Replace the Scoreboard?

[RammyFanny]

Long-suffering Cubs fans should like the Theo Epstein years. Traditionalists who want to see Wrigley Field left alone probably will not.

 

That's the assessment of a random sampling of baseball executives and analysts in determining the potential impact of Chairman Tom Ricketts hiring Epstein and giving him the authority to build a front office similar — and maybe even larger — in scope to the one he ran for nine years in Boston.

 

It's the Red Sox tie that catches the eye of one sitting general manager, who believes that Chicago fans should brace for changes at Wrigley similar to ones that have occurred at Fenway Park over the last decade.

 

"I wouldn't look for that old scoreboard to be sitting on top of the center-field bleachers for many more years,'' the general manager said. "There's $20 million (a year) sitting up there if they put up a giant Jumbotron. I know people are attached to tradition, to that scoreboard, but is taking it down any bigger change than putting seats on top of the Green Monster?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/sc-spt-1030-notes-rogers-baseball--20111030,0,4735617.column

 

I like the scoreboard, but if majority of that money goes back into the payroll...adios.

[jam1975]

Long-suffering Cubs fans should like the Theo Epstein years. Traditionalists who want to see Wrigley Field left alone probably will not.

 

That's the assessment of a random sampling of baseball executives and analysts in determining the potential impact of Chairman Tom Ricketts hiring Epstein and giving him the authority to build a front office similar — and maybe even larger — in scope to the one he ran for nine years in Boston.

 

It's the Red Sox tie that catches the eye of one sitting general manager, who believes that Chicago fans should brace for changes at Wrigley similar to ones that have occurred at Fenway Park over the last decade.

 

"I wouldn't look for that old scoreboard to be sitting on top of the center-field bleachers for many more years,'' the general manager said. "There's $20 million (a year) sitting up there if they put up a giant Jumbotron. I know people are attached to tradition, to that scoreboard, but is taking it down any bigger change than putting seats on top of the Green Monster?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/sc-spt-1030-notes-rogers-baseball--20111030,0,4735617.column

 

I like the scoreboard, but if majority of that money goes back into the payroll...adios.

 

Isn't the scoreboard the part of Wrigley protected by the landmark status? Shouldn't Phil Rogers know that?

[WrigleyField 22]

I wouldnt be totally surprised to see a video board, but i dont think its related to Epstien. That will be a Ricketts/Kenney thing. Epstien's job is to work with what revenue he's given.

[Theo]

That Scoreboard is a piece of [expletive]. A modern digital one that generates revenue is much better

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd like to see them keep the scoreboard, but also figure out how to install a video board (or boards) without the rooftop vultures keeping it from happening.

[Conky]

Ricketts is secretly buying up the properties he can surrounding Wrigley and is hard at work on a "W for Windetta" type scenario to blow up insurgent rooftop owners. There are also rumors of a few spare rockets warming up in the bullpen. Scoreboard be damned. We will have our day.

[Sammy Sofa]

Man, I hate Wrigleyville.

[davearm2]

I wouldnt be totally surprised to see a video board, but i dont think its related to Epstien. That will be a Ricketts/Kenney thing. Epstien's job is to work with what revenue he's given.

Bingo. The future of the CF scoreboard is not in Theo Epstein's hands. It's in the hands of the same people as before Theo arrived.

[davearm2]

I'd like to see them keep the scoreboard, but also figure out how to install a video board (or boards) without the rooftop vultures keeping it from happening.

Seems like there's plenty of room to add a video board the same size as the scoreboard, or even larger, immediately to the RF side of the current scoreboard, without obstructing any rooftop views.

 

http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2009/03/24/wrigley-field-at-work/

[Sammy Sofa]

I'd like to see them keep the scoreboard, but also figure out how to install a video board (or boards) without the rooftop vultures keeping it from happening.

Seems like there's plenty of room to add a video board the same size as the scoreboard, or even larger, immediately to the RF side of the current scoreboard, without obstructing any rooftop views.

 

http://vineline.mlblogs.com/2009/03/24/wrigley-field-at-work/

 

Works for me. I'd love to see it happen.

[UMFan83]

I think it would be badass to put one on one of the rooftops. Of course that would never happen unless the Cubs bought said rooftop.

[Conky]

Hence W for Windetta project. Keep up with the tour group here. (jk)

 

First thing that needs to go is the futility counter.

 

:D

[Guest]

I've always thought the AL side, like davearm suggested, of the scoreboard could go for a Jumbotron.

 

I'd totally support a Jumbotron. I just don't want some annoying announcer interviewing fans and stupidity like that between innings like I've seen at Miller Park.

[SouthSideRyan]

Even if it didn't have landmark status, they wouldn't touch the scoreboard. What he's talking about is nothing like putting seats on the monster.

[Guest]

Even if it didn't have landmark status, they wouldn't touch the scoreboard. What he's talking about is nothing like putting seats on the monster.

 

 

Yea, it's really not close. It's more like adding rows to the bleachers, which we already did.

[17 Seconds]

i'm still waiting for somebody to hit the scoreboard with a home run, even though it will probably never happen.

 

closest i can remember is sosa's NLCS game 2 blast

[XZero771679666304]

Even if it didn't have landmark status, they wouldn't touch the scoreboard. What he's talking about is nothing like putting seats on the monster.

 

 

Yeah, it was a really stupid comparison to make. Now if they tore down the monster and built something new in its place, then it might have been a decent analogy.

[Guest]

i'm still waiting for somebody to hit the scoreboard with a home run, even though it will probably never happen.

 

closest i can remember is sosa's NLCS game 2 blast

 

IIRC, the closest anyone has come was Clemente, who just missed it to the left.

 

But yea, Sosa in the NLCS is the closest I personally have seen, too.

[erik316wttn]

There's going to be a lot of legal red tape and wrangling with the city to replace the scoreboard. Once something is considered a landmark, it's harder than hell to get any changes done.

[dfnowak]

My god, do you remember how many hoops they had to jump through just to put up the Toyota sign? That damn neighborhood restricts almost everything they want to do. If they even want to put up a jumbotron on top of a rooftop, Tunney will complain that it would be an eye sore and wont fit in w/the rest of the neighboood. Hopefully with Rahm in office, he can strong arm the neighborhood into backing off some of the Cubs desired projects.

[MWV]

Replacing the scoreboard with a jumbotron is in no way comparable to putting seats atop the green monster. If any parallel can be drawn between that move and Wrigley, it would be the bleacher expansion, which already happened in 2006. Considering the level of bureaucratic wrangling and negotiation that was required in order to make that modest improvement to the park, I highly doubt any credible plan is in place to tear down or drastically alter an iconic element of the ballpark's facade. The Ricketts could petition the city to relax or withdraw Wrigley's landmark status, but I don't think they would try and I doubt the city would let them.

[jersey cubs fan]

I've always thought the AL side, like davearm suggested, of the scoreboard could go for a Jumbotron.

 

That would be very ugly, and not very jumbo. I think you need to keep the scoreboard and do the jumbotrons off to the side.

[Guest]

I still wish they would've allowed the original larger scale bleacher expansion to happen.

[Guest]

I've always thought the AL side, like davearm suggested, of the scoreboard could go for a Jumbotron.

 

That would be very ugly, and not very jumbo. I think you need to keep the scoreboard and do the jumbotrons off to the side.

 

They'd have to be creative, for sure. I'd certainly rather keep the thing in tact if possible. That said, I'm pro-jumbotron.

[MWV]

I understand the appeal of a jumbotron from a marketing perspective; they allow for a lot more advertising sales. From a fan perspective, I don't really care. Do people really like kiss cams and animated trivia games that much?