BeerHere

Enron Field (Minute Maid Park) is actually very nice. Tals Hill is stupid but the park is a great place to see a ballgame. I've never been to Arlington but I'll be willing to bet that it's better than Wrigley (no falling concrete or restricted view, better food, no exposed rust and everyone in the park has the ability to see instant replays.

Hence that language I posted on the last page and their refusal to even humor them on any talks of an extension. I like this portion of the agreement: "No new billboards will be allowed within view of the ballpark and the City will explore protections to prevent ambush marketing in the area around Wrigley Field." I don't know if that is aimed at the rooftop owners or not though. Does anyone remember the Miller Lite billboard that was in right field, maybe a dozen years ago or more...it said something like "Real baseball and real beer, 7.2 miles south". It was on the building that is down the right field foul line. It may have been the same building that has the "AC" counter on it. I'm sure I'm butchering this post but it was a clear marketing shot at the Cubs and Budweiser from the Sox and Miller. That didn't sit well with me and I'm sure it didn't sit well with the Cubs. To me, that is clearly "Ambush Marketing" but so would an agitated rooftop owner putting up some other sign pleading their case to the fans.

"It will likely take 5 offseasons of work..."

Levine just irritates me. Stupid questions.

My feed broke up during that question, but I don't think that was Bruce Miles.

The FA comment.....ugh. He is bad a press conferences.

I predict a press release from the city, the rooftop owners, lakeview community or some other group today refuting that there is a deal finalized.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something?? "We will go through the community process....." 40 night games, concerts, 3:05 start times on Friday seems the only things that are finalized. Good question there - the mayor, Tunney, rooftop reps, community reps...none are in attendance. Something is messed up here.

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something?? "We will go through the community process....."

Agreed. Something is messed up here. How can they say that the deal has been reached but keep referring to it as a proposal. Unless they are referring to the fact that city council needs to approve or something??

His stuff looked better last night. The slider had the hard downward bite to it and a couple were exceptional with late break. I didn't count how many FB's he threw or get the velo but his location was better.

Did the Cubs just intentionally walk the Brewers #3 to get to their #4? HA!

http://deadspin.com/lets-watch-this-dunk-blue-jays-fan-vomit-like-a-champ-471290434 this guy is drunk Could have been a bad hot dog. Let's not judge the man lest we determine his a) consumption b) capacity. Shutup BeerHere! ok

Is this guy drunk or dancing? :stickman:

I was thinking the same thing and would add if/when Stewart and Barney returns that Gonzalez and Valbuena are gone. Both Feldman and Villanueva move out of the pen? I highly doubt they DFA Marmol though I wouldn't be surprised.

What happened?

This team is brutal. It is going to be a long season. I hope the 2014 draft class is good.

Is Marmol warming up?

That press release doesn't sound good at all. Lots of finger pointing by the rooftop owners toward the Ricketts family. The only reason that I can think of to make statements like that is where negotiations have stalled and the rooftop owners are using PR as a last ditch effort to bring the Cubs back to the table. Or maybe to save some face. Regardless, my position hasn't changed. Leave Wrigleyville. Fine new land whether that be in Rosemont or somewhere else.

Build a winning organization, people will come. Shift the organization away from the "lovable losers in beautiful Wrigley Field" to a consistent winner, playoff contender and WS champion, people will come.

Sorry, am I stating the obvious?

The land that Wrigley sits on is extremely valuable. If they tear down the ballpark they could make use that land for a multitude of different initiatives to make money - housing, restaurants, hotel, etc. I'm not saying that it is likely, but to state that the value of the ballpark is high or drives the value of the franchise is wrong. It's a 100 year old landmark. Nothing more. It has falling concrete, inadequate facilities, rusting, falling apart, etc. I'm sure it is tied to the value of the franchise but there are other components that are more, or at least equally as important.

I said this earlier in the thread and was ridiculed for it, I'm saying it again. If you rely on Chicago politicians, you are making a mistake. Tunney is a cog in the self-serving political wheel that is the City of Chicago. He's doing what his $upporters are telling him to do. To get anything done the Cubs are going to have to push the envelope and doing that now means using the leverage that is in front of them.

While I wouldn't be that worried about the possibility of a move (at least not yet), I do hope this is the case and that the entitled [expletive] are the vocal minority. I've been saying this for years. I used to own a home in Wrigleyville as well. The business owners, bar owners, rooftop owners are large LLC's and corporations. None live in the community. They have no interest in the community, parking or anything else that doesn't drive their bottom line. They operate for-profit organizations and they are entirely within their rights to operate how they do. It is the notion that they are negotiating with their golden egg that bothers me. The idea that they are being allowed by the City of Chicago to dictate to the cubs how many night games they can have, how many signs they can have and where to put them....it's absurd. They have been stealing the product for years and only recently have had to kick something back to the team (17% of what they get for free). The Ricketts should be doing everything they can to increase their leverage. Rosemont provides that and all people here can do is complain about the lack of public transportation and airplane noise. IT IS A NEGOTIATION ISSUE, NOTHING ELSE. Whether it was intended or not, the Rosemont mayor has increased the Cubs negotiating power. Do I want them to leave the city? Absolutely. Will they? No way.

I don't think it would be a disgrace to the team at all. I think the city would be the ones in disgrace for not being able to work out a deal with an owner who is willing to foot the entire bill for the project. Having a stadium butting up against O'Hare would blow. There are multiple runways within a couple hundreds yards of the described location. It would also likely cost the team roughly $1B to build a new stadium worth building, even if they get the land for free. Yeah, playing at a stadium across from the airport and a shopping wall would basically be turning your back on the very reason anyone gives a damn about the [expletive] franchise for the past 40 years. Now, could you argue that's what they need? Sure, but why can't they have a new philosophy while maintaining their uniqueness? I'll admit that the airplanes would be horrible. Rosemont doesn't exactly have a sparkling reputation either (mafia, bribery). I would love to see the team moved out of Wrigleyville and screw the rooftop owners/Tunney but it won't happen. This gives the team leverage either way.