At present, most of the stadiums for the upcoming Beijing Olympic Games have completed construction, with the exception of the National Stadium, or Bird's Nest, which is entering its final stage. Beijing Youth Daily recently carried an article talking about the naming rights of these venues.

Professionals quoted by the paper say that selling the naming rights of stadiums is the most important channel of raising capital for many stadiums abroad. Names are intangible assets, and they can be critical for the successful operation of these venues. In the west, selling the naming rights of sports venues has been a rapidly growing business. Since the Bird's Nest enjoys a great reputation, it is not wise to recklessly give the naming rights away.

Experts on product branding share the same view. The paper quoted them suggesting that both domestic and international companies should be eligible for the naming rights bid, but certain industries need to be kept out of the game, such as wine and tabacco.

The paper also quoted a senior advisor from the Beijing Olympic Committee saying Bird's Nest is not a common stadium. It is a national stadium, therefore, naming it with a company's name is not appropriate. Considering the construction is partly funded by the government, it should function as a public facility.