QUOTE (Thad Bosley @ May 14, 2016 -> 07:54 AM)
I'm not quite sure what any of that is supposed to mean, but what I do know is Harry Caray was immensely popular with White Sox fans and that was reflected in the attendance back in those days. That was half the reason the Sox brought him to Chicago in the first place - to help with attendance. He had a bonus in his contract tied to increased attendance, and the Sox actually had to cancel that bonus a few years into the deal because they couldn't afford to pay it, it had gotten so big. And he managed to accomplish all of that and have the influence he had only broadcasting on a tin can radio network and Channel 44. Pretty impressive to say the least.
Fast forward to 1981, and now Harry had the power of superstation WGN behind him. And in his short stint on 'GN as a Sox broadcaster, the Sox set TV ratings records for the team and attendance was beginning to skyrocket before the strike occurred that year. It was very clear at that time that the Sox were moving into a whole new and exciting era with the team on WGN and Harry leading the way. Well, clear to most people, except the owners, who within a blink of an eye let both Harry and WGN slip away in favor of...SportsVision. If that doesn't scream purely inept, I don't know what does. White Sox historian Richard Lindberg seems to agree.
You are absolutely correct.
The reason Harry left the Sox was so he could broadcast on superstation WGN instead of to an extremely limited audience on pay TV Sportsvision. Harry Carey was extremely popular and was a big part of saving the Sox franchise in 1971. It was like a dagger in the heart of Sox fans to see/hear the commercials he made after leaving the Sox proclaiming, "I'm a Bud Man and a Cubs Fan!"
He didn't leave because he liked the Cubs, and he didn't leave for money, he left because he knew he could reach a nation wide audience on WGN. Subsequently, he played a major role in the surging popularity of the Cubs. Einhorn made a big mistake with Sportsvision.