The job just got more difficult for those who cover the White Sox. The team opened its new press box Monday at U.S. Cellular Field, moving the location from the second level behind home plate to Level 4 down the right-field line.

 

"It has gone from one of the best press boxes to one of the worst," said the Tribune's Dave van Dyck, a member of the board of directors of the Baseball Writers Association of America. (Full disclosure: I'm also a BBWAA member.)

 

Van Dyck has discussed the issue with Commissioner Bud Selig and will write a formal letter of protest to the league office. He noted that Sox broadcasters and the official scorers retained their prized spots.

 

"I would hope Selig, a strong baseball writers' guy, would put an end to this," van Dyck said.

 

But the trend is likely to continue. The Sox replaced the old press box with 200 club seats at $250 a pop. That could generate more than $4 million a year for the club, which has baseball's fourth-highest payroll at $109.7 million.

 

"It's difficult to say no to that type of revenue," Sