• Forbes, Monday, February 9, 2009 10:32 AM

Tom Van Riper, in fact, says that Citigroup should shrug off any criticism about its deal with the Mets, including the barbs of congressmen like Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), and just play the game the way it's meant to be played. "The troubled bank needs to do business, and that means marketing," he writes.

When done correctly, naming rights make money for the marketer, according to Van Riper. "In addition to the general exposure, a company like Citi gets its foot in the door to handle all of the banking for the team and the venue, access to players and their agents and a place to drum up business with other team sponsors in the corporate suites," he says.

Altogether, there are 24 financial services firms with their names on Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League venues, making it the largest sector in the business. ?

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