The Associated Press quotes the Cub owner as thinking a move to the suburbs might be lucrative but
says his team remains committed to refurbishing century-old Wrigley
Field.
This was a reaction to a question posed to Ricketts at the MLB Diversity Business Summit. The question was phrased how, in the situation where the Braves are moving to the suburbs, can a team maintain a connection with the old ball park community. Ricketts said he has been trying to avoid that issue.
''We've
been approached by several suburban sites and alternatives to move the
Cubs to a new ballpark,'' Ricketts said, ''and although I haven't
studied it thoroughly, I imagine that's probably an attractive
proposition for us.
''But
we've made it our priority to try to stay where we're at,'' he
continued, ''try to stay in the city because of what it does mean to the
neighbors and what it does mean to the city, both economically and just
from the standpoint of quality of life in general.''
Since the Cubs won
approval from Chicago's City Council last July for a $500 million real estate development project which would include installation of a 5,700-square-foot video
scoreboard at Wrigley,and a 650-square-foot sign in right field, the
neighboring rooftop owners have balked at any plans that interfere with their current views and contractual rights. Ricketts has been trying to get a settlement on every issue prior to going forward with any construction, now a year delayed from the original time table.
Ricketts claims the proposed massive commercial real estate project will enhance both the city and the neighbors is just his one man view. Neighbors have been complaining about operations outside the ball park during his entire ownership tenure. Adding more commercial establishments, including more bars and restaurants, will not increase the "quality of life" of residents with more traffic, bigger crowds, more events, more garbage and less parking.
But even more off-the-mark was Ricketts comments in regard to his Cubs falling attendance, a drop to 2.6 million from 3.3 million in 2008. He tries to spin it as a positive.
''There are just way too many people in Chicago that have never been to a Cubs game,'' he said. ''We've worked really hard to get out to people, particularly on the South Side, and say, hey, bring your church, bring your school, just bring a group and we'll take care of you. I just want more people to at least come into Wrigley and experience it. And we have this opportunity right now where we do have a few seats open from time to time. We can bring people in and give them the Wrigley experience. And as we get better those opportunities will be harder to come by.''
It is a dumb on many levels. People who have not seen a Cub game is not because there has been a vast ticket shortage the past few years - - - it has been because the team has averaged 91 losses a season. Further, trying to get group sales from the White Sox's South Side seems like trying to steal your friend's date by hitting your head hard against a brick wall over and over and over again.
In the recent past, Ricketts has told the press that the Cubs are building "toward a great franchise." However, he has reigned in any spending on the major league franchise, with payroll dipping faster than attendance. He also scoffs that Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer are not doing a great job; he said "they could win 83 games in their sleep." That quote alone should haunt Ricketts through out his tenure because the management team has yet to post any consistency at that level of accomplishment. He also said that he would entertain selling shares of the Cubs in order to fund the renovation, but such a plan to sell his family stake in the Cubs would not be poured into the baseball team. Any proceeds of sale will go to the owners, who may or may not invest that money in separate business entities to develop the commercial real estate outside Wrigley Field. Those projects outside Wrigley Field will not generate any money for the Cubs. So, many people view these grand statements that these new revenue projects will bring a winner to Chicago as mere white lies and half truths since the Cubs are clearly a falling priority in the Ricketts' Lakeview real estate ventures.
