Hollywood Sign Gets Anonymous Sponsor

An anonymous firm has purchased the right to sponsor the Hollywood sign.

Chris Baumgart, chairman of the Hollywood Sign Trust, which is charged with maintaining the landmark, said the sponsor--described only as a well-known corporation--paid $100,000 for one year’s worth of sponsorship rights. The donor’s identity will be made public within the next two months, Baumgart said.

The sponsorship was sold on QVC, a home shopping network. Five companies offered to buy it, Baumgart said.

The decision to sell sponsorship rights caused some chagrin last month when it was incorrectly announced that the sign was being auctioned in the same way that the names of sports venues have been sold. In fact, Baumgart said, the sponsorship does not give the donor the right to attach a logo, name or anything else to the sign, but merely to say the sponsor is helping to maintain it.

The shopping show also offered people the right to buy sponsorships of individual stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ten people pledged $250 each for star sponsorships, according to QVC.