Wrigley being renamed? (Chicago, Skokie, Rosemont: for sale, real estate, condos)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Welcome to Wrigley Field at Portillo's Park!
Posted Dec 21st 2007 2:34PM by PostmanE
Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, NL Central, MLB Biz
Real estate tycoon Sam Zell finalized his purchase of the Tribune Company today, and he's wasted no time in making waves throughout the company's various properties. First, he stomped through the Chicago Tribune to energize the newspaper's troops against the rising tide of financial failure. Now, he's dropping knowledge on his plans for the sale of the Cubs, including one interesting caveat: Wrigley Field's naming rights will be up for grabs:

Tribune Co.'s new CEO Sam Zell said the Cubs will be sold by Opening Day, and that he may sell naming rights to Wrigley Field because such rights could be "extraordinarily valuable."

"Up until now, we've delayed -- although they're ready -- sending out the books on the Cubs until we had a better understanding of where this stands," Zell said. "I think the goal would be to complete the transaction before the beginning of the baseball season." There are plenty of interested buyers, Zell said.

That's not all Zell announced. He confirmed that the State of Illinois and the Tribune Company have discussed a state purchase of Wrigley Field, discussions which are apparently ongoing. But the naming rights issue -- that's the real news here. Good luck selling this to Cubs fans. The bleacher bums embrace the history of Wrigley even as the stadium crumbles down around them; even minor fixes, like the addition of advertisements aimed to help the team financially, are balked at. So think of the backlash when a local restaurant like Portillo's (mmm, Portillo's) -- or worse, some national company -- swoops in and scoops those naming rights. New ownership better invest that money in riot gear.

Not sure if you can post links here or not.

Anyway, looks like Wrigley might have an "at ______ Park" on the end or something. It'd be kind of sad to see Wrigley renamed, even though I've never been there.

[Drover]

There are some things you don't mess with. The reason why the Cubs franchise has been so successful even through a never-ending string of futile seasons is because of the tradition. When people shell out $40 for a bleacher seat, they're buying a piece of history and tradition that exists in so few other ballparks today as much or more as they're buying a ticket to see the actual game. In other words, going to a Cubs game is as much or more about going to a museum exhibit as a sports exhibition. It would be like renaming The Museum of Science and Industry "The Comcast Museum of Science and Industry."

Start messing with that and you'll see the Cubs fan base melt away like a snowman in April. This is not a good idea.

[tcs1366]

>>When people shell out $40 for a bleacher seat,

holy cow.... $40 for a bleacher seat??

I recall when i was in HS, friends and i would leave home with $10 in our pocket; take the Skokie Swift, buy a ticket for the bleacher, and have lunch .... all for ten bucks!!

IT certainly would be a shame if the name was changed .... i still call Rosemont Horizon "Rosement" and Comiski - "Comiski"

I can't keep up with all the name changes.

[hokiehigh]

i really hope this doesn't happen. even though i am a Cards fan i think the Cubs are above naming rights. wrigley and fenway are two names that should not be changed and i refused to have "sponsored by" after wrigley field.

[scarletneon]

yeah, that would go over like a lead balloon.
I had a bad feeling about this guy when I heard about him. of course he needs to make more money SOMEHOW... stomping on tradition is a great way to go about it.

HEY maybe if the state gets to purchase Wrigley Field it can be called "Wrigley Field At Blagob*tch Park And You Won't Have Any Mass Transit To Get Here Because We Had To Spend Cash To Buy This Field!"

[Steve-o]

It would be a bad idea, as others have stated. Renaming an institution such as Wrigley would be sacreligious!!!!!!

[Avengerfire]

I remember when Bleachers were $4 for every game and I am not that old. I sort of recall $2,but I was really young.

When they sold the naming rights of the Bleachers to Bud Light ,that was a very bad sign.

If the new owner renames Wrigley, I think I am done with the Cubs.

Be prepared for the Wrigleyville condos.:-(

[Avengerfire]

Unreal new ticket prices for 2008

Comparing Cubs ticket prices

2007-(2008)
Value game prices

Club Box (IF) $34 ($50)
Club Box (OF) $22 ($33)
Field Box (IF) $22 ($33)
Field Box (OF) $20 ($28)
Terrace Box (IF) $18 ($26)
Terrace Box (OF) $17 ($23)
Upper Deck Box (IF) $18 ($26)
Upper Deck Box (OF) $19 ($23)
Terrace Reserved (IF) $11 ($16)
Terrace Reserved (OF) $10 ($16)
Upper Deck Reserved (IF) $7 ($11)
Upper Deck Reserved (OF) $6 ($10)
Bleachers $15 ($22)

Regular game prices

Club Box (IF) $54 ($70)
Club Box (OF) $43 ($58)
Field Box (IF) $43 ($58)
Field Box (OF) $41 ($50)
Terrace Box (IF) $38 ($44)
Terrace Box (OF) $34 ($40)
Upper Deck Box (IF) $38 ($44)
Upper Deck Box (OF) $34 ($40)
Terrace Reserved (IF) $22 ($28)
Terrace Reserved (OF) $20 ($24)
Upper Deck Reserved (IF) $14 ($16)
Upper Deck Reserved (OF) $14 ($16)
Bleachers $30 ($36)

Prime game prices

Club Box (IF) $65 ($80)
Club Box (OF) $54 ($66)
Field Box (IF) $54 ($66)
Field Box (OF) $50 ($56)
Terrace Box (IF) $46 ($52)
Terrace Box (OF) $40 ($46)
Upper Deck Box (IF) $46 ($52)
Upper Deck Box (OF) $40 ($46)
Terrace Reserved (IF) $32 ($36)
Terrace Reserved (OF) $28 ($32)
Upper Deck Reserved (IF) $18 ($22)
Upper Deck Reserved (OF) $17 ($20)
Bleachers $40 ($45)

[LM1]

I think Major League Baseball should make it a contractual obligation- required to purchase a team- that every team owner must make his own middle name available for sale to businesses or even the fans should he decide to rename the park or move the team elsewhere...

If this were the case, I could see Steve "Brought To You By Summers Eve Douchebags" Zell seriously rethinking this terrible decision to rename Wrigley.

[KevK]

Wrigley should have been demolished years ago. It is too small, outdated and in a crowded neighbourhood with neighbours that are hostile to it at best. I would tear it down, build a nice shiny new stadium either in the burbs or elsewhere in the city and turned that land into a strip mall or condos- whichever makes the Lakeview neighbours happy. What really should have been done years ago was to build a super ballpark for both the Sox and the Cubs (sine they never play at home the same day anyway)