Naming Rights for Ballpark in Frisco Up for Grabs After Dr Pepper Pulls Back

FRISCO — What's in a name? The folks out at Frisco's Dr Pepper Ballpark will soon find out. After nearly 15 years as the naming rights sponsor of the city-owned facility, Dr Pepper is stepping back. The Plano-based company's contract expires at the end of September, meaning a new corporate team will get to put its moniker on the stadium, home to the Frisco RoughRiders minor league team.Dr Pepper is not going completely away, though. It will continue to have exclusive pouring and vending rights at the venue. And it will still hold meetings and employee outings at the ballpark on the corner of Texas Rangers Drive and Diamond Drive. "We routinely evaluate our sponsorships against the changing marketing priorities of our business and brands, and through this process we made the decision to reshape our sponsorship of the RoughRiders," according to a company statement Tuesday to The Dallas Morning News. "While the ballpark will have a new name after this season, we will continue to have a strong presence there."The stadium opened in 2003 as Dr Pepper/7Up Ballpark and shortened its name to Dr Pepper Ballpark three years later. Terms of the naming rights deal then were not disclosed.A popular venueThe RoughRiders, a Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, are already on the hunt for a replacement.   Continue reading...