Bengals changing name of Paul Brown Stadium to Paycor Stadium
Another NFL team is changing the iconic name of their stadium to something much less iconic.
The Cincinnati Bengals announced on Tuesday that Paul Brown Stadium is no more, and will now be called Paycor Stadium. Paycor is a human capital management company that has been headquartered in Cincinnati for over 30 years.
We are excited to announce: The Jungle is now @Paycor_Stadium!
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) August 9, 2022
Paul Brown Stadium, which opened in 2000, was named after the founder and first coach of the Bengals. His son, Mike Brown, is now the team president, and he doesn't think his dad would mind his name being taken off the stadium.
"This is a move that I think my father would have agreed to. He was always for what is best for the football team," said Brown said via the team website. "This partnership allows the Bengals to continue to compete at the highest level in the NFL and exemplifies our long-term commitment to the community."
Paul Brown died more than 30 years ago, when the Bengals were still playing at Riverfront Stadium. He didn't live to see the construction of the stadium that would be named in his honor, so we have to trust Mike Brown that his father wouldn't mind his name being permanently removed from the stadium in favor of a company that develops HR software.
Cincy's name change announcement comes just a month after another AFC North team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, changed the iconic name of their stadium. The Steelers played at Heinz Field ever since it opened in 2001, but it will now be called Acrisure Stadium, after a company that isn't headquartered anywhere near Pittsburgh.
While most Bengals fans aren't exploding with rage, many are pretty skeptical that removing the team founder's name from the stadium is what's "best" for the Bengals.
The only thing good about this stadium name change is that the company it’s named after is at least based in cincy.
— Big 4horry (@B4horry) August 9, 2022
"My dad loved money as much as I do. He's fine with this."
— Juan Mi (@griego_tragico) August 9, 2022
“This is a move that pisses off our fans but gives me more money. My father would support that.“
— 🍯 ĦOṈEɎ BΔDGER 🦡 (@honeybadger210) August 9, 2022
Booooooooooo terrible terrible name 🤮🤮
— 🅵🅰🆁🆃 🅱🅰🆁🅵🆄🅽🅺🅴🅻 (@thornton_jake) August 9, 2022
Boo Dey
— Rob Bernard (@RobBernard) August 9, 2022
Bad look for Paycor and the Bengals.
Honoring the founder is not for sale!— Beth Wiles 🗣🇺🇸 🍊 (@bethwiles) August 9, 2022
Stadiums used to have names that meant something history of the franchise or area it’s surrounded by. Now they are all banks, and corporations. I get the deal needed to be done but seriously people are still going to call it PBS except announcers lol #whodey pic.twitter.com/x7KyazgiuS
— Pannduh (@pandaofbears) August 9, 2022