CONNECTCOMMENTEMAILMORE

If the president comes to visit your arena or you have your name on that arena, expect some angry messages. 

Hundreds have responded to U.S. Bank Arena’s tweet July 8 announcing Trump’s August 1 rally at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. Dozens of people threatened to close their bank accounts with U.S. Bank.

More than 6,000 people have signed an online petition by an anti-National Rifle Association Activist to pressure U.S. Bank to cancel the rally. 

“Why on earth would you allow such hate filled rhetoric in an arena with your name on it?” tweeted Mary Ann Novak. “Risky business. Good news is, I don’t and won’t bank with U.S. Bank.” 

That U.S. Bank doesn’t book events at the arena hasn’t tempered the online indignation.

Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank bought the naming rights to the former Riverfront Coliseum in 1999 when the company was known as Firstar and the arena was called the Firstar Center. Firstar became U.S. Bank in 2002 and the arena has been known as U.S. Bank Arena ever since. 

The arena is owned and operated by giant entertainment companies Nederlander Entertainment and AEG Facilities.

As of Monday, July 22, almost all of the 355 responses to U.S. Bank’s July 8 tweet have expressed outrage at the arena and bank.

A handful of people came to U.S. Bank’s defense. A poster named Regina responded to the arena’s post encouraging them to “not let the people on the left bully you.”

U.S. Bank spokesperson Cheryl Leamon didn’t have a response for the call to boycott. She said the controversy is confined to online comments. The company isn’t seeing a response from its customers. 

“Our naming rights don’t allow influence on what occurs at the arena,” Leamon said. 

Leamon wouldn’t disclose the details of the naming-rights deal. 

The arena management didn’t respond to messages seeking comment on Monday morning. 

This is not the first time U.S. Bank Arena has hosted a Trump rally. Weeks after winning election in 2016, Trump held a rally there as part of his “Thank You” tour. 

A subsequent post on U.S. Bank’s Twitter feed announcing an October 22 concert by the band Twenty One Pilots has not garnered any controversy. 

CONNECTCOMMENTEMAILMORE

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2019/07/22/president-donald-trumps-visit-stirs-anger-toward-u-s-bank-and-arena/1794066001/