You heard it here first!

A little bird stopped by Cool Springs today and told us the Sommet Center naming rights are going to Bridgestone.  We’re not sure if it will be named exactly “Bridgestone Arena” but it will be “Bridgestone Something”.

The new Bridgestone Arena in Nashville is expected to be christened soon, ushering out the old Sommet Center name.

With the new Nashville convention center and medical trade mart on the way, Bridgestone has made a great play for the naming rights of the Sommet Center.  Everyone is familiar with Bridgestone, so acquiring the naming rights to the Sommet Center is a natural brand enhancement for the tire company.  How many people even know what the Sommet Group’s main business is?

Of course this is all unconfirmed at this point, but our little bird was fairly certain the Sommet Center is out and Bridgestone is in.

Just six weeks ago on December,16 2009, a man named Jonathon Morrell in Hermitage Tennessee, registered the domain names BridgestoneCenter.com and BridgestoneArena.com.  Mr. Morrell owns a web based ticket scalping business called DonkeyTickets.com, also located in Hermitage, Tennessee.

It might seem like Jonathon Morrell has a great domain name that could be worth a fortune.  The reality is he will have some trouble should he decide to monetize it, when “Bridgestone Center” soon becomes a registered trademark.  If he is smart he’ll trade it for some tickets as fast as possible.  If he plays hardball (or they aren’t feeling charitable)  Bridgestone will lawyer up and simply take it from him.

Regardless, CoolSprings.com welcomes the Bridgestone Arena to Downtown Nashville!

UPDATE: Nashville’s Sommet Center becoming Bridgestone Centre, Bridgestone Tire Centre or Bridgestone Arena?

CoolSprings.com has just discovered strong evidence that naming rights to the Nashville Arena, currently the Sommet Center, will go to Bridgestone.

Sixteen domain names relating to the renaming of Nashville arena were registered roughly a week ago by Heather Novak at Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc. located at 1200 Firestone Parkway, Akron, OH 44317.

All the speculation caused by the domain names purchased by Jon Morrell of Donkey Tickets forced CoolSprings.com back into the research war room.

Mr. Morrell registered BridgestoneCenter.com and BridgestoneArena.com back on Dec 16, 2009.  We researched several other variations of names that Bridgestone might consider in renaming the Sommet Center to find these.

Is Bridgestone’s possible first choice of “Bridgestone Arena” or “Bridgestone Center” hampered by the squatting of two domain names already registered by local speculators?

Regardless, it appears highly coincidental these sixteen domains were registered just one week ago amidst all the speculation regarding the renaming of Nashville Arena, currently Sommet Center.

Bridgestone Center, Bridgestone Tire Centre or Bridgestone Arena sounds good to us, although it we’ll probably have to wait until the official end of the Predators hockey season to find out.

Here is a summary of Bridgestone related domain names, the date registered and by whom.

BridgestoneArena.com  12/16/09 by Jonathon Morrell of Donkey Tickets
BridgestoneArena.net  1/28/10 Bridgestone
BridgestoneArena.org  1/28/10 Bridgestone
BridgestoneCenter.com  12/16/09 by Jonathon Morrell of Donkey Tickets
BridgestoneCenter.org  1/27/10 by Bridgestone
Bridgestone Center.net   1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneCentre.com 1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneCentre.org  1/27/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneCentre.net  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCentre.com  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCentre.net  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCentre.org  1/17/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireArena.com  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireArena.org  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireArena.net  1/18/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCenter.com  1/28/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCenter.org  1/27/10 by Bridgestone
BridgestoneTireCenter.net  1/28/10 by Bridgestone

Controlling the timing of a public announcement for the renaming of Sommet Center to Bridgestone Tire Centre, Center or Arena might be really tough now.

Here are the six most likely names for Bridgestone to choose from, based on the domain names Heather Novak registered last week.

Bridgestone Center
Bridgestone Centre
Bridgestone Arena
Bridgestone Tire Center
Bridgestone Tire Centre
Bridgestone Tire Arena

Which name do you think sounds best?

Nashville's Sommet Center now Bridgestone Center