The 2012 London Olympic Games are less than a year away and across the pond, some fans are already getting worked up about a stadium naming rights deal.
That's because after the end of the Games, the Olympic Stadium in East London will be given to the owner of the West Ham United soccer club, who also happens to own a well-known adult store chain.
That by itself is not a big deal, but over the weekend, West Ham's chairman told a small group of fans during a question-and-answer session that the gorgeous venue could be renamed with the adult brand. "It would be a good idea if it's called the Ann Summers Stadium," Gold said.
Was it a joke? Fans couldn't tell, and immediately told the Daily Mail they couldn't believe Gold said such a thing. "You can imagine the sort of stick we'll get from away fans coming to the ground," one said.
A spokesman for Gold tried to clarify the remarks, saying, "He was asked the question in a light-hearted way and he answered, but it doesn't mean to say that's going to happen. He wasn't being serious."
The Olympic Stadium is where Usain Bolt will run the 100-meter dash, and try to run the fastest time in history. One million people have applied to pay up to $1,000 to see the race.
Bolt himself voiced support for the West Ham bid for the stadium, fearing another owner might tear the venue down.
Ann Summers has 153 adult stores around the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Spain. The stores have annual sales of more than $206 million. The company is known for selling a huge collection of lingerie and adult items.
