As the New York Times noted this week, it’s hardly unprecedented for stadium-naming rights to produce odd results, not least “the KFC Yum! Centre and the University of Phoenix Stadium”.
The latest naming partnership, though, is stranger than most, Florida Atlantic University’s football home now known as the “GEO Group Stadium” after a $6 million deal with a private prison corporation.
A private prison corporation that, ThinkProgress reported, has “been the subject of numerous reports of juvenile abuse, deaths, and riots,” a federal judge finding that the GEO Group had “allowed a cesspool of unconstitutional and inhuman acts and conditions to germinate” at one of its juvenile detention facilities.
“It’s startling to see a stadium will be named after them,” Bob Libal, director of Grassroots Leadership, a group that opposes private prison systems, said. “This is a company whose record is marred by human rights abuses, by lawsuits and by unnecessary deaths of people in their custody.”
The $6 million shouldn’t put a strain on GEO’s finances – it reported revenues in excess of $1.6 billion in 2011.
Dalai Lama rooting for Bradford
Granted, it appeared to be a chuckly gag at first, but Bradford City insist that the letter they received wishing them well in tomorrow’s League Cup final against Swansea was, definitely, from a representative of – no kidding – the Dalai Lama. We’ll . . . see.
He was made honorary president of the club after a visit to Yorkshire last year so, he’ll be rooting for the League Two team against Swansea.
“If His Holiness’ blessing has helped in any way towards your wonderful efforts, I hope that blessing will continue to bring you good fortune,” read the letter. “He remembers his time in Yorkshire with great affection and wishes you every success in the big match.”
“When I opened the letter and found it was from the Dalai Lama you could have knocked me down with a feather,” said Friends of Bradford City chairman Mark Neale. “My wife Julie, who is a season ticket holder, says she might become a Buddhist.” As will all Bradford supporters, you suspect, if they triumph tomorrow.
