CHICAGO | Will the Sox leave US Comiskular Rate Field?

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by animositisomina

There is no chance the White Sox are moving to Nashville since the White Sox can't move until after 2030 and Nashville is in line for a new expansion team which could be awarded to them by next year.

No need for absolutes. Multiple cities are going to lose out on expansion. Courting the Sox would be the obvious next move for those cities. Current odds on favorites for new franchise are Nashville, Charlotte, San Antonio, Salt Lake, Orlando, and Portland. No stadium would be ready before 2030 anyways, that actually helps the Sox.

Originally Posted by animositisomina

I would argue that Denver was the last MSA that needed an MLB team, and they didn’t get one until 1993 because of the thin air.

Nashville and Charlotte are far bigger today than Denver was in 1993, like 20-50% larger.

Originally Posted by animositisomina

The value of the White Sox will certainly go down if they move out of the area.

An MLB that draws 30k a game in a brand new stadium is worth more than one that draws 20k a game in an old stadium.

Originally Posted by animositisomina

Ideally, Reinsdorf sells the team to an individual or group who is committed to keeping the franchise in the area, since he clearly can't finance a new stadium. Alternatively, he can find a way to make it work at the location the White Sox have been at for over 120 years.

It has been said over and over by Reinsdorf himself, the team is being sold when he dies. When that happens, it will likely go to the highest bidder regardless of location as his kids don't care about the team or keeping it here.

[animositisomina]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

No need for absolutes. Multiple cities are going to lose out on expansion. Courting the Sox would be the obvious next move for those cities. Current odds on favorites for new franchise are Nashville, Charlotte, San Antonio, Salt Lake, Orlando, and Portland. No stadium would be ready before 2030 anyways, that actually helps the Sox.

Nashville is a lock for an expansion team. They have a group that is headed by Dave Stewart and MLB very much wants to be there. The White Sox may move, but it won't be to Nashville.

Most of these other cities will be horrible markets for the MLB.

Orlando? Have you paid attention to what has happened in Tampa and Miami? Both markets have proven to be horrible for MLB.

Salt Lake City has an MSA of 1.25 million, which makes it much smaller than the current smallest MSA with an MLB team, Milwaukee.

Charlotte has shown little to no interest in attracting an MLB team, while Portland would be a challenging market given how close it is to Seattle.

San Antonio/Austin are full of transplants and has shown no interest to date in trying to land an MLB team. The recent success of the Rangers and Astros probably means that a lot of the people there who are baseball fans probably support one of those franchises right now.

Nashville and Charlotte are far bigger today than Denver was in 1993, like 20-50% larger.

Denver has an isolated MSA which made it far more attractive and viable for MLB since the entire MT could adopt it as their own MLB team. It has proven to be a fantastic market for that very reason. They would have had an MLB team far earlier than 1993 if it wasn't for the thin air.

An MLB that draws 30k a game in a brand new stadium is worth more than one that draws 20k a game in an old stadium.

There is no guarantee that any of these markets can attract 30k every night beyond the honeymoon period. Tampa had exactly one year where they averaged over 30,000, and that was 1998. Miami hasn't drawn over 30k since 1994, and they have a brand-new stadium. Arizona hasn't averaged over 30k for a full year since 2008:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/t...D/attend.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/t...A/attend.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/t...I/attend.shtml

I have no idea why you think any of these other markets can consistently draw 30k. What do you base that on? The above are all bigger markets than the ones that you mentioned.

It has been said over and over by Reinsdorf himself, the team is being sold when he dies. When that happens, it will likely go to the highest bidder regardless of location as his kids don't care about the team or keeping it here.

I have no doubt that the team will be sold after he dies, but I don't own a crystal ball and can't predict who will buy it, and neither can you. These threats are being made to drum up some kind of support for a publicly financed stadium, and it's failing miserably. He deserves no money, especially since the state paid for the last one. It's not the taxpayer's fault that he built a stadium that became dated the second Camden Yards opened.

It'll be a wonderful day when the White Sox are out of the grips of Reinsdorf and his family, who most certainly can not finance a new stadium on their own. If they leave the market, so be it, but it'll be a very short sighted move that will ultimately diminish the value of the franchise. However, it's most certainly possible for an individual or group with local ties to keep the White Sox in Chicago.

[ardecila]

Design is moving forward on some of the infrastructure work for The 78, it's not conditioned on the ballpark but that has added some urgency. Taylor St Bridge, St Charles Air Line bridge, etc. Wells-Wentworth is already completed of course, and I believe the design for the Metra relocation and 15th St underpass is done just awaiting funding.

DPI is out for construction bids and we should see an award in May or June and maybe advance work this fall.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Design is moving forward on some of the infrastructure work for The 78, it's not conditioned on the ballpark but that has added some urgency. Taylor St Bridge, St Charles Air Line bridge, etc. Wells-Wentworth is already completed of course, and I believe the design for the Metra relocation and 15th St underpass is done just awaiting funding.

DPI is out for construction bids and we should see an award in May or June and maybe advance work this fall.

This is important background info, for sure. The timing does put the squeeze on the Sox to not pussyfoot and make plans for the 78 if it is to happen. If nothing moves forward by the end of the summer maybe put a fork in the idea?

[animositisomina]

Perhaps Jerry reads this forum because he's now offering to chip in $200 million

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/spor...te-sox-stadium

In a written statement, a source close to Reinsdorf said that, despite earlier media reports indicating Reinsdorf wants the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority to front the entire $1.25 billion said to be needed for the new ballpark, “We never said there would not be White Sox investment in the potential development.”

“To the contrary,” the statement continued, “We have been looking at several scenarios which would, under the right conditions, involve significant private investment. But as everyone knows, this is an evolving situation, and once we have a clear, definitive path, we will have a clear, definitive commitment.

The statement added, “We are aware of the importance of the overall package, beginning with the incredible benefits a new stadium at The 78 would bring to the city.”

The statement did not define “significant.” But sources close to negotiations say Reinsdorf has mentioned a figure of $200 million or more.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Could they put the White Sox in the refurbished 35th St site and move the Cubs to the 78 Site?

/blasphemy

[Steely Dan]

^ if you wanna go all the way to crazy town, why not build a new stadium for the Sox in.......



Winnetka!