Should northeast Ohio school districts consider selling stadium naming rights to generate funding?

CANTON, Ohio - At least one local district could look into the possibility of selling naming rights to its high school stadiums in an effort to generate funding.

Canton school board member Ryan Brahler said the board hasn't discussed naming rights or how people would react to a name change to historical Fawcett Stadium, where Canton McKinley plays football.

However, Brahler said the thought of creating extra revenue through naming rights is intriguing to cash-strapped districts.

"Any little bit helps and if we can get a substantial amount, we have to consider it," Brahler said.

The idea is getting more traction as naming rights continue to be sold for big bucks at the professional and collegiate levels.

FirstEnergy is spending $102 million over 17 years to take over the naming rights to Cleveland Browns Stadium.

InfoCision dropped $10 million over 20 years to put its name on the stadium where the Akron Zips play.

Inside Main Street Grille, just down the road from North Canton Memorial Stadium, opinions were mixed on whether schools district should be sellers in the stadium name game.

"I think high school sports are one of the only true pure sports venues that we still have left with college becoming more commercialized, and obviously, professional sports being that way for some time. I would say I don't really feel that's a good idea," said Scott Lowe, a North Canton resident.

"I think that any amount of money that we can gain from naming rights or a stadium is a good idea," said Cinda Pacelli, also of North Canton.