"Sell the Team...Jerry" Billboards...

[joejoesox]

"The notion that [Jerry Krause] broke up the Bulls is asinine and absurd... Jerry Reinsdorf broke up the Bulls because he didn't want to pay anybody." -Charles Barkley

Hour 2 starting now: https://t.co/F1KhNmWX4H pic.twitter.com/76uJEHIbGH

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) April 29, 2020

[4uckOffCommieScum]

Damn, Chuck

[Sarava]

On 1/12/2023 at 3:42 PM, Lip Man 1 said:

White Sox attendance issues started in the mid 1960's when social unrest created the myth that Comiskey Park was a "dangerous" place because of its location. Nothing the Sox could do about that but they have shot themselves in the foot over the years with decisions like leaving WGN-TV, creating SportsVision and saying "We are Chicago's American League team..." instead of taking on the Cubs full-on.

From 1951-1967 the Sox outdrew the Cubs in 16 of those 17 years sometimes by a wide margin.

Part of the issue is the Sox have not been able to consistently put a winning competitive streak like that together since then.

Often they come out of the blue (like in 2005) and have an excellent season but they...can't...keep...it...going. I don't mean winning World Series after World series but how about making the playoffs say four times in six years or five times in seven? Sox have never done that.

They'll have a nice stretch (1981-1983, 1990-1994, 2000-2006...) and then it's back to mediocrity.

To say nothing even about all the controversies...Sox are moving...stadium controversy, JR and 1994 labor impasse, White Flag Trade, cancelling Sox fest, bizarre new ticket policy among others.

That's no way to build a fan base in my opinion. 

 

 

 

Nothing they can do about it? They could have not built the new stadium across the street in the late 80's/early 90's? Although the stadium has convenient highway access - it is still viewed as an undesirable area to go to. Who wants to ride that section of the redline at night? And crap like those guys on electric scooters scamming people for money as they exit the Dan Ryan for a game only furthers the problem.

IMO the Sox need to move once new ownership eventually comes in. If nothing is available downtown, then the burbs should be the focus.

[Middle Buffalo]

3 minutes ago, Sarava said:

 

IMO the Sox need to move once new ownership eventually comes in. If nothing is available downtown, then the burbs should be the focus.

Soldier Field should be available.

[Balta1701]

1 hour ago, Middle Buffalo said:

Soldier Field should be available.

Logistically, the idea of moving an extra 20k people into and out of downtown 81 times a year has always struck me as challenging. You can get away with much larger crowds for 9 football games because 8 of them are on Sundays, but trying this during evening traffic will leave a bad taste for everyone unless there’s a serious rethink of moving people into that area.

[Kyyle23]

58 minutes ago, Balta1701 said:

Logistically, the idea of moving an extra 20k people into and out of downtown 81 times a year has always struck me as challenging. You can get away with much larger crowds for 9 football games because 8 of them are on Sundays, but trying this during evening traffic will leave a bad taste for everyone unless there’s a serious rethink of moving people into that area.

It would be a fucking nightmare for 82 games a season if the Sox played where soldier field is.  Just a gridlock joke

[South Side Hit Men]

4 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Logistically, the idea of moving an extra 20k people into and out of downtown 81 times a year has always struck me as challenging. You can get away with much larger crowds for 9 football games because 8 of them are on Sundays, but trying this during evening traffic will leave a bad taste for everyone unless there’s a serious rethink of moving people into that area.

Downtown has been a ghost town the past three years, doubtful office workers / businesses will ever return without multiple significant changes. 

Don’t see the team staying unless they get another free stadium. Chicago, Crook County and Illinois are all bankrupt when you factor unfunded pensions, are lucky to issue above junk status bonds now to pay for current day to day expenses.

[southsider2k5]

1 hour ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Downtown has been a ghost town the past three years, doubtful office workers / businesses will ever return without multiple significant changes. 

Don’t see the team staying unless they get another free stadium. Chicago, Crook County and Illinois are all bankrupt when you factor unfunded pensions, are lucky to issue above junk status bonds now to pay for current day to day expenses.

If the Bears leave Chicago, the Sox are going to be able to do whatever they want to hold the City of Chicago hostage for any of their whims to do with a stadium.  Losing two teams in like 5 years just can't happen.

[pcq]

Yeah Chicago is too small of a market. The Sox re-built on the South Side because nobody else wanted them as I recall.

[raBBit]

6 hours ago, Balta1701 said:

Logistically, the idea of moving an extra 20k people into and out of downtown 81 times a year has always struck me as challenging. You can get away with much larger crowds for 9 football games because 8 of them are on Sundays, but trying this during evening traffic will leave a bad taste for everyone unless there’s a serious rethink of moving people into that area.

Who are the extra 20k people? Is the idea the Sox would sell out Soldier Field when they can't even sell out GRF? Just because there would be more capacity doesn't mean there would be more attendance outside of 3-5 games or so. 

Regardless, not even worth talking about. Not happening. 

[JoeC]

7 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Who are the extra 20k people? Is the idea the Sox would sell out Soldier Field when they can't even sell out GRF? Just because there would be more capacity doesn't mean there would be more attendance outside of 3-5 games or so. 

Regardless, not even worth talking about. Not happening. 

I think he's talking about having 20k people at the game.

Currently there are 0 people making the commute to Soldier Field ("Downtown").

