Reinsdorf considers moving White Sox out of Guaranteed Rate Field or selling team

[baseball_gal_aly]

1 minute ago, TaylorStSox said:

I live in Bridgeport. 

Ok then. 

Maybe you and i have a different definition of what bad traffic is then. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by baseballgalaly

[Tnetennba]

3 minutes ago, baseballgalaly said:

I lived there for a year. 

I’ve lived here for 12, and South Loop for 3 years before that.  Commuting by car sucks to either GRF or Soldier Field.  I just struggle to see how 81 games at SF improves fan experience or access by foot, transit, or car.  A lake front stadium has its appeals in theory, but in practice just seems like it would be maddening in a number of areas. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

34 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

The comparison to the A's is kind of absurd. Oakland has a population of 440,000. It's twice the size of Aurora, and it's a dump. 

The Bay Area is huge when you include San Francisco and San Jose. 

I'm sure not everyone in the Bay Area who is an A's fan lives in Oakland. 

San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland combined aren't that far off from Chicago. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by baseballgalaly

[TaylorStSox]

2 minutes ago, baseballgalaly said:

Ok then. 

Maybe you and i have a different definition of what bad traffic is then. 

It's far, far easier to navigate around GRF than the UC or Wrigley on game day. There are more roads, e-ways and train lines. There are just way more choices. Red Line, Green Line and Dan Ryan expansions were all built with the stadium in mind. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

Just now, TaylorStSox said:

It's far, far easier to navigate around GRF than the UC or Wrigley on game day. There are more roads, e-ways and train lines. There are just way more choices. Red Line, Green Line and Dan Ryan expansions were all built with the stadium in mind. 

I don't disagree that GRF is the easiest stadium to get to in the city, but to say it's still not a royal pain in the ass is disingenuous. 

 

[TaylorStSox]

2 minutes ago, baseballgalaly said:

The Bay Area is huge when you include San Francisco and San Jose. 

I'm sure not everyone in the Bay Area who is an A's fan lives in Oakland. 

A lot of the A's issues have been with the city specifically, and it's inability to fund and support an MLB team. Chicago doesn't  have that issue. 

[Buehrle>Wood]

Just now, baseballgalaly said:

I don't disagree that GRF is the easiest stadium to get to in the city, but to say it's still not a royal pain in the ass is disingenuous. 

 

It's not at all off the redline or train.

[Tnetennba]

Just now, baseballgalaly said:

I don't disagree that GRF is the easiest stadium to get to in the city, but to say it's still not a royal pain in the ass is disingenuous. 

 

Can confirm.  I am often commuting home amidst that game day traffic and it is indeed a massive pain in the ass. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

3 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

A lot of the A's issues have been with the city specifically, and it's inability to fund and support an MLB team. Chicago doesn't  have that issue. 

They wouldn't have had that issue if the Giants didn't block them from moving to San Jose. 

That was their best shot of staying in the Bay Area. 

It's kinda the equivalent of the Cubs blocking the Sox from moving to Arlington Heights. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by baseballgalaly

[wegner]

10 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

They're really not bad. Damen is a mess on Bulls game days and concerts. Clark and Addison are a mess on Cubs game days. The Red Line is a disaster for every non Cubs fan on game days. It's the nature of large scale events. 35th actually moves well all things considered. Transportation to GRF is better than both of the other sports stadiums in the city. 

A nice chunk of the North Side is a mess on Cubs game days...ever been up there when the Cubs are playing and it's a street festival weekend? Ugghhh.

[Tnetennba]

Just now, wegner said:

A nice chunk of the North Side is a mess on Cubs game days...ever been up there when the Cubs are playing and it's a street festival weekend? Ugghhh.

Yes, yes I have. ???

[wegner]

Just now, Tnetennba said:

Yes, yes I have. ???

Me too.....I usually end up mumbling "I hate the friggin North Side".....only I didn't say frigggin.

[TaylorStSox]

2 minutes ago, baseballgalaly said:

They wouldn't have had that issue if the Giants didn't block them from moving to San Jose. 

That was their best shot of staying in the Bay Area. 

San Jose is an hour from Oakland. If the Sox move an hour from Chicago, that would be an absolute shame. The White Sox have been a part of the South Side of Chicago for 115 years. It's part of the franchise identity. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

5 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

San Jose is an hour from Oakland. If the Sox move an hour from Chicago, that would be an absolute shame. The White Sox have been a part of the South Side of Chicago for 115 years. It's part of the franchise identity. 

I live about half way between Chicago and Rockford. I'm a hockey fan and I'd rather go see the Ice Hogs than the Wolves. 

I wish I could afford Hawks games. 

Anyway, from my perspective AH is way better than Chicago. It's like 30 minutes away from where I live rather than GRF which is an hour and a half on the way in, and an hour back. 

I swore off going to Bears games after the last one I ever went to was zero degrees at a noon kickoff. It has been nearly 20 years. 

They build a dome, I go again. 

I also don't go to Sox games when it's over 85 degrees. 

I'd rather go to a game in Early April than when it's 90+ degrees. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by baseballgalaly

[Tnetennba]

4 minutes ago, wegner said:

Me too.....I usually end up mumbling "I hate the friggin North Side".....only I didn't say frigggin.

Pretty much ?

[TaylorStSox]

10 minutes ago, baseballgalaly said:

I live about half way between Chicago and Rockford. I'm a hockey fan and I'd rather go see the Ice Hogs than the Wolves. 

