No Rush on Turf Field Naming Rights

Part Three of a transcript from the Dec. 19, 2013 School Committee meeting. 

For the full meeting, click here.

8:26 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Al Thomas began a liaison report on the Turf Fields, saying that there have been concerns over naming rights.

He mentioned that a possible solution is naming the field instead of the stadium, which is well known at the high school as Simonian Stadium, with additional signs on the scoreboard.

Billboards were quickly squashed as an opportunity, and he mentioned that billboards might cannibalize current sponsors in programs.

Other types of advertisements off the playing surface haven’t been ruled out.

The Haverhill turf field request for proposals (RFP) seemed like a template according for Tiano before, but now it seems that naming rights are the key issue to be focused on, and that naming rights would be limited.

Thomas said that there has been no discussion on putting a sign on the back of the pressbox so it would face Route 3, that the main focus has been on naming rights.

Rigney said a month ago that there was a plan to have a vote on the RFP tonight, although there are no longer concerns that potential suitors will be lost and that it’s best not to rush into a decision.

Thomas said that a comparable situation would occur at the McCarthy field, with no signs on the Angelo Taranto Field House.

Tiano then gave a brief presentation with visual possibilities showing how the scoreboards and entrances to the field might look like.

There was more discussion, with Thoren then adding that it had to be mentioned that naming rights must be temporary, also saying that it might be a slippery slope if everything was for sale.

Rigney returned to Danielle Evans’ comments at the last meeting, saying that there may be opportunities, but the decision must remain under the control of the committee.

Skaar said this is not new territory, since basketball scoreboards have advertisements, but Thoren said that policies were not always followed in the past.

Rigney then said that the field will never be named after alcohol or cigarettes, that the policy is dominant and the RFP is subsidiary.

Skaar then said that the naming would have to be covered when not in use, but Rigney was unsure as that was not occurring with the basketball scoreboards.

8:45 p.m. to 8:46 p.m.

Thomas said that a $5,000 donor was lost for the pre-prom breakfast, but $5,000 of the budget was leftover, and that the key  was seniors and their families were key to maintaining the program.

Skaar said it was important that the transition was still there.

8:46 p.m. to 9:01 p.m.

Thomas gave an overview of a conference from in early in November on Cape Cod. There were more comments from Skaar, Tiano, Rodriguez, Rigney regarding the conference and a meeting with the Parker and McCarthy School Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs)

Rigney in particular said that during the conference he learned that state legislators often focus on taxes during the first year of their terms so they don’t have to deal with the issue during re-election campaigns.

He discussed potential recalculations of the district’s foundation budget and how it would impact Chapter 70 funding from what he learned at the conference.

9:01 p.m. to 9:11 p.m.

Thoren said that many PTOs don’t meet in December and then mentioned an advisory committee for PARCC and data driven measurements and also discussed more committees and then also discussed the Cape Cod conference and other items.

9:11 p.m.to 9:15 p.m.

Rigney went over action items, particularly a plan for kindergarten. Thoren mentioned the recess policy.

Andrew Sylvia of the Chelmsford Patch asked two press questions which were answered.

Then there was a motion to adjourn.