NEWARK, N.J. -- The New York Giants and New York Jets are considering awarding naming rights for their new stadium to a German company that once had ties to the Nazis.

 

Officials from German-based Allianz -- one of the world's largest insurance firms -- said that they've atoned for past history and should not be judged by the company's World War II record.

 

Allianz once insured Nazi death camps and refused to pay life insurance claims to its Jewish clients -- instead granting the proceeds to the Nazis.

 

The naming rights negotiations between Allianz and the Giants and Jets were first reported by the New York Times, which estimates the potential price tag could reach $20 million to $30 million a year.

 

Alice McGillion, a spokeswoman for the New Meadowlands Stadium Corp. which is overseeing the construction of the new home of the Giants and Jets, would not confirm details of the negotiations because no deal has been made.

 

"NMSC has undertaken a rigorous due diligence effort in the consideration of all our potential sponsors and naming rights partners," she said in a written statement.

 

"In this instance, NMSC management and the teams' owners became sensitive to Allianz's history. This thorough review also found that Holocaust experts, former government officials and leading Jewish and survivor groups believe that Allianz has made determined efforts towards restitution and continues to do so today."

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10972569

So what?

 

Would you be angry if they were sponsored by BMW or Volkswagen?

So what?

 

Would you be angry if they were sponsored by BMW or Volkswagen?

Yes?

Well I always did consider the Jets Nazis...

World War II was a hell of a long time ago. Did you not read the part of the article that said company officials said they have atoned for past history and should not be judged on their WWII history?

 

To call them "Nazi backers" is a bit ridiculous.

World War II was a hell of a long time ago. Did you not read the part of the article that said company officials said they have atoned for past history and should not be judged on their WWII history?

 

To call them "Nazi backers" is a bit ridiculous.

How exactly do you atone for insuring the deaths of millions?

World War II was a hell of a long time ago. Did you not read the part of the article that said company officials said they have atoned for past history and should not be judged on their WWII history?

 

To call them "Nazi backers" is a bit ridiculous.

How exactly do you atone for insuring the deaths of millions?

 

Are you being serious?

 

The people who are in charge of the company now had nothing to do with what went on nearly 70 years ago. They're obviously embarrassed and ashamed of what the company stood for.

 

Let me ask you this: Should the great great grandchildren of slave owners in this country during the mid 1800s be held accountable for what their relatives did? This is the same situation.

 

I don't think people of a new generation should be criticized for something their past generations did. That's just ridiculous.

Big Deal? Ummm NO.

 

These people have apologized and atoned for the company's history, a history that has nothing to do with the people that run the company today.

 

Like Puma said we don't hold slave owner descendants accountable for their great great grandparents sins....

No one is the company today was around back then. As horrible as the Holocaust, you can't hold it against modern day Germans forever.

All I know of this company is that they own the naming rights to the Bayern Munich football stadium - The Allianz Arena

 

That is an impressive building - its appearance from the outside changes colours

So much for the commercial potential of this image. Once the vision wears off, however, another question demands an answer. Would anybody have suspected that this harmless war-anecdote exemplifies the Coca-Cola Company's dual roles during the Second World War? Leaving aside the accidental aspect of this incident in the North African desert, it is still a fact that the soft drinks giant from Atlanta, Georgia collaborated with the Nazi-regime throughout its reign from 1933 to 1945 and sold countless millions of bottled beverages to Hitler's Germany.

 

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~class/coke/coke2.html

 

Pac bell, SBC (whatever) stadium has a giant nazi symbol in left-center field too I guess...

So much for the commercial potential of this image. Once the vision wears off, however, another question demands an answer. Would anybody have suspected that this harmless war-anecdote exemplifies the Coca-Cola Company's dual roles during the Second World War? Leaving aside the accidental aspect of this incident in the North African desert, it is still a fact that the soft drinks giant from Atlanta, Georgia collaborated with the Nazi-regime throughout its reign from 1933 to 1945 and sold countless millions of bottled beverages to Hitler's Germany.

 

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~class/coke/coke2.html

 

Pac bell, SBC (whatever) stadium has a giant nazi symbol in left-center field too I guess...

There's a difference between selling product and willingly handing over funds.

So much for the commercial potential of this image. Once the vision wears off, however, another question demands an answer. Would anybody have suspected that this harmless war-anecdote exemplifies the Coca-Cola Company's dual roles during the Second World War? Leaving aside the accidental aspect of this incident in the North African desert, it is still a fact that the soft drinks giant from Atlanta, Georgia collaborated with the Nazi-regime throughout its reign from 1933 to 1945 and sold countless millions of bottled beverages to Hitler's Germany.

 

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~class/coke/coke2.html

 

Pac bell, SBC (whatever) stadium has a giant nazi symbol in left-center field too I guess...

There's a difference between selling product and willingly handing over funds.

 

 

But Coke was not above moving behind the scenes and handing out bribes when their policy of limited greed failed to calm down xenophobic nazi-officials. Thus was the case when Hermann Goering in 1936 introduced a Four-Year Plan, which restricted imports to a bare minimum in order to make Germany self-sufficient and ready for war. When Coke's main lawyer could not convince the authorities that Coca-Cola was a German business which deserved government support, the company announced that it would from now on produce all of the concentrate's elements, with the exception of Merchandise No.5 and 7X, within Germany. When even this show of goodwill did not suffice to sway the government into granting an import exemption, the company turned to a frantic pulling of strings behind the scenes, which seems to have included a bribe for Goering. Coca-Cola gained the needed import license and saved itself from impending doom.

Will the Jets follow with an announcement of a logo change?

 

:mis2

 

 

 

 

But yeah, not a big issue.

Its not necessarily a bad thing, but I dont dont think they should do it.

