Who's paying for what?

Over the last two weeks I've overdosed on the two conventions although I really didn't watch much of either. I probably spent more time listening or watching people talk about them. And one thing kept annoying me to no end.

Seems like the conventions were NOT held respectively in Denver and St. Paul but rather at Invesco field (for the last evening of the DNC) and the Xcel Energy Center.

I understand naming rights - companies fork over major money to get their name plastered all over the plaster. But is there some protocol that says you can't simply tell people where an event is taking place without giving a plug? How come almost everyone I heard never simply said "Here in Denver at the DNC" or "I'm in St. Paul right now ..."

I found this which at least says I'm not the only one who might like the old names. Reminds me of the dust-up I heard about re: Wrigley Field in Chicago since they may lose the rights to keep calling it that if someone else wants to pay more.

For me somehow that is different. In my lifetime at least Wrigley has always been Wrigley - the home of the Cubs. But these new stadiums that cost more than the GNP of most countries, don't deserve the status and respect of an institution like Wrigley. You'd never say simply the Cubs versus the Giants in Chicago - you have to say Wrigley because it matters.

But no one cares where the conventions meet - it should be enough to say the City and leave it at that. My two cents for today which won't by me the naming rights for anywhere!