AggieJohn
05-14-2005, 02:16 AM
The Texas Longhorns play football on Joe Jamail Field at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Texas Tech Red Raiders call Jones SBC Stadium their home.
A trend among college football programs across the nation continues to be the exchange of naming rights for multimillion-dollar donations. But Texas A&M University President Robert Gates moved this week to squelch rumors that Kyle Field — the 82,000-seat home of Aggie football — would undergo such a name change.
In a five-sentence memo e-mailed to A&M students, Gates said in his own matter-of-fact way that Kyle Field will continue to be called just that, and that “Aggie traditions and spirit are not for sale.”
“Apparently, there is a rumor circulating that Kyle Field is to be renamed in exchange for a large donation,” the e-mail says. “The rumor is false. Kyle Field will always remain Kyle Field no matter what other schools do.”
Gates said he first tried to dispel rumors of a name change last month when a member of A&M’s Student Senate questioned him about the possible franchising of Kyle Field.
Each other school in the Big 12 Conference has altered its football facility’s name over the years in return for gifts, Gates said.
SBC Communications gave Texas Tech $20 million to put its moniker on Jones SBC Stadium. The University of Texas at Austin renamed its field for Jamail in return for a $5 million gift from the Houston attorney to the school’s athletic department.
Jeff Murray, the student senator who questioned Gates about a Kyle Field name change, said the rumor originated on TexAgs.com, a Web site frequented by many current and former A&M students.
Some on the site claimed that university officials were willing to allow corporations to add their names to Kyle Field in exchange for major donations, said Murray, a sophomore renewable natural resources major.
“Dr. Gates made us feel pretty confident that wouldn’t happen,” Murray said. “He said in the meeting that his house would get burned down before he would let that happen.”
Alan Cannon, associate athletic director for media relations, also said there are no plans to rename Kyle Field, which honors former A&M agriculture dean Edwin Jackson Kyle.
Cannon said the only mention he’s ever heard of the subject is when people joke about Kyle Field being renamed Clear Channel Communications Field or Pier 1 Imports Field. Both companies are led by former A&M students.
Although Gates told students last month the rumor was false, the talk remained alive on the Internet, he said, prompting him to send out the campuswide e-mail Wednesday.
“It was mainly to make clear where I stood on the issue and to prevent a deluge of unfriendly e-mails I would get on the subject,” Gates said of the memo.
But Murray said some continue to believe A&M plans to finance long-term expansion plans at Kyle Field by changing the stadium’s name.
A&M officials detailed plans last year to construct a six-deck south end zone, creating a bowl stadium. The expansion would cost between $100 million and $200 million if built today, Murray said.
Those furthering the rumor theorized that it’s only logical for A&M officials to one day look at paying off a big chunk of that expansion through some kind of franchise agreement, Murray said.
Gates said no such agreement will be made while he is president. That includes no add-ons, hyphenations or other creative ways to change Kyle Field’s name, he said.
Murray said he and others on the Student Senate were happy with Gates’ answer to his question at the meeting a month ago.
“I think it’s awesome we’re the only school in the Big 12 that hasn’t done something like this,” Murray said. “I don’t think Kyle Field should be sold to some company. It’s not good for our
traditions.”
“Aggie traditions and spirit are not for sale.”
Dr. Gates made us feel pretty confident.....He said in the meeting that his house would get burned down before he would let that happen.”
This is the email that we got.....
Apparently, there is a rumor circulating that Kyle Field is to be
renamed in exchange for a large donation.
The rumor is false.
Kyle Field will always remain Kyle Field no matter what other schools
may do. This is exactly what I told the Student Senate several weeks
ago when asked about this matter. Aggie traditions and spirit are not
for sale.
Robert M. Gates
President
A trend among college football programs across the nation continues to be the exchange of naming rights for multimillion-dollar donations. But Texas A&M University President Robert Gates moved this week to squelch rumors that Kyle Field — the 82,000-seat home of Aggie football — would undergo such a name change.
In a five-sentence memo e-mailed to A&M students, Gates said in his own matter-of-fact way that Kyle Field will continue to be called just that, and that “Aggie traditions and spirit are not for sale.”
“Apparently, there is a rumor circulating that Kyle Field is to be renamed in exchange for a large donation,” the e-mail says. “The rumor is false. Kyle Field will always remain Kyle Field no matter what other schools do.”
Gates said he first tried to dispel rumors of a name change last month when a member of A&M’s Student Senate questioned him about the possible franchising of Kyle Field.
Each other school in the Big 12 Conference has altered its football facility’s name over the years in return for gifts, Gates said.
SBC Communications gave Texas Tech $20 million to put its moniker on Jones SBC Stadium. The University of Texas at Austin renamed its field for Jamail in return for a $5 million gift from the Houston attorney to the school’s athletic department.
Jeff Murray, the student senator who questioned Gates about a Kyle Field name change, said the rumor originated on TexAgs.com, a Web site frequented by many current and former A&M students.
Some on the site claimed that university officials were willing to allow corporations to add their names to Kyle Field in exchange for major donations, said Murray, a sophomore renewable natural resources major.
“Dr. Gates made us feel pretty confident that wouldn’t happen,” Murray said. “He said in the meeting that his house would get burned down before he would let that happen.”
Alan Cannon, associate athletic director for media relations, also said there are no plans to rename Kyle Field, which honors former A&M agriculture dean Edwin Jackson Kyle.
Cannon said the only mention he’s ever heard of the subject is when people joke about Kyle Field being renamed Clear Channel Communications Field or Pier 1 Imports Field. Both companies are led by former A&M students.
Although Gates told students last month the rumor was false, the talk remained alive on the Internet, he said, prompting him to send out the campuswide e-mail Wednesday.
“It was mainly to make clear where I stood on the issue and to prevent a deluge of unfriendly e-mails I would get on the subject,” Gates said of the memo.
But Murray said some continue to believe A&M plans to finance long-term expansion plans at Kyle Field by changing the stadium’s name.
A&M officials detailed plans last year to construct a six-deck south end zone, creating a bowl stadium. The expansion would cost between $100 million and $200 million if built today, Murray said.
Those furthering the rumor theorized that it’s only logical for A&M officials to one day look at paying off a big chunk of that expansion through some kind of franchise agreement, Murray said.
Gates said no such agreement will be made while he is president. That includes no add-ons, hyphenations or other creative ways to change Kyle Field’s name, he said.
Murray said he and others on the Student Senate were happy with Gates’ answer to his question at the meeting a month ago.
“I think it’s awesome we’re the only school in the Big 12 that hasn’t done something like this,” Murray said. “I don’t think Kyle Field should be sold to some company. It’s not good for our
traditions.”
“Aggie traditions and spirit are not for sale.”
Dr. Gates made us feel pretty confident.....He said in the meeting that his house would get burned down before he would let that happen.”
This is the email that we got.....
Apparently, there is a rumor circulating that Kyle Field is to be
renamed in exchange for a large donation.
The rumor is false.
Kyle Field will always remain Kyle Field no matter what other schools
may do. This is exactly what I told the Student Senate several weeks
ago when asked about this matter. Aggie traditions and spirit are not
for sale.
Robert M. Gates
President