Lightly Folded

https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/editorials/ct-editorial-chicago-white-sox-78-moving-guaranteed-rate-field-20240122-4czd3eyv3fe6voqgxdtwgo432e-story.html/

It’s easier for elected officials to say yes to an organization that’s willing to put up 2Billion as opposed to and organization (the Sox) that won’t put up their own money.

The Bears never intended to work together with the Sox regarding public funding as the state requested them to do. This is billionaire vs. billionaire which means a dog-devour-dog back alley knife fight over public funding.

Papa Bear Hallas drove the Chicago Cardinal out of town (intentionally). The current Hallas Family may (intentionally or unintentionally) drive the Sox out.

It sure doesn’t look like the bears have any interest in working together with the Sox. The bears are playing poker while Jerry is playing checkers. The bears are calling the Sox hand. They know Jerry isn’t now going to come out with a +billion dollar announcement for private funding for a new Sox stadium. Jerry is getting ready to fold.

Looks like the bears are telling the Sox to go f*** themselves. While it would still take tons of taxpayer money to build the bears this new facility in the lake the bears stating that they would spring for 2 billion dollars (whatever that might mean) they (the bears) have snatch the headlines in a way that makes them look like the good guys and Jerry Reinsdorf remains the cheapskate.

The hotel tax thing isn’t going to be extended to help the Sox. If it were extended it would be to help the bears. My bet is that the hotel tax won’t be extended. Helping a billionaire by using or extending a tax is political suicide. Do you believe Reinsdorf is going to accept anything less than what he already has?

Yeah. It won’t happen and another thing that will never happen is the state and Reinsdorf reaching a negotiated agreement on extending the stadium/property deal after it expires in 2029. With no new stadium deal the state can tell Jerry “this is our offer, take it, or go f*** yourself”. Jerry would then tell the state to “go double f*** yourself” and then the state would sell the property to a developer who will bulldoze the stadium and build a residential community. The white Sox would be “the team without a home” until they find one, or one finds them.

The Score has been pining for the Sox to leave for years. It’s just with more regularity now. I think the overall psychological status of some their hosts is something to consider when hearing their proliferations on the subject.

My quote was about the attitude we have to deal with everyday from sports radio/media etc which is the attitude that everyone is fine with them leaving and that they should leave.

Geez. Listening to The Score this morning isn’t easy. The hosts seemed not only resigned to the Sox leaving Illinois but are urging they leave. One host stated his hope they move to Montreal over Nashville. Egads!

Polls supposedly indicating fandom sizes have always been taken after the cubs have good seasons and the Sox not as good. Was there a poll after the Sox won it all in 2005? The answer is no.

The taxpayers don’t benefit. The Sox benefit. The governor remarked “no money to sports teams unless a $ benefit is realized by the taxpayers” to paraphrase. How can the state justify a sweet deal for Jerry (again) so he can pad his pockets and the pockets of his fellow team owners.

Good memory. That’s exactly what happened. I’d forgotten.

The current deal the Sox have at guaranteed rate field benefits the Sox and not the taxpayers of Illinois. Why would the state agree to continue it? How could the state justify it. Jerry isn’t going to accept a lesser deal. When this new stadium thing dies and the state tells Reinsdorf to buzz off…..what then……?

I’m sure many of these fans are actually cub fans.

Ok. Well then according to you Reinsdorf is getting what he wants and his new ballpark because the governor is also a billionaire. Didn’t know that’s how it works. Thanks for enlightening us. Congratulations Jerry on your new ballpark.

Ridiculous

I really doubt that will happen.

Or she.

He started it.

And millions of dollars were given for Ukraines who fled Ukraine after Putin invaded, and whom were dispersed all over the U.S. along with a social security cards and work permits. Do you think the state should give Jerry another sweet deal when the current one runs out or put the property up for sale and gain a multimillion dollar return from the sale?

Pritzker made it clear that credible taxpayer benefits would have to be evident before any state aid would be on the table. A question Pritzker also could have also been asked is does he see any taxpayer benefits from the current deal the Sox have with the state and how he’d feel about extending it past 2029. I believe the overwhelming view is that there is only benefits to the white sox ownership group and none to the taxpayer. Therefore how could there be any justification in extending that deal if it doesn’t benefit taxpayers. Jerry obviously isn’t going accept a lesser deal. . I suppose the bears are in the same situation regarding extending the hotel tax with it going to them for help building a new stadium. There is a possibility the Sox won’t have any home ballpark to play in after 2029 if Pritzker hold fast to his commitment to Illinois taxpayers.

In sure there are a good number of cub fans posing as Sox fan whom are haven’t a great time piling on.

I see. MLB could tell the cubs to buzz off.