Rogers copies Blue Jays stadium name for Ottawa building
It seems like Rogers Communication’s monopoly on arena naming rights across Canada is finally running into a little bit of an issue—there are no more unique names left.
The telecom has been buying up arena naming rights across the country for the better part of a decade. As it stands, the company’s name is on Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Rogers Place in Edmonton, and the Rogers Centre and the upcoming Rogers Stadium in Toronto.
That wasn’t enough, however, as they have now branched into the nation’s capital of Ottawa, taking over the naming rights of the previously-known “Shaw Centre.” The only problem is that they have opted to rename the venue “Rogers Centre,” which is the same name that they gave to the Toronto Blue Jays’ home field back in 2005.
In an attempt to evade this confusion, the official name of the convention space is “Rogers Centre Ottawa,” which is sure to clear things up.
Major News! The Ottawa #Convention Centre has entered into a 10-year naming rights agreement with @Rogers Communications. Our downtown #venue will be renamed to #RogersCentreOttawa effective today! Click here for the full news release – https://t.co/XIosjrWxuf
— Rogers Centre Ottawa (@RogersCentreOtt) October 23, 2024
The Ottawa Convention Centre added that this will be a 10-year deal with the telecom, and the new name will stick around until at least 2034. The building itself was opened in 2011 and, unlike the other similarly branded Canadian venues, is not suited to host sporting events or large-scale concerts. Rather, it contains about four floors that can be utilized in various ways, including banquets, weddings, or conferences.
That is in contrast to the 39,150 stadium in Toronto that houses the MLB’s Blue Jays and has been in the news lately due to some extensive renovations.
Still, despite the differences between the two Rogers Centres, it is incredible that Ontario now has two large venues with nearly identical names that are less than 400 km apart.
People have not been impressed by yet another venue taking on the telecom’s name.
Rogers has finally run out of names for the building they sponsor
— Martian (@LalimesMartian) October 23, 2024
We should just change the name of the country to Rogers/Telus/Loblaws land and get it over with
— Dip Switch (@grandmasclown) October 23, 2024
The Rogers Centre in the Rogers District in Rogerstown
— Griddlecake Troutwater (@DoctorWhaleMilk) October 23, 2024
Rogers McRogers is next
— LeRoychuk (@LeRoychik) October 24, 2024
What an effen joke!!
— Glenn Forcier 🇺🇦🇨🇦 (@IvcaHarris) October 23, 2024
The search for a third Rogers Centre is officially on.