John H. Kobs was hired as the baseball coach at Michigan Agricultural College in 1924 - as basketball coach too. For 38 years he served as the head coach of the Aggies'/Spartans' baseball team (until 1963), winning 574 games to 377 losses and 16 ties - a .602 win rate. With his '54 team winning the Big Ten Conference, NCAA District playoffs, and finishing third in the College World Series. It makes sense the baseball field was named after him [operative word, "was"].
Jeff Ishbia, probably a nice enough guy, is a graduate of Wayne State University Law School. Sure sure, we all know who Mat Ishbia is - a three-year walk-on to the MSU basketball team for the 1999-2002 seasons; took the last shot of the 2000 Natty - eventually made money, bought most of the Suns, and generously gives back to the University's athletics department regularly.
Thank you Mat for the donation(s) to (among other things) at least give our Baseball Team a shot at respectability again. Though, really, broken Board who approves these things?? We had a field named after a Spartan Legend swapped out for a dad who didn't even attend... we get it, sorta - the donor writes the checks and they call the shots... so no one pushed for even a plaque of Kobs out front?
We know, we know... Drayton McLane is also a (Business School) alum and former owner of the Astros who named the stadium after himself when he donated a big chunk of change for it in 2008. Water under the bridge now for Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium.
However, we still have several other sports facilities named appropriately, though that could change with the additional fundraising inevitable to support the not exactly sane, dynamic financial landscape for college athletics these days. Going Forward let's set the naming rights pricing much much higher. Among the other facilities:
Any additional thoughts? What should be the total revenue naming rights to all of MSU's facilities should bring in, and how often?
Which Facilities do you Definitely want to see renamed?
And what other athletics department things should have naming and sponsorship rights sold for - e.g. practice fields, the football trailer, tailgating lots...?
I think I just made myself vomit in the back of my throat a bit. Go Green.