# So what do you think about the Willis Tower? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258 "2009-07-16T20:16:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/21 "2009-07-17T01:29:02Z")
> [@TheMadHun](#): > > I always thought that Wrigley field was a stupid stupid name. Named after gum. I’m not from Chicago, but the Wrigley company and family have a long history there. So I think it’s a good name, as are Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and Gillette Stadium in Boston. Both are well-known corporate citizens of the city and widely known consumer brands. On the other hand, I think names like CMGI Field (the original name of Gillette Stadium) are terrible names, because CMGI was never a consumer brand. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/22 "2009-07-17T02:20:13Z")
> [@DaphneBlack](#): > > Well as a born-and-raised Chicagoan I plan to go right on ahead calling it the Sears Tower. > > Who the heck buying ‘naming rights’ to a building anyway? Same type of guy that buys a fancy sports car to hide his bald spot and paunch. \I don’t care what the man say, it’s Sears Tower to me, I say Sears Tower!\ ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/23 "2009-07-17T02:59:16Z")
Chicago. The City of Big Shoulders. And now The Big Willy. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/24 "2009-07-17T12:12:29Z")
I’m going to always think of Different Strokes and Gary Coleman says “Whatchew talkin’ 'bout, Willis?” I will continue to refer to it as the Sears Tower. They may have paid money, but they didn’t pay the populace off to use that prissy name, which is what they have to do. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/25 "2009-07-17T12:17:14Z")
I’ve got to ask non-SE-Michiganders: When you hear “Ford Field,” do you think of the Ford Motor Company or Ford cars at all? I ask, because I actually like the name “Ford Field” for a football stadium, because, to me, it _doesn’t_ sound commercial. Of course I’m from this region, and the Ford name is everywhere, even for things that aren’t attributed to the Ford Motor Company (remember President Ford?). ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/26 "2009-07-17T13:01:27Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > …while the Astros Minute Maid Park used to be called something else as well. Nobody quite seems to remember what, though. Enron Field. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/27 "2009-07-17T14:37:44Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I’ve got to ask non-SE-Michiganders: When you hear “Ford Field,” do you think of the Ford Motor Company or Ford cars at all? I ask, because I actually like the name “Ford Field” for a football stadium, because, to me, it _doesn’t_ sound commercial. Of course I’m from this region, and the Ford name is everywhere, even for things that aren’t attributed to the Ford Motor Company (remember President Ford?). It doesn’t have the same stigma as “Comerica Park” for me because the Ford family runs the fricking team (badly, but I digress). I figure if you own the team, putting your name on the field isn’t so bad. Like Wrigley Field. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/28 "2009-07-18T12:03:50Z")
What are you guys complaining about? At least your town doesn’t have something called the [Quicken Loans Arena](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quicken_Loans_Arena). I cannot force myself to call it that. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/29 "2009-07-18T15:35:54Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Enron Field. Bush Junior was eager to toss out the ball on opening day of our brand new Enron Field, he being a good buddy of Kenny Boy.\* The events that led to its renaming were already in the news; his handlers kept in him DC. Galveston restaurateur Tilman Fertitta was in the running for naming rights–I think “Fertitta Field” has a real ring to it. Alas, Minute Maid won out. - Not that I’m [seriously](http://www.kenlayisalive.org/) into conspiracy theories, but many of us wondered at Kenneth Lay’s sudden death up in Colorado–post-conviction & pre-sentencing. And the need to cremate his remains & bury them in a secret location in the mountains… ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/30 "2009-07-19T06:18:22Z")
In Dallas they have a venue here called the Starplex. At least that’s what it _used_ to be called. I think the name of the venue has changed about three times since then. I don’t care tho’. That’s what it was called when I went there as a teenager and saw some great frick’n shows. So that’s what I continue to call it today. Dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/31 "2009-07-19T06:51:55Z")
Glad to see you guys are so fiercely loyal to corporate brand names. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/32 "2009-07-19T06:55:04Z")
But Bruce Willis hasn’t had a hit film in a few years! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/33 "2009-07-19T19:21:47Z")
I’ll think of you Chicago folks next time I’m passing by the Pan Am building. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/34 "2009-07-20T13:23:54Z")
I don’t think it will stick. That’s why I still call Wrigley Field “Weeghman Park.” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258/35 "2009-07-20T16:09:06Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Chicago is still called “Second City,” though it hasn’t been the second largst city in the US since around 1980. Apparently it was Dorothy Parker who said “LA is 72 suburbs in search of a city.” That works for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-do-you-think-about-the-willis-tower/503258.md?page=1)