[joejoesox]

Sox fans should be as relentless towards Hahn & Reinsdorf as Jordan and Pippen were to Krause and that's a fact, some of the quotes out there from those 2 guys regarding their GM are a-m-a-z-i-n-g

[CeaseAndExist]

6 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

If the Bears leave Chicago, the Sox are going to be able to do whatever they want to hold the City of Chicago hostage for any of their whims to do with a stadium.  Losing two teams in like 5 years just can't happen.

lol nope. This isnt Indiana. IL and Chicago aren't giving billionaires welfare

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, CeaseAndExist said:

lol nope. This isnt Indiana. IL and Chicago aren't giving billionaires welfare

 The City of Chicago is fighting to throw 10 figures at the Bears, and this is what you've got?  

Cease indeed.

[CeaseAndExist]

7 hours ago, South Side Hit Men said:

Downtown has been a ghost town the past three years, doubtful office workers / businesses will ever return without multiple significant changes. 

Don’t see the team staying unless they get another free stadium. Chicago, Crook County and Illinois are all bankrupt when you factor unfunded pensions, are lucky to issue above junk status bonds now to pay for current day to day expenses.

This is basically word for word Fox News propaganda.

And the idea the City is bankrupt is hilarious. The City is in the best financial health its been in since the 1990s

[CeaseAndExist]

2 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

 The City of Chicago is fighting to throw 10 figures at the Bears, and this is what you've got?  

Cease indeed.

I mean, ok? 10 figures is a pittance considering the AH Stadium is $3 billion plus.

The City is offering what it thinks the economic benefit the Bears provide is. The Bears want a $1 billion renovation.

Now you can go back to watching Tucker/Fox having learned something. Happy to help Indiana man

[southsider2k5]

36 minutes ago, CeaseAndExist said:

I mean, ok? 10 figures is a pittance considering the AH Stadium is $3 billion plus.

The City is offering what it thinks the economic benefit the Bears provide is. The Bears want a $1 billion renovation.

Now you can go back to watching Tucker/Fox having learned something. Happy to help Indiana man

You completely contradicted yourself as Chicago is throwing money at billionaires,  but sure, make up some weird stuff to cover it up.

[4uckOffCommieScum]

Welfare is a pittance, by definition. So you are saying the state won’t offer welfare but it offers a pittance. Great point

[South Side Hit Men]

20 hours ago, southsider2k5 said:

If the Bears leave Chicago, the Sox are going to be able to do whatever they want to hold the City of Chicago hostage for any of their whims to do with a stadium.  Losing two teams in like 5 years just can't happen.

I agree the city will likely (a new mayor may not be as enthusiastic) attempt to sell to the public yet another billionaire handout, with the lapdog Chicago media fully on board.

Just looking at the current downtown vacancy rate (21.4% Q4 2022), the end of massive Federal COVID cash subsidies, and the fact that even if the city could secure another tax and bond to fund this latest hand out, if downtown doesn’t rebound, the Sox will prefer to shakedown taxpayers elsewhere.

The city dodged a big bullet when Daley finished in dead last in the 2016 Olympic bidding. All future stadiums should follow the United Center model, which has worked out for both owners.

 

[Leonard Zelig]

1 hour ago, South Side Hit Men said:

I agree the city will likely (a new mayor may not be as enthusiastic) attempt to sell to the public yet another billionaire handout, with the lapdog Chicago media fully on board.

Just looking at the current downtown vacancy rate (21.4% Q4 2022), the end of massive Federal COVID cash subsidies, and the fact that even if the city could secure another tax and bond to fund this latest hand out, if downtown doesn’t rebound, the Sox will prefer to shakedown taxpayers elsewhere.

The city dodged a big bullet when Daley finished in dead last in the 2016 Olympic bidding. All future stadiums should follow the United Center model, which has worked out for both owners.

 

Just gotta poke around. 

[ewokpelts]

On 1/30/2023 at 2:12 PM, pcq said:

Yeah Chicago is too small of a market. The Sox re-built on the South Side because nobody else wanted them as I recall.

Tampa certainly wanted them. They built a stadium for them. 
 

The Sox are at 35th and shields still because Harold Washington and Jim Thompson brokered a deal that if the state paid for a stadium the only site would be 35th and shields (or within that footprint). 
 

there was lots of talk about the south loop or even the west loop, but the only proposal that reached a vote was Addison. And that measure lost. 

[Jack Parkman]

 

[The Grinder]

On 2/2/2023 at 11:08 PM, ewokpelts said:

Tampa certainly wanted them. They built a stadium for them. 
 

The Sox are at 35th and shields still because Harold Washington and Jim Thompson brokered a deal that if the state paid for a stadium the only site would be 35th and shields (or within that footprint). 
 

there was lots of talk about the south loop or even the west loop, but the only proposal that reached a vote was Addison. And that measure lost. 

Wasn't the stadium at least started when the SOx were rescued by the State? I mean they didnt even have a tenant for what was called The Suncoast Dome IIRC

[WBWSF]

If the White Sox had moved to Florida they would have played in a Minor League  stadium in Tampa during the 1989 season. (Al Lange Field)  They would have moved into the Suncoast Dome in 1990.  It would have been the biggest mistake of JRs life had he moved the team to Florida. He has said  in the past  that he would have sold the Bulls if  he had moved the White Sox to Florida. So instead of being part owner of the Chicago White Sox, Part owner of the Bulls, Part owner of the United Center and part owner of the Chicago Tv station his teams are on, he would have been part owner of the Florida/Tampa Bay White Sox.  The Tampa Bay Rays have been thru 4 ownerships already. If they don't get another stadium when the present lease runs out  that team will move somewhere else. Another positive thing happened after the White Sox remained in Chicago. Eddie Einhorn left the scene. He was the one person who really wanted to move the team. When that didn't happen he sold most of his White Sox shares to JR and left Chicago.

[The Grinder]

I apologize if this has been discussed here before, but JR only owns a small percent of the team right but he is the puppermaster IE the controlling partner correct?