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* Former Gov. Jim Thompson has been saying over and over that there was no way that the Cubs will ever play at Sox Park during the renovations of Wrigley Field. Sox fans and Cub fans would hate it too much, Thompson has said, adding that Cub fans are really Wrigley fans anyway, so people wouldn’t travel to the South Side to watch their alleged team.
Apparently, Cub management never got the memo, or Thompson didn’t. Either way, now we have this goofy story…
The Cubs are hoping to play at least part of a season at U.S. Cellular Field during the proposed reconstruction of Wrigley Field, assuming they succeed in their plan to sell Wrigley to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
That was only one newsworthy item from Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney’s interview with Cubs beat reporters Friday at HoHoKam Park. […]
“Maybe we don’t need to be out for a whole season,” he said. “Maybe construction would start [the] last day of the season, it would go through the off-season and maybe call it until June to get some major work done. Maybe you could phase it in over time.”
Kenney has not approached Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf about the possibility of playing at The Cell.
Everyone from Sam Zell down to Cub management is a bunch of goofballs. Thompson appears to be the only one who knows what he’s doing. So, they should either listen to him and keep their mouths shut, or abandon all hope that their goofy little deal will become law.
The cards are already stacked against them. As Dan puts it…
The idea that an asset worth a billion dollars owned by one of the wealthiest men in Illinois should get government money is so preposterous on its face that I’m a little sad that we have to argue whether or not we should put Sam Zell’s Chicago Cubs on welfare.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:28 am
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Thompson got the memo but he just skimmed it.
Comment by Take It Easy Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 8:32 am
I suspect Thompson’s right about Cub fans going to Comiskey — the gate would be small. As a baseball fan, I’d love it; watch National League games in a comfort.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:18 am
If they start the renovation when the cubs are mathematically out of the playoffs, the work could be stated in early June and done by the beginning of the next season
j/k
Comment by Jack Buick Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:28 am
I still woner if their is not a bit of cunning to releasing conflciting reports. This allows them to gauge public reaction to try and decide how to proceed. They let Thompson float the one view, then toss out the other, and watch the dustup to see how it goes.
Comment by Ghost Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:28 am
I love the thought of Wrigley out of commission, but the thought of the Cubs in the Cell is horrible.
they have so much money through their media-team mashup they deserve no help at all.
And, with their ticket selling scheme (how is that not illegal?) that was exposed on a regular basis by Crouch in the Sun Times, they don’t need the help. Then again, maybe they fit right in with the corruption on the state level.
Comment by Amy Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 9:44 am
So Cubs fans won’t be venturing to the South Side?
I guess I can put all those empty beer bottles I’ve been saving into the recycling.
– SCAM
Comment by so-called "Austin Mayor" Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:11 am
“The Cards are already stacked against them.”
That’s why they’ve won ten world championships!
Wordslinger has a good point - put the Cubs on the Southside with a higher capacity and see how many fans follow. It would give the organization a good look at just how the fans support the team. If they can put 45k in there on a regular basis than the team could do a lot to shed the idea that it’s a fanbase that supports the ballpark over the club. If they fall short, then they show just how valuable the stadium is.
Comment by Peter Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:51 am
I think the first couple of games on the southside would sell out, just because of the novelty of it. Cub fans who swore they would never go to a game at Sox Park venturing down there. But it would, I think, taper off pretty quickly, especially if the Cubs aren’t in the thick of a pennant race (if they are, I think that Cub fans would travel, even if its to the South Side).
Some northside cub fans wouldn’t go down there, but that’s more because they won’t venture south of Jackson out of that weird fear that some yuppies have. That same fear being shown by a guy who once said he’d never been past western before (en route to a logan square bar, when I lived in LS). He said he thought everything past Western was ghetto gang territory.
But some think the city is limited to the Loop north to Lakeview and west to Western, curving east when you get south of North Ave.
Comment by jerry 101 Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 10:56 am
Simple Solution:
1. Hire the St. Louis Cardinals front office to manage the renovation.
2. Cubs play any displaced games in St. Louis. They draw well there.
3. If the Cubs get lucky, some winning essence rubs on to their baggage while playing in St. Louis.
4. Leave the Sox alone to cocentrate on winning.
Comment by Enemy of the State Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 11:06 am
One question, will a priest be allowed to perform an exorcist after each game the Cubs play?
Comment by Leigh Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 11:07 am
Lt. Dan is right on the money. Can we make them have an Elvis night?
Comment by Stacker of Wheat Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 11:25 am
Wait, what about having the Cubs play in Champaign? If I recall correctly, they had no trouble drawing crowds there. And look what it did for them too…a couple years after they played there, they went to the Super Bowl. Coincidence? Maybe not. Hmm, and now that I think about it, they can slap a $1.00 surcharge on the tickets and use the money for infrastructure improvements at the UofI, thereby actually saving tax payers money! Brilliant! Now all I need is someone to blame when the idea fails and I’ll be ready to run for Governor.
Comment by What planet is he from again? Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 12:42 pm
All professional sports entities should not ever be given any public funding. Middle class folks are paying taxes for at least adequate public education and infrastructure. They can only occasionally afford the trips and/or tickets to see these sports any way.
Comment by alsatian Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 1:25 pm
I’m surprised playing in Comiskey is in any way controversial, at least if the huge renovation that’s been rumored does take place. I’ve heard a plan is pretty much to remove the upper deck and rebuild it. You can'’t do that from October to April.
I have to applaud the timing of Zell’s announcement on renaming Wrigley though. The press has helped him out by concentrating on that and laying off the fleecing of taxpayers to help make a billionaire a bit richer.
Comment by johnny Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 2:13 pm
NO subsidy or City/State involvement with Wrigley or the sale of the Cubs. Let billionaire Zell and the new owners figure it out. One exception,If they need the Cell let them rent it and help pay back the state subsidy that built the Cell.
Comment by downstate hack Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 2:22 pm
Why can’t a billionaire get a good spokesperson now-a-days? Did they all end up on political campaigns?
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 2:33 pm
While you’re putting billionaire Zell on the dole, you might as well set a little aside for billionaire Duchossois. He’s back in Springfield asking for subsidies again. Last time Duchossois scored really big was part when the state areed to build the new cell for billionaire Reinsdorf. History does tend to repeat itself.
Comment by downhereforyears Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 2:54 pm
Why aren’t they talking about putting the Cubbies in Soldier Field, at least for the season. I have to agree with the one idea - let the see what that gate is like at US Cellular (the Unfriendly Confines) for half a season. My guess the gate will be half of what it is at Wrigley.
Comment by W Thomas Payne Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 2:58 pm
The first comment of the day was pretty funny.
Comment by Budget Watcher Monday, Mar 10, 08 @ 4:54 pm