2024 Chicago White Sox
2024 Chicago White Sox
Will be awful
Yes. But the nice thing is that since none of us have any expectations for a successful season... we can't be disappointed! See, always a ray of sunshine amidst the dark clouds.
And when they trade Cease (it's better for HIM, too) they should get a nice load of talent in return.
And Jason Benetti won't have to strain to make Sox broadcasts interesting since he won't even be here!
And Sox Ownership has a whole new year to strongarm and bully various cities to get the best deal to increase franchise value for them.
So much good news!
And angling for a new Downtown stadium? Who's going to pay? Wait! The tax-payers! Maybe they should move to Soldier Field?
Nobody likes it when taxpayers have to pay for this. And it should be the wealthy team owners who pay for their own stadiums.
But that just doesn’t happen. So it’s taxpayer-funded or you usually end up losing your franchise to some other place that will do this. And taxpayers (and others) from the original City don’t like that outcome.
The way that one can justify taxpayers getting involved is that new stadiums often really improve the surrounding neighborhood and bring new development (and by extension, helps the State). And this new development brings new businesses and living areas that generate new tax revenue. So the City overall improves.
Soldier Field has just outlived its usefulness as a sports venue. It needs to be fully re-purposed for something non-sports related.
Move the Fire to 35th & Shields. Sox get the near South Loop location. And Soldier Field gets turned into a big park or other public attractions.
Besides some already agreed to TIF money for the project I don't believe a Sox stadium at the 78 would be getting taxpayer money. The developer is one of the largest developers in the country. It has also developed Hudson Yards in NYC. I think they see the opportunity to leverage the attendance to the Sox games to shops, restaurants, hotels, etc. that occupy other parts of the development. And the Sox see it as a way to increase attendance. Much like for many going to Wrigley Field is as much about the experience as actually seeing the Cubs play.
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
agree
other than general road/rail/river site improvements , zero public money should go towards stadium specific brick & mortar .
White Sox TV PBP voice reportedly down to 3 names:
-Will Flemming, Red Sox radio commentator
-Connor McKnight
-John Schriffen, ESPN PBP voice who called KBO games in 2020 and has also covered several other sports for the network. He also hosts the coverage for the NBA Draft combine.
-Will Flemming, Red Sox radio commentator
-Connor McKnight
-John Schriffen, ESPN PBP voice who called KBO games in 2020 and has also covered several other sports for the network. He also hosts the coverage for the NBA Draft combine.
Outfielders in the outfield!
Now if they can also get some Infielders to play in the infield... and pitchers who can throw the ball better than just batting practice... 81 wins... here we come!
They have a catcher. And now, even a TV announcer!
And maybe even a place to play in Chicago when they give up on the 35st Street Ball Mall. No more Cryin' by the Ryan! Now it's Woop! Woop! In the South Loop!
Will be sad without Jason Benetti, the only reason to watch games during an abysmal season. Screw you, Reinsdorf. Publicly, it was floated that he didn’t like Benetti’s other commitments. While that’s true, he hated the banter between Benetti and Steve Stone even more.
Benetti is too independent of thought for someone like the Sox Owner. Such people who own sports franchises (just like in the Business World) only want yes-men and yes-women who don't think for themselves and who just peddle the Company line.
Benetti has a great future at the National level anyway and he would have had to leave the Sox eventually. So by getting out now he has saved himself plenty of headaches coming from small-minded owners. And it looks like for the time being that Tigers will offer him the freedom he needs.
Jason is amazing and I tune in to almost every game/sport he calls. BTW, Sox (and Bulls) have several under-the-radar ownership partners and they don't all agree with JR.
It all begins in a week:
Pitchers and catchers report: Wednesday, Feb. 14
Full squad reports: Monday, Feb. 19
Opener: at Cubs on Friday, Feb. 23
Chicago White Sox
Site: Camelback Ranch, Glendale, Ariz.Pitchers and catchers report: Wednesday, Feb. 14
Full squad reports: Monday, Feb. 19
Opener: at Cubs on Friday, Feb. 23
So begins the journey to 100+ losses.
The improved defense alone will mean an improvement of ten games, but all that does is remove that + sign.
Media report: The White Sox Owner wants $1 billion in public funding from the state of Illinois for a South Loop stadium project.
So let’s game-plan this out...
He gets first in line to propose a way for Chicago to keep the White Sox. He puts this media report out there for all to see.
Then the State of Illinois decision-makers have their two options:
Give Him the State money he wants and Chicago keeps the team. OR...
The State tells him to go to... well, they don’t give him the funding and he moves the team to Nashville or some other place far away from Chicago.
So, The Sox Owner wins either way. Stay or go, he’s getting his dough.
MLB owners are not the smartest guys in the World. By far. But they do have a way to find lots of money always heading their way. And holding fans hostage.
So let’s game-plan this out...
He gets first in line to propose a way for Chicago to keep the White Sox. He puts this media report out there for all to see.
Then the State of Illinois decision-makers have their two options:
Give Him the State money he wants and Chicago keeps the team. OR...
The State tells him to go to... well, they don’t give him the funding and he moves the team to Nashville or some other place far away from Chicago.
So, The Sox Owner wins either way. Stay or go, he’s getting his dough.
MLB owners are not the smartest guys in the World. By far. But they do have a way to find lots of money always heading their way. And holding fans hostage.
Why would the state be the pigeon? I could see maybe the county and/or city … but why the state? And whichever administrative level funds it … should be able to recoup that initial funding in subsequent taxes, fees, etc., on the revenue generated by the development. No?
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I am a Sox fan and as a fan I want this project to go forward in the South Loop. And yes, there is a way to eventually make the financing work.
But the idea of very wealthy people using their personal property (the franchise) to manipulate government and get others to pay for their improvements just rubs the wrong way. Plus, the way that these well-off people who own sports franchises always come out on top while some of the publicly-funded projects around the Nation have left taxpayers holding the bag with debt and failed promises. Not every project pays off the way it was promised.
But owning a major sports franchise is like winning the lottery. Again and again. While as fans your ticket prices and your costs at the concessions stand keeps rocketing upward.
bdutts
- Houston, Texas
He’ll get the money from the state. The White Sox aren't going anywhere…
Not sure where the money will come from, but I agree … that franchise is worth more in (or near) Chicago than it would be anywhere else. The owners and any potential buyer(s) know that.
The only way to screw this up would be to sell to Elon Musk. Then all bets would be off.
Completely agree but with Brandon Johnson on the other side of the table you never know. I am ok with TIF money, and they could also maybe find a way to rebate some of the money from the crazy high amusement tax. However, after giving zero money to Ricketts for the the preservation of a national and City Landmark it seems to be a very tough sell.