Wrigley Renovation Thread

[Andy]

I know this is just a mockup, but I hope they don't waste jumbotron space with the inning-by-inning linescore when the same thing is up on the actual scoreboard. Unless they take the Cubs off the original scoreboard so that they can fit another game on it, since I believe the scoreboard doesn't have enough space for a full slate of games.

Yeah, there are six game spaces for each league and if everyone is playing that leaves three games off the board.

[Andy]

The jumbotron actually doesn't look terrible. Having it sort of visually blend in with the green frame would be nice.

[Andy]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

[Banedon]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

 

I would think that CSN's schedule would get awfully crowded with Sox and Cubs, plus the overlap with the Bulls and Hawks early in the season. They already had three games overlapping last week.

[Guest]

Maybe a CSN buyout? They can't even start their own network while they're locked in with CSN so, yeah, it'll be interesting to see who they can even pit against WGN for those games.

[Cubswin11]

Maybe a CSN buyout? They can't even start their own network while they're locked in with CSN so, yeah, it'll be interesting to see who they can even pit against WGN for those games.

Maybe FSN, if they are able to work a CSN buyout?

[Guest]

Maybe a CSN buyout? They can't even start their own network while they're locked in with CSN so, yeah, it'll be interesting to see who they can even pit against WGN for those games.

Maybe FSN, if they are able to work a CSN buyout?

 

If they actually worked out a CSN buyout, I think they'd be full steam ahead with the Cubs Network.

 

Plus, there isn't even a Chicago FSN affiliate.

[Irrelevant Dude]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

[Guest]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

 

It's so weird to even think of a local OTA station other than WGN (and WCIU - I guess) airing games. Do other teams even have local OTA deals anymore or are most teams 100% cable?

[Guest]

Ricketts is gonna be on Waddle and Silvy at 4.

[jersey cubs fan]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

 

It's so weird to even think of a local OTA station other than WGN (and WCIU - I guess) airing games. Do other teams even have local OTA deals anymore or are most teams 100% cable?

 

The Mets and Yankees occasionally play games on 9 and 11, owned by Fox and Tribune, respectively.

[Andy]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

 

It's so weird to even think of a local OTA station other than WGN (and WCIU - I guess) airing games. Do other teams even have local OTA deals anymore or are most teams 100% cable?

 

The Mets and Yankees occasionally play games on 9 and 11, owned by Fox and Tribune, respectively.

The Dodgers play games on KCAL and I think the Phillies air some games (usually Sundays) on a local station as well. I'm pretty sure STL used to do the same thing but I don't believe they do anymore.

[bigkid66]

On the other hand, Ricketts has already missed his self imposed deadline to have things finalized so baseball ops could have their new clubhouse, batting cages, weight room, etc. Watching Ricketts handle this is just a comedy of errors.

 

Have a lot of experience negotiating hundred million dollar deals that include the City of Chicago, do you? I assume he doesn't want to start piecemeal improvements until he has the whole plan approved, which makes perfect sense. Extreme patience is required.

[Cubswin11]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

 

It's so weird to even think of a local OTA station other than WGN (and WCIU - I guess) airing games. Do other teams even have local OTA deals anymore or are most teams 100% cable?

 

The Mets and Yankees occasionally play games on 9 and 11, owned by Fox and Tribune, respectively.

The Dodgers play games on KCAL and I think the Phillies air some games (usually Sundays) on a local station as well. I'm pretty sure STL used to do the same thing but I don't believe they do anymore.

The Brewers air a handful of games on WMLW over the course of the season

[apete6]

Maybe a CSN buyout? They can't even start their own network while they're locked in with CSN so, yeah, it'll be interesting to see who they can even pit against WGN for those games.

Maybe FSN, if they are able to work a CSN buyout?

 

If they actually worked out a CSN buyout, I think they'd be full steam ahead with the Cubs Network.

 

Plus, there isn't even a Chicago FSN affiliate.

 

Comcast could want to work with them on a Cubs network. They own NBC and have really been aggressive in bidding on sports lately (NHL, college sports, etc...).

[davell]

On the other hand, Ricketts has already missed his self imposed deadline to have things finalized so baseball ops could have their new clubhouse, batting cages, weight room, etc. Watching Ricketts handle this is just a comedy of errors.

 

Have a lot of experience negotiating hundred million dollar deals that include the City of Chicago, do you? I assume he doesn't want to start piecemeal improvements until he has the whole plan approved, which makes perfect sense. Extreme patience is required.

No, I don't have experience in this. Neither does Ricketts. And its showed. I can be as patient as anyone. I'm worried that at least potentially, Theo won't be.

[Guest]

As for the TV stuff, who do we expect will pay for WGN's games if WGN doesn't? Would it be a full CSN schedule?

Maybe Fox will get involved. They could put Cubs games on WPWR or even split them between WFLD and WPWR.

 

It's so weird to even think of a local OTA station other than WGN (and WCIU - I guess) airing games. Do other teams even have local OTA deals anymore or are most teams 100% cable?

 

The Mets and Yankees occasionally play games on 9 and 11, owned by Fox and Tribune, respectively.

