美國首都華盛頓公共交通運營方近日宣布，他們將面向商業企業出售該市86個地鐵站的命名權，以填補其資金缺口。華盛頓市地鐵發言人表示，他們今年面臨約7200萬美元的資金缺口，因此一直在尋找能夠減少赤字的好辦法，而出售地鐵站命名權就是他們想到的一個好主意。網友戲稱，白宮附近的麥佛森廣場站（McPherson Square）可以賣給麥當勞，以后就可以叫做巨無霸-麥佛森廣場站（Big-MacPherson Square）。其實，華盛頓并不是這一做法的先行者。迪拜在2009年當地地鐵開始運營前就已將21個地鐵站十年的命名權出售，獲益4.9億美元；費城也曾將該市一個站的命名權以300萬美元的價格賣給了電信巨頭AT&T。

McDonald's could sponsor McPherson Square near the White House, one Metro rider suggested. It could become Big-MacPherson Square.

Bosses at Washington's cash-strapped public transportation service are mulling selling "naming rights" for Metro stations as a way of filling a budget gap, a spokesman said Friday.

"We're looking at a possible $72 million shortfall in our budget for the upcoming year, and so we're looking for creative ways to try to close that deficit," Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel told AFP.

"One idea would be station naming rights," where corporate entities buy the right to have their brand associated with one of Metro's 86 stations.

Facebook and Twitter erupted with suggestions when the announcement was made.

McDonald's could sponsor McPherson Square near the White House, one Metro rider suggested. It could become Big-MacPherson Square.

Wheaton, in the Maryland suburbs, could become Wii-Wheaton if it were sponsored by the popular interactive video game. Cream of Wheaton, a play on the name of a hot breakfast cereal, has also been suggested.

The suggestions may have been tongue-in-cheek but the idea is not far-fetched.

Dubai sold 10-year naming rights to 21 out of 23 stations in its Metro system for 1.8 billion dirham ($490 million). Most of the rights were sold before the system became operational in 2009.

Philadelphia has sold telecoms giant AT&T the rights to a station for $3 million, and Barclays can append its name to a station in Brooklyn, New York after buying the naming rights reportedly for $4 million for 20 years.

In Washington, Metro thinks selling station naming rights will help to raise around two million dollars.

But talk about selling naming rights to Metro stations in the US capital is still in the very early stages, Taubenkibel said.

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(Agencies)

Vocabulary:

tongue-in-cheek: cleverly amusing in tone， 開玩笑的

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）