Wrigley Field Name for sale or change? Chicago Cubs, Tribune, Money and Sam Zell
Times are tough for the Tribune company, so tough that 19% profit margin on everything they sell isn’t enough anymore. So, the latest plan hatched by the new quirky Tribune owner Sam Zell is to sell the naming rights to Chicago Cubs’ Wrigley Field to the highest bidder. Will we see Ebay Field? Amazon Wrigley Field? Google Field? Kraft Field? State Farm Wrigley Field? Geico Field? I can’t imagine what other ubiquitous large local consumer brand company that would want the rights to a baseball stadium in Chicago? CDW Field?
Three large Chicago employers US Cellular, AllState Insurance and United Airlines have already bought stadium naming rights here, and technically the Cubs’ Wrigley Field naming rights were already sold once to Wrigley the chewing gum company. Maybe they should buy it again? Or would Altoids be interested?
I hate to think that this has to happen but it reinforces that the only reason that these executives and board members are in business for is money. They feel no corporate stewardship, community responsibility in Chicago or corporate responsibility to provide anything but low level-low paying jobs and minimum benefits. When will the greed stop?
Apparently selling off the naming rights for historical institutions like Wrigley Field in Chicago is going to be the norm now. What’s next? Ebay Art Institute of Chicago (bid on artifacts!) and The Boeing Museum of Science and Industry? This is pathetic for our city and for our history in Chicago. And expect the price of tickets to go up too. Again…the little guy looses.
I hate to think that this has to happen but it reinforces that the only reason that these executives and board members are in business for is money. They feel no corporate stewardship, community responsibility in Chicago or corporate responsibility to provide anything but low level-low paying jobs and minimum benefits.
Amen.
Well… Millennium Park is full of this already: Jay Pritzker Pavillion, BP Bridge, Boeing Galleries, etc. The oxymoron of the group is McDonald’s Bicycle Center.
Not that this is justification by any means. It’s just how the world is.
I was just listening to a NPR interview with one of the CUBS Senior VP’s, Mike Lufano. He stated that he grew up 8 blocks away from WRIGLEY & yet is part of the management team considering selling an iconic name. Well Mr. Lufano, you can pass it along to Mr. Sam Zell – if WRIGLEY’s name or the CUBS name change, you can expect all of my WRIGLEY Field and Chicago CUBS memorabilia to be burnt, package, and sent to your offices. I’ll have no need for anything Red and Blue – I guess I’ll start wearing black and white, I’ve heard that Chicago has another ball team on the south side of the city – so long Red Line, Addison Ave, WRIGLEYville, Ferris Bueller, WRIGLEYdogs, and cold Old Style from the bleachers.