MTA Looking Into Station Sponsorships Again
The MTA is looking under every rock to find ways to bring more money in. Last month I wrote about their plan of looking to ads to add financial muscle. Today’s edition of AMNY features an article by transportation writer Matthew Sweeney which talks about the idea of selling station sponsorships to companies. Here is a brief sample of his article:
Imagine Mickey Mouse greeting passengers as they step onto the platform at a “Disney Times Square” station or “CitiStation” beneath Citigroup Center at 53rd Street and Lexington Avenue.”
In the midst of a financial crisis, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is looking at corporate sponsorship of subway stations to help fill its massive budget gap.
“We’re looking to see what more we can do to raise revenue through station advertising,” MTA CEO Elliot Sander told amNewYork.
Sponsorship, little more than a sketch on paper at this point, could become the most visible component of the agency’s aggressive push to increase advertising revenue, which currently brings in a little more than $100 million a year.
Click here for the entire article.
I support this idea of sponsoring stations. The kind of revenue this could bring in if done right would be huge for the MTA. Major companies would not pass up an opportunity to target a subway system that moves millions of people around daily.
Outside of the money factor, I feel this would be a great way to help fund the complete cleanup & repair of stations throughout the system. Do you really think Disney for instance would spend millions on advertising & have their station look like utter garbage? I sure don’t think so.
As far as overdoing it is concerned, I don’t think that applies in this case. Riders see advertisements every single day so what would be different about this? It is not like the MTA will allow a company to turn a station into an amusement park. Riders should seriously look at the bigger picture instead of worrying about such inconsequential things. As far as Playboy is concerned, do you really think the MTA would allow them to advertise? People should think before saying something so stupid. Lets hope the MTA does not blow this golden opportunity to rake in the dough.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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