Big A to Become Edison Field in Reported Deal

ANAHEIM — Under a multimillion-dollar sponsorship deal to be announced Monday, the home of the Anaheim Angels will be getting a new name: Edison International Field of Anaheim, to be shortened on television broadcasts to “Edison Field,” a source close to negotiations said Saturday.

In what will be a 20-year agreement, Edison International will pay about $1.4 million annually to Walt Disney Co. to become title sponsor of the stadium, currently undergoing a $100-million renovation. Disney operates the city-owned stadium and owns controlling interest of the Angels baseball team.

A logo of a baseball diamond with Edison’s own logo inside will be prominently displayed at the end of each row of seats, on tickets and throughout the stadium. Disney, which holds broadcasting rights for the baseball team, reportedly will agree that during all broadcasts what is now Anaheim Stadium will be referred to as “Edison Field,” the source said.

Disney officials would not confirm or deny a pending deal, preferring instead to wait until a scheduled news conference Monday morning where the details will be announced at home plate.

“You’ll have to wait and see,” said Bill Robertson, director of communications for Anaheim Sports Inc., a subsidiary of Walt Disney Co. “There’s no question we’re interested in a title sponsorship for Anaheim Stadium. Overall, it will be good for community relations and also good business.”

Public image may be especially important for Edison next year. Beginning in January, customers in California will be able to choose their own electricity provider, under a ruling by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Edison International is the state’s second-largest power company, behind San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric. It is based in Rosemead and is the parent company of Southern California Edison Co., which provides power to millions of residents and businesses.

Edison International spokesman Steve Hanson declined to comment about the company’s first foray into stadium sponsorship.

Other sources said that inside the stadium, Edison will receive prime advertising space and will have use of a $165,000 luxury suite close to home plate. The company also is expected to use the stadium for demonstrations and exhibits touting its products and services.

Under the terms of a lease agreement between Disney and the city reached last year, the entertainment giant retains full rights to naming the stadium and receives all profits from such an arrangement. But the lease stipulates that the city’s name must remain somewhere in the title.

“The renaming of the stadium was agreed to a year and a half ago as one component of the new agreement,” Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly said. “This is part of converting the stadium from a financial burden on Anaheim to a privately funded and operated showcase.”

City officials have been briefed on the deal but have no official input on Disney’s decision. Daly declined to discuss Edison specifically but welcomed the prospect of having a corporate sponsor.

“Whoever’s name is on the stadium is marketing Anaheim,” Daly said. “And the bigger and stronger that company is, and the better and smarter they market the stadium, the more Anaheim wins.”

But Councilman Bob Zemel, who was bitterly opposed to the city’s agreement with Disney last year, expressed reservations about the pending deal after he was informed of it Saturday morning by an Edison official.

“Am I the only one who realizes that it’s already named Anaheim Stadium?” Zemel asked. “Anaheim is losing prominence in the name of the stadium.”

In a deal narrowly approved by the City Council in May 1996, Disney bought controlling interest of the Angels and entered into a 33-year lease with the city with the option of breaking the lease after 20 years. As part of that agreement, the city is responsible for 20% of the $100-million renovation. The team’s name was also changed from California Angels to Anaheim Angels.

It’s ironic that a utility giant will sponsor a stadium in the only city in Orange County with its own municipal utility.

With rates up to 28% below what the rest of the county pays to Southern California Edison, Anaheim’s utility is a bargain for residential customers. The operation reaped more than $300 million in revenue in 1996.

Last May, Southern California Edison approached city leaders with a proposal to take over the municipal utility. Although no deal was struck then, the city will begin soliciting proposals from utility companies around the world interested in a partnership within the next two months. Edison’s investment in the stadium could position the company as a front-runner in that process.

Zemel praised Edison as a “fine company,” but said he has also has concerns about how the sponsorship might affect the city’s utility in the climate of deregulation.

“We’re the board of directors for the electric company, and we would have never, ever taken a city asset and named it after the competition,” Zemel said. “It’s the ultimate arrogance on Disney’s part.”

The new name won a decidedly mixed reception Saturday at Anaheim Stadium, where fans were watching the Angels go against the Kansas City Royals.

“It doesn’t sound like the name of a baseball stadium,” said Joseph Cardoza, 32, a plumbing contractor from Pomona. “ ‘Edison International Field’ sounds like it is an airport. . . . They should leave well enough alone.”

Cardoza’s girlfriend, Maria Sanchez, was also skeptical. “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It’s always been The Big A,” she said. “I don’t like the idea of a big company coming in and paying to have its name plastered everywhere.”

Jane Simon, 55, of Anaheim said she was disappointed that the name of her hometown is not more prominently placed in the proposed name. She noted that the team only recently agreed to become the Anaheim Angels instead of the California Angels.

“We finally got them to use the name of the city they play in; now it seems like they want it out of the stadium name,” she said. “I don’t think people will use the full name. . . . They will just call it ‘Edison Field.’ ”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Logo-Land

The Big A will join the growing ranks of corporate-sponsored stadiums. A partial list:

City: San Diego

Company: QualComm Inc.

Stadium/Arena: San Diego QualComm Field

Team: Padres

*

City: San Francisco

Company: 3Com Corp.

Stadium/Arena: 3Com Park at Candlestick Point

Team: Giants

*

City: Cincinnati

Company: Cinergy Corp.

Stadium/Arena: Cinergy Field

Team: Reds

*

City: Denver

Company: Coors Brewing Co.

Stadium/Arena: Coors Field

Team: Colorado Rockies

*

City: Milwaukee*

Company: Miller Brewing Co.

Stadium/Arena: Miller Park

Team: Brewers

*

City: Miami

Company: Pro Player Inc.

Stadium/Arena: Pro Player Stadium

Team: Marlins

*

City: Indianapolis

Company: RCA

Stadium/Arena: RCA Dome

Team: Colts

*

City: Los Angeles

Company: Great Western Financial

Stadium/Arena: Great Western Forum

Team: Lakers/Kings

*

City: Anaheim

Company: Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water Co.

Stadium/Arena: Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim

Team: Mighty Ducks

*

City: Jacksonville

Company: AllTell Corp.

Stadium/Arena: AllTell Stadium

Team: Jaguars

*

City: Tampa

Company: Houlihan’s Restaurant Group

Stadium/Arena: Houlihan’s Stadium

Team: Tampa Bay Mutiny

*Under construction

Source: National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, Times reports

Researched by JANICE L. JONES / Los Angeles Times