Interview started off great, talked Cubs and whatnot. Then the new stadium talks came up…

Man, Bruce picked up the buckets and HAULED that water. Bruce claimed that dislike of Jerry is THE source of resistance by SOME fans to give him $1 Billion for a new park. To me, that’s laughable. Any other owner with the recent track record of our White Sox, would get questioned asking for $1 BILLION. Especially if that owner had come out and let his base know that they WOULDN’T be in on the top free agent during the off-season (it was a lost cause anyways, but tickle the undercarriage here and there buddy). Then Bruce drops some BOMBS.

The ballpark is not FINE. You’re not drawing people at night at that ballpark. They’re not taking public transportation back home from that ballpark. It’s not happening.

Bruce Levine

And why is that Bruce? It’s easy to blame an old stadium for this issue, but let’s look at the facts. I’ve been in the mud already discussing the “benefits” of the new park. One of the biggest stories is that public transportation will be “so much easier” than it is at the current site. It’s a half-truth. The current site will still have the same access of the CTA and Metra. A case can be made that the Metra from west and north will be a little better, but you can still get there on the Green Line directly from the downtown station. There would be an addition of water taxis that could bring 100 people at a time, for a $10 charge per person (currently, I assume that will be higher when the new place is built). Many are claiming it’s a walkable distance from the Roosevelt station, but these are also the same people that think an extra stop on the Red Line stops people from using it currently. Sox fans, in general, not big walkers.

The bet by the White Sox is that they will attract a new fan to the park by having a new location. I would hope by spending $2 BILLION DOLLARS, new people show up. BUT when that new stadium smell wears off, how will you retain those fans? And that answer is maybe why some people don’t wanna give a billionaire owner a bunch of public money to make money.

When you fail to produce a winner year after year, people are gonna take a closer look at how you are running your business. It’s not news that the Sox don’t like to pay for top talent, or that seems to be the case as we haven’t signed a guy to $100M+ deal EVER. I can see why tax payers, when faced with supporting other things, look at a struggling sports franchise and think “Hey maybe we should invest in something that might get a better return.” Like, education. Like, business development. Kinda makes sense why people are questioning it.

I’ve long said that winning cures everything. You win, no one cares how long the lines are, how expensive the tickets are, how expensive the parking is. Even sitting in the upper deck seems OK with a winning squad. In 2021, those playoff tickets SOLD OUT. Hell, in 2012 with the possibility of making the playoffs the tickets SOLD OUT. PEOPLE LIKE WINNERS AND WILL PUT UP WITH ALMOST ANYTHING TO SEE A WINNING TEAM PLAY.

I walk to the park, so I’m not sure, but I’d be willing to bet that PLENTY of people got on the Red Line post-Game 3 in THE 2021 ALDS. I’d also bet that MANY people got on that train after all the playoff games in 2005 too. And I bet they didn’t complain. So while what you are saying is kinda true Bruce, the reason why just isn’t the location or age of our current stadium.

You have to look at the future of what this is, not what he is asking for right now.

Bruce Levine

I agree, we do have to look at the future when making this decision. I think it’s a great idea and would benefit the City of Chicago / White Sox Fans AS LONG AS there is a fundamental change in how the team operates now. Blaming the fans for attendance issues isn’t identifying the problem. Blaming the fans for a sub-par game day experience (parking, entrance lines, running out of food) isn’t productive either. You can’t control the game, but you can control these things. It’s been miserable dealing with these issues the last few years for many fans. Asking for something new when you don’t get it right now, well, that should be taken into consideration. Because when the new-ness wears off, we’ll be right back here wondering why or blaming the fans for not showing up to the new park. I’m willing trust a little, but I’d like to see some improvement before we invest. And then Bruce drops the all-timer…

Look towards the future of the Chicago White Sox, if they get a new owner and not a new ballpark they are moving somewhere else. It’s probably a reality.

Bruce Levine

Here’s the deal. You get a new owner. They invest into the club in the short term at the current location. They see the potential of being in a huge market and capitalize on that. MAYBE you get more public support. MAYBE opening the wallet and taking advantage of being in one of the worst divisions in baseball MIGHT get more people on your side. That’s the argument for building with a new owner that might invest more on the actual team. Putting HIS (or HER) money where their mouth is.

Not building this stadium RIGHT NOW, ISN’T signing the moving papers. That’s a scare tactic IMO. A new stadium helps the SALE OF THE TEAM more than anything. Are we gonna share in this windfall of money after the sale is made? As a fan will we benefit by having a better season with the team being valued more? One could make the argument that the team being sold for more might HURT the team in the short term. Less money for players. Less money for staff with the new owner. But also to assume that a new stadium = new owner isn’t a guarantee. Our team might stay the same, a new stadium won’t magically make that better.

Shout out to Mully and Haugh for pushing back and providing a forum for the fans to talk about this. Great callers after the segment. Take some time and listen to the segment, well worth your time.

https://www.audacy.com/stations/670thescore/shows/mully-haugh-show-cc0a5/episodes/e7da3f5c8429

What do you think?

-MSS

Come out and support us and Sox Machine at the Ramova for Opening Day Eve! March 27th at 7pm. Good beer and good bullshit. Tickets are available now and we will sell out! Buy yours today!