Lighter side

Yankees buy naming rights to Fenway Park

The New York Yankees escalated a longtime rivalry with the Boston Red Sox on Monday when the team purchased the naming rights to Boston's Fenway Park. The stadium will now be named The New York Yankees Own Fenway Park.

"This deal provides us a fantastic long-term situation in Boston," said George Steinbrenner, president of the Yankees. "Just think what a bargain $5 million per year will be 75 years from now when the Red Sox still haven't won the World Series."

The Yankees will pay $5 million per year for the naming rights to Fenway, with the contract automatically renewing each year until the Red Sox win a World Series title, upon which the stadium will revert back to its Boston ownership.

The naming rights deal also allows the Yankees to paint Fenway's vaunted Green Monster in blue and white pinstripes.

"We will enact the pinstripes clause of the deal for the playoffs,"Steinbrenner said, "but only if the Red Sox can make it."

-- Sportspickle.com