this one they do still stink
Diehardstro Posted March 20, 2007 Report Posted March 20, 2007 Move over while the rats jump ship!It's ok Sammy Sosa will save them.
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