I wish I could afford Hawks games. 

Anyway, from my perspective AH is way better than Chicago. It's like 30 minutes away from where I live rather than GRF which is an hour and a half on the way in, and an hour back. 

I swore off going to Bears games after the last one I ever went to was zero degrees at a noon kickoff. It has been nearly 20 years. 

They build a dome, I go again. 

I also don't go to Sox games when it's over 85 degrees. 

I'd rather go to a game in Early April than when it's 90+ degrees. 

I don't know the economics behind it, but I would think competent ownership would prefer to play in a stadium with established infrastructure in proximity to the Loop, South Loop, McCormick Place, Pilsen, Chinatown, Bridgeport and NW Indiana would be preferable than a faceless ball mall in a suburb with no identity. I could be wrong though. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

2 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

I don't know the economics behind it, but I would think competent ownership would prefer to play in a stadium with established infrastructure in proximity to the Loop, South Loop, McCormick Place, Pilsen, Chinatown, Bridgeport and NW Indiana would be preferable than a faceless ball mall in a suburb with no identity. I could be wrong though. 

The huge thing with stadiums now is owning the surrounding businesses and stuff, the ballpark village. 

Where in Chicago proper are you going to be able to do that? The Burbs are almost a necessity. The Cubs got lucky af with their location. 

Both teams have been at their current location for over 100 years. 

[TaylorStSox]

Just now, baseballgalaly said:

The huge thing with stadiums now is owning the surrounding businesses and stuff, the ballpark village. 

Where in Chicago proper are you going to be able to do that? The Burbs are almost a necessity. The Cubs got lucky af with their location. 

Both teams have been at their current location for over 100 years. 

Why do they need a "ballpark village?"

[baseball_gal_aly]

2 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Why do they need a "ballpark village?"

Because it's the trendy thing and everyone is doing it. 

The answer is because the owner will probably want one. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by baseballgalaly

[ScootsMcGoots]

23 minutes ago, TaylorStSox said:

Why do they need a "ballpark village?"

Ballpark villages are pretty freaking sweet. I've been to the one in St. Louis and it was one of my favorite things about the park. Just provides an awesome pregame atmosphere. Detroit kind of has one when they block off the streets on game days. I've heard they built one at Wrigley but I haven't been. It just automatically enhances the fan experience. The Sox park is a good one, definitely underrated around the league. I would say the one valid complaint I consistently hear is there isn't much to do around the park. Ballpark village instantly addresses that issue. I know we're talking mostly about a new park but if they can pull it off at the current stadium it would be pretty awesome. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by ScootsMcGoots

[Tnetennba]

The White Sox could have had a ballpark village for the entire time Comiskey II has been in existence.  The only thing stopping JR is JR. 

[CentralChamps21]

1 hour ago, baseballgalaly said:

The huge thing with stadiums now is owning the surrounding businesses and stuff, the ballpark village. 

Where in Chicago proper are you going to be able to do that? The Burbs are almost a necessity. The Cubs got lucky af with their location. 

Both teams have been at their current location for over 100 years. 

Not a construction/design expert so no idea if this would work, but here's my idea:

Build the ballpark with home plate at around the northern 35 yard line of Soldier Field, with CF due north. Turn the southern shell of Soldier Field into the ballpark village. Wouldn't be a huge one, but if contained inside the old shell it wouldn't take away from the aesthetics of the area.

[The Beast]

1 hour ago, TaylorStSox said:

Why do they need a "ballpark village?"

 

1 hour ago, ScootsMcGoots said:

Ballpark villages are pretty freaking sweet. I've been to the one in St. Louis and it was one of my favorite things about the park. Just provides an awesome pregame atmosphere. Detroit kind of has one when they block off the streets on game days. I've heard they built one at Wrigley but I haven't been. It just automatically enhances the fan experience. The Sox park is a good one, definitely underrated around the league. I would say the one valid complaint I consistently hear is there isn't much to do around the park. Ballpark village instantly addresses that issue. I know we're talking mostly about a new park but if they can pull it off at the current stadium it would be pretty awesome. 

If they decided to keep the current stadium, they should consider the retractable roof and then find out a way to build up the ballpark village around the park. GRF is easy to get to off of I-55 and there is plentiful parking even if it is $30. There is also plenty of public transportation and it is in a cool neighborhood that could be built up. It’s too bad they didn’t build their current stadium where the old Comiskey Park was because of where the stadium faced.

The Soldier Field idea is interesting, but it would be a royal pain in the ass to get to and park at. I’d rather them not move there. I don’t know much about the UC but I don’t know how much the neighborhood has to offer. Bridgeport is more the south side to me and is not trendy like Soldier Field is.

[Highland]

On the post-game show, Ozzie went on a rant against a publicly funded stadium. I agree with him. No way should JR get two publicly funded stadiums. There is no way JR should have leverage with the team he has now.

[Lip Man 1]

19 minutes ago, Highland said:

On the post-game show, Ozzie went on a rant against a publicly funded stadium. I agree with him. No way should JR get two publicly funded stadiums. There is no way JR should have leverage with the team he has now.

Absolutely correct. I could see JR getting some help from some community be it Chicago or a suburb, say with the land...but the stadium itself? Let the cheap SOB pay for it himself like Joe Robbie did in Miami and the Giants owner did.