October 14, 2007
Illustration Sunday: Sponsoronto
Welcome to Sponsoronto. This week, MasterCard offered the city money to reopen outdoor ice rinks in December, which were to be closed as part of budget cuts. Though Torontoist will be glad to see the rinks open, accepting corporate donations/sponsorship can be a slippery slope. What’s next—Home Depot Public Housing? Pepsi Public Schools?
Photo illustration by Kevin McBride.
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Yes this obviously runs contrary to your armchair socialist sympathies.
I'm inclined to agree with the previous commentator. If the province isn't going to shell out the dollars, and the City has none to spare, what's the problem here of a corporation taking up some of the slack.
Plenty of times over the years they have done so, and for what? So that you can lambaste their efforts at the cost of our children and less fortunates who cannot afford to go to private rinks?
Who the the heck cares, as long as we can get out an play on the ice!
Can't say I'm pleased the city has to resort to taking corporate hand-outs, but the recent brouhaha over Nuit Blanche came from the fact that Scotiabank was so aggressive about slapping its name all over it. Now, Mastercard isn't asking for anything except some good publicity -- which we're giving them every time we talk about this. Considering they haven't demanded anything, people seem free to judge them how they like. If you've got one, cancel your card if you think their actions are so reprehensible.
we should see if Visa will give us more
loljk
Too late, they already got their money's worth.
The joke is on us.
Thankfully, Kevin McBride is awake behind the handle bars.
I have to say that I'm on the fence on this issue.
I understand that Toronto is broke - so other funding is needed for recreation and cultural events. That being said, $160,000 is a cheap price to pay for the PR attention Mastercard has received.