I know it's pure populism to rage against the corporate machine, especially when strangely emotive topics like stadium naming rights are in the mix. But I just can't get over one thing with these Aviva layoffs. Back around the beginning of 2009, Aviva paid 40 million euro to have its name on Lansdowne Road for the next 15 years. Today, they've shed nearly half of their 2,100 workforce in Ireland. So Aviva can no longer afford to the salaries of 950 Irish people but they can afford to pay more than 3 million euro a year to have their brand name painted into the seats at Lansdowne. I realise a corporation owes nothing to anyone and is entitled to do as it pleases, but similarly, we as punters (and media commentators) are free to call our national stadium what we wish, not to mind whom we choose to purchase our insurance from.
