Ricketts' Ideas are Good in Theory

As a Sox fan, it is weird for me to say this or to even think this but, Tom Ricketts buying the Cubs will end up being really really good for Cub fans. He seems to be a smart businessman and when you add that to his fandom for the Cubs, you’ll find an owner who is going to do whatever it takes to bring a winner to the North Side of Chicago. Bruce Levine of ESPN1000 and espnchicago.com outlined the plan that Ricketts wants to accomplish in the near future when it comes to Wrigley Field and I wanted to take a closer look at some of them:

The first thing Levine lists is a plan to refurbish the grandstand and the upper deck of Wrigley Field. This is obviously the biggest need for the ballpark at almost 100 years old the building is slowly falling apart. He wants to add new skyboxes and restaurants, which I think, is an interesting idea. Skyboxes and restaurants undoubtedly mean more revenue for the team, but I as a baseball fan, think that this idea might make Wrigley too modern. This seems more like a remodel as a way to make a profit quicker than a simple refurbish to stop concrete from falling and preserve the history of Wrigley Field.

Another thing that is outlined that sort of goes with the refurbishing is expanding the concourse and bathrooms in the park. I think this is a great idea because the times I am leaving Wrigley are just a hassle fighting the crowds of people leaving and the people waiting in line for the bathrooms.

The next two are topics that rub a lot of Cub fans the wrong way. The first thing is an video scoreboard that can also be used a place to sell advertising. I personally think it’s a thing Wrigley has been missing for some time and I think if done properly will only add to the atmosphere in Wrigley. The most ideal situation is to have a rooftop owner that will allow the Cubs to put a scoreboard up there. But really to not have a video board in 2010 at a sporting event is just mind-boggling.

The final thing I wanted to talk about is naming rights for the field. I think it would be a huge mistake to just sell the rights to name the field to the highest bidder. But I do think it provides a great source of revenue and could even allow the Cubs to receive some money to make these renovations out of someone else’s pockets (similar to the White Sox and U.S. Cellular). So what I think the best solution is to keep Wrigley Field in the name but name the building and the area, similar to the San Francisco 49ers when their stadium was called Monster Field at Candlestick Park. I also think some company would be thrilled to do this because their company would be associated with Wrigley Field instead of being seen as replacing Wrigley Field.

But hey what do I know? I’m only a Sox fan.