NYC subway needs sponsors to name stations.

We knew it would spread, after Massachusetts considered selling naming rights to forest, and naming rights for baseball stadiums and parks were suddenly up for grabs... But we didn't expect the subway stations in New York to sell out. Out go the easy to find stations named after streets, in come silly ideas like "Verizon station", "AOL stop" and god forbid if it becomes a seasonal ting so yo're suddenly living next to "six feet under HBO station". Well, NewYorkish spotted this NY times article and began playing with sponsor names photoshopping Krispy Kreme and Coke stops. Industry "experts" even welcome the idea

"People don't have that same emotional connection with their subway stops," said William Chipps, senior editor of IEG Sponsorship Report, a publication that follows the sponsorship industry. "To be honest with you, most people don't have good thoughts about it at all."

.. Mmmmkay, but the old stops tell you pretty much where you are in the city, and that's always a good thing... no? Prince street or 14th street... I need to know these things - I would never learn where Coke is in comparison to McDonalds...

(pssst, the neato underground map animals come from animals on the underground.)

For the moment, the transportation authority is optimistic. And unashamed.

Katherine N. Lapp, the authority's executive director, said that such an idea might offend some New Yorkers, but that the option was being considered as a way to avoid raising fares and tolls.

"It's our job to figure out other ways to add revenue," she said, pointing out that any naming deal would have to be vetted by the authority's board. "Every dollar we get from these types of sources is one dollar more we don't have to take in fares or tolls."

NewYorkish notes: Apparently, raising fares and cutting back on services wasn't enough so now they're just going to stick ads in our face.. Way to go MTA!