Candlestick becomes a Monster

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004 | 9:20 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

Monster Cable Products Inc., which supplies high-performance speaker cables to rock groups such as the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, bought the naming rights Tuesday to the San Francisco stadium used by the NFL's 49ers. The team reached a four-year agreement with the company, which is based about 8 miles south of San Francisco in Brisbane, Calif.

The 44-year-old stadium, now known as Candlestick Park, will be renamed Monster Park.

David Peart, the 49ers' vice president of sales and marketing, declined to discuss financial terms of the agreement. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Monster Cable would pay $6 million for naming rights through 2007.

The stadium was originally named Candlestick Park for the point of land it was built on. It was called 3Com Park from 1996 to 2001 before reverting to its old name after the 3Com contract expired.

A city ballot initiative could complicate the new agreement. Four city supervisors have put a proposition on the November ballot to keep the stadium's name as Candlestick Park.

"Voters and sports fans are fed up with the intrusion of corporate marketers into every part of our lives and culture," Matt Gonzalez, president of the board of supervisors, Matt Gonzalez said in a statement. "I doubt voters in San Francisco will want to trade local history and everything associated with Candlestick Park just for more corporate advertising."

Peart said new signs will probably be in place for the 49ers' Sunday night game against the St. Louis Rams, which will be televised by ESPN.