Stunning Criminal Testimony Alleges Royals Considered Selling Stadium Naming Rights
By Joe Summers
Were the Royals almost playing home games at FTX Field?
Sam Bankman-Fried, who was found guilty of seven counts of conspiracy and fraud as the founder of failed cryptocurrency trading firm FTX, testified that the Kansas City Royals considered a naming rights deal with the crumbled company.
The Royals have denied any communication with FTX on a naming rights deal.
Stunning Testimony in FTX Trial Alleges Royals Connection
SBF says in addition to the Miami Heat stadium, FTX explored naming rights for the venues for the New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs, and Kansas City Royals.
— Luc Cohen (@cohenluc) October 27, 2023
"With no offense to the Royals, I didn’t want to be known as the Kansas City Royals of crypto exchanges."
Do not take Bankman-Fried's testimony as fact, especially given the organization's denial.
That said, it's humorous the Royals took such a random shot from a man responsible for defrauding investors out of literally billions of dollars, but such is life for the boys in blue.
This is a team with a lot of work to do in the offseason, but there's a new level of disrespect when even venture capitalists focused on cryptocurrency know you stink.
Bankman-Fried was testifying under oath. If he was telling the truth, and that's far from certain, it's disheartening to consider that John Sherman and Royals' ownership wanted to change the name in the first place. We know that the stadium is ultimately moving, but selling naming rights to a crypto firm just sounds wrong.
In 1993, Kauffman Stadium was named after the franchise's legendary late owner, Ewing M. Kauffman. We don't know what the details of any potential arrangement were, though I hope any future naming changes will pay respect to the great history behind the franchise.
I suppose for now, we'll continue to be the punchline of jokes even in the places Royals fans would least expect it.
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