 

No need for all the commotion.

Its not necessarily a bad thing, but I dont dont think they should do it.

 

No need for all the commotion.

 

They have been and are continuing to make amends for a past that they (the current employers/employees) weren't involved in... so, we should punish them?

 

"Ok, Allianz, we see you've been doing a great job towards restitution, Holocaust experts, former government officials and leading Jewish and survivor groups all agree"

 

"Good, we're glad we can do everything we can to shed ourselves of that image, by the way, we want naming rights for this stadium, with the increased revenue, we can expand our company and probably do more towards restitution..."

 

"No, we can't have that, you were associated with Nazis, sorry... keep up the good work though"

Its not necessarily a bad thing, but I dont dont think they should do it.

 

No need for all the commotion.

 

They have been and are continuing to make amends for a past that they (the current employers/employees) weren't involved in... so, we should punish them?

 

"Ok, Allianz, we see you've been doing a great job towards restitution, Holocaust experts, former government officials and leading Jewish and survivor groups all agree"

 

"Good, we're glad we can do everything we can to shed ourselves of that image, by the way, we want naming rights for this stadium, with the increased revenue, we can expand our company and probably do more towards restitution..."

 

"No, we can't have that, you were associated with Nazis, sorry... keep up the good work though"

Thing is it's not going to go over well at all in New York/New Jersey. Probably should've picked a different target.

 

Not necessarily saying it's a conspiracy but...

Its not necessarily a bad thing, but I dont dont think they should do it.

 

No need for all the commotion.

 

They have been and are continuing to make amends for a past that they (the current employers/employees) weren't involved in... so, we should punish them?

 

"Ok, Allianz, we see you've been doing a great job towards restitution, Holocaust experts, former government officials and leading Jewish and survivor groups all agree"

 

"Good, we're glad we can do everything we can to shed ourselves of that image, by the way, we want naming rights for this stadium, with the increased revenue, we can expand our company and probably do more towards restitution..."

 

"No, we can't have that, you were associated with Nazis, sorry... keep up the good work though"

 

 

Some things you just can't control. For Allianz, that just happens to be their company's history.

 

As I said, its not a bad thing that they want to be associated with the stadium, but there is no need for it.

 

The Giants/Jets could easily pick another company.

 

No controversy, problem solved. Life isn't always fair.

Some things you just can't control. For Allianz, that just happens to be their company's history.

 

As I said, its not a bad thing that they want to be associated with the stadium, but there is no need for it.

 

The Giants/Jets could easily pick another company.

 

No controversy, problem solved. Life isn't always fair.

 

Allianz is towards the top of their list because they made a very good offer... if the Giants/Jets are stupid enough to not take the better offer because of something petty, then yes, they are very, very stupid... I guarantee you that "Allianz Field" will not be a nazi training ground during the offseason... so there is absolutely ZERO point to be made by collusion to keep them out by ownership... this is a company that's done everything they can, it's not about being fair, it's about being a sound business... this is a sound business move for BOTH sides

Some things you just can't control. For Allianz, that just happens to be their company's history.

 

As I said, its not a bad thing that they want to be associated with the stadium, but there is no need for it.

 

The Giants/Jets could easily pick another company.

 

No controversy, problem solved. Life isn't always fair.

 

Allianz is towards the top of their list because they made a very good offer... if the Giants/Jets are stupid enough to not take the better offer because of something petty, then yes, they are very, very stupid... I guarantee you that "Allianz Field" will not be a nazi training ground during the offseason... so there is absolutely ZERO point to be made by collusion to keep them out by ownership... this is a company that's done everything they can, it's not about being fair, it's about being a sound business... this is a sound business move for BOTH sides

 

 

It is, but they don't need to go through all the hassle.

 

If they want to do it, it's a good deal. If they don't, that's their problem.

Just so you guys know, the Giants/Jets ended the naming rights talks with Allianz today.

 

It's not happening after all.

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/foot...s.ap/index.html

World War II was a hell of a long time ago. Did you not read the part of the article that said company officials said they have atoned for past history and should not be judged on their WWII history?

 

To call them "Nazi backers" is a bit ridiculous.

This.

 

All I know of this company is that they own the naming rights to the Bayern Munich football stadium - The Allianz Arena

 

That is an impressive building - its appearance from the outside changes colours

Ironically, Meadowlands Stadium has the same technology, inspired by this very stadium. :mischief

In my opinion, this should not happen.

 

In a company, ownership is ussually transferred from father to son.

 

So the current owners, their grandparents funded the nazi's. For some, it might have been their fathers!

 

That's a pretty big deal, considering most people values are those of their parents.

 

So just avoid the situations, especially with the amount of Jewish People in the NY area

In my opinion, this should not happen.

 

In a company, ownership is ussually transferred from father to son.

 

So the current owners, their grandparents funded the nazi's. For some, it might have been their fathers!

 

That's a pretty big deal, considering most people values are those of their parents.

 

So just avoid the situations, especially with the amount of Jewish People in the NY area

I'm not saying my parents are racists....but they are atleast bigots. Most older hispanics are, sadly.

 

I, on the other hand, even have a black friend!

In my opinion, this should not happen.

 

In a company, ownership is ussually transferred from father to son.

 

So the current owners, their grandparents funded the nazi's. For some, it might have been their fathers!

 

That's a pretty big deal, considering most people values are those of their parents.

 

So just avoid the situations, especially with the amount of Jewish People in the NY area

I'm not saying my parents are racists....but they are atleast bigots. Most older hispanics are, sadly.

 

I, on the other hand, even have a black friend!

 

 

Yeah, but that's because you have switched environments. Or at least your family has.

 

Would you have had any black friends in your/your family's country?

Probably not.

 

But these people are still in Germany