Corporate Name Game

Re “Rock’s Singing a Different Tune About Corporate Sponsorship” (by Letta Tayler, June 30):

I would like to add to the distressing list of pop stars endorsing products, rock ‘n’ roll acts accepting corporate tour sponsors and artists selling their songs for commercial jingles, the phenomenon of renaming our entertainment venues after business giants.

Is everything for sale? “Irvine Meadows Amphitheater” may not have been the most imaginatively named arena, but saying “Verizon Wireless Amphitheater” nearly makes me choke. Should we be grateful they didn’t settle on “Verizon Wireless Formerly Airtouch Cellular Amphitheater”? The name will probably change again with the next communications merger. Does anyone else find it abhorrent to have to mouth a corporate logo when ordering tickets or talking about a concert to a friend?

I wouldn’t be surprised if the next mayor of Los Angeles to face budget woes decides to rename L.A. after the highest bidder.

LAURA BROWN

San Gabriel