If the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board has its way, the New Orleans Arena could be getting a new name, The Times-Picayune reports. Ewell Smith, the executive director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, says it might use a portion of the $30 million it received from BP after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill to buy the naming rights of the arena, which opened in 1999. “We see this as a major media buy for us because we are going to be spending the money on TV or billboard or traditional media one way or the other,” Smith says. “So we are looking at different avenues, whether it’s the Hornets or other venues. This is a multifaceted approach. It’s not just buying the name; it’s all the other assets that having a platform like that provides.” While the prospects of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board purchasing the naming rights to the arena are far from a slam dunk, Smith says landing the naming deal could have great value as part of the group’s campaign to restore confidence in the seafood industry, which took a major blow after the 2010 oil spill in the gulf. Under their current lease with the state, the Hornets would receive 100% of the proceeds from the sale of naming rights at the state-owned building. Smith says a decision could be made within the next 30 to 90 days. Read the full story here.
Today’s poll question: Do you think the Louisiana Seafood Promotion Board should pursue the naming rights for the New Orleans Arena?
