I appreciate the history of sport, even as it applies to corporate ads. I actually like the huge Citgo sign visible over the outfield wall from Fenway Park in Boston. The "Longines" Clock in Cincinnati's Crosley Field was pretty cool, as was Abe Stark's ad at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn which proclaimed, "Hit Sign, Win Suit." (I don't think anyone ever hit it.) I think the ads on outfield walls of ballparks are neat and olde-timey, and I supported the idea when Camden Yards started putting ads on the outfield walls again back in 1991.
I'm even over "FedEx" Field and what is now the "Verizon" Center (mostly). However, just because something is old, or has been done for a long period of time, doesn't make it worth continuing. If every time the Brooklyn Dodgers hit a homer their radio announcer shouted "Look out Abe Stark, this could cost you a suit! Home Run, Dodgers!" that would be olde-timey, yet obnoxious and worthy, at least in my opinion, of extinction.
That's how I feel about the Tastykake ads. Its fine that its a "Philly" thing, and its fine that its been done for a long time and is a link to the Flyers' glory days of the '70s. That doesn't change my opinion of it though. I still find it crass and irritating.
However, you'll notice from my examples above that my sense of sports history doesn't extend too far past baseball. So, maybe I don't have the proper appreciation for this. I'm willing to concede that that could be possible. Still, I don't want to hear any ads following goals, especially if the Flyers have just scored on the Caps.
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