The Dodgers play games on KCAL and I think the Phillies air some games (usually Sundays) on a local station as well. I'm pretty sure STL used to do the same thing but I don't believe they do anymore.

 

As do the Lakers, despite having their own dedicated channel through Time Warner. KCAL is owned by CBS.

[ConstableRabbit]

Where'd the cursive script come from? Not very "Wrigley"

 

 

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VIvJcuV6FME/UYEtg3AV3II/AAAAAAAABw8/ZnHiRo-toz0/s1600/Jumbotron_Wrigley.jpg

 

It's just there to show you where the ads are going to be. That isn't going to be a cursive Wrigley, it's going to sake Coke or Budweiser or United or something.

 

Or Jeff Vuuuuuukooovich.

I know it's going to be a placeholder, but will the style of the ad be regulated, (much like a gas station sign in an affluent suburb), or is it no-holds barred?

 

ETA: Another example of a regulated style is how the OF doors look.

[neely crenshaw]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/cubs-chairman-case-massive-scoreboard-111733026.html

Found this interesting

 

I wonder, if this is so cut and dry, why they would need to bring up this threat?

I personally have no problem with the threat especially since they are not holding up tax payers to pay for this. I think they should have left that on the table the entire negotiation.

 

As "someone" said earlier it makes more sense for the neighborhood to work something out, their property would be worthless without the cubs.

[jersey cubs fan]

I know it's going to be a placeholder, but will the style of the ad be regulated, (much like a gas station sign in an affluent suburb), or is it no-holds barred?

 

ETA: Another example of a regulated style is how the OF doors look.

 

If it's a coke ad, you can assume it's going to be the coke branded ad. Those outfield doors look like that more for the fact that it was introducing the concept of ads in Wrigley Field gradually. Eventually those will probably look like the companies want them to look like, as fans loosen up what they will "accept" as far as ads in the stadium.

[ConstableRabbit]

I know it's going to be a placeholder, but will the style of the ad be regulated, (much like a gas station sign in an affluent suburb), or is it no-holds barred?

 

ETA: Another example of a regulated style is how the OF doors look.

 

If it's a coke ad, you can assume it's going to be the coke branded ad. Those outfield doors look like that more for the fact that it was introducing the concept of ads in Wrigley Field gradually. Eventually those will probably look like the companies want them to look like, as fans loosen up what they will "accept" as far as ads in the stadium.

Right, I just prefer a more uniform look and was wondering whether anyone had heard anything about guidelines (if any).

 

Fenway has a few of these that look great (not standard font but they color scheme is consistent).

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Fenway_Park_Home_Plate_and_Green_Monster.jpg

 

[bigkid66]

If a better location offered the land for free,(like Rosemont) I think it's possible, or at the very lest a decent threat.

 

OK, you've got the land for free.

 

Where's the money for the actual building of the stadium going to come from? That's a $500m-$1b outlay.

 

The normal places? I don't know if it's been disclosed how Ricketts plans to raise the current $500M but I'm sure it's not coming out his bank account. If they can raise $500M to renovate Wrigley (with hotel) why couldn't they raise $500M to build a new ballpark, which may allow them even more flexibility in revenue streams? It's hard (impossible) to say without seeing the numbers. Maybe the government of the new location gives them 50% of the Amusement Tax for the first 20 years to help fund or maybe they give them tax credits that make it work.

 

Having said that, I don't think there's any way they move. There's too much money to be made by all parties involved at the current location.

[J.R.]

Camden Yards also has "regulations" for signage, and they have held up for 20 years.

 

That video screen could look a lot worse. I like all the green.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

The normal places? I don't know if it's been disclosed how Ricketts plans to raise the current $500M but I'm sure it's not coming out his bank account. If they can raise $500M to renovate Wrigley (with hotel) why couldn't they raise $500M to build a new ballpark, which may allow them even more flexibility in revenue streams?

 

The current money is coming from the jumbotron, increased signage, concerts and more night games. That's the *entire point* of all these negotiations. The Cubs don't have the cash to just do the renovations. They need to pay for it along the way with new revenue streams, which wouldn't exist if they were building a new stadium.

[bigkid66]

Sullivan is just the absolute worst.

 

@thekapman: "We anticipate increasing spending on the baseball side as soon as we know what we can do with this plan."

 

Sweet.

 

Does that lend some credence to the idea that the payroll cuts might have been a political move (sucks either way - just a thought)?

 

I know a lot of people on this board don't trust/like Ricketts but I haven't seen any reason to doubt that he really loves the Cubs, wants to win and his driving force behind these changes is to put the Cubs in a better place to do that and to get the players/fans a nicer facility (I'm sure his family will make plenty of money also).

 

However, I could see how the talk of not being able to field a competitive team (payroll cuts) could be used as leverage (and much better than the threat of moving). Attendance figures have shown that the Cubs may have priced themselves out of the "hey it's a nice day, let's go to Wrigley and have few beers and watch a crappy baseball team" market. A boring team with no playoff buzz lowers attendance and that probably hurts the businesses around Wrigley more than the Cubs. Share the Pain is good leverage.

 

I believe a deal will get done. Maybe with a 4000 sq ft sign instead of a 6000 sq ft one...but that's probably what they wanted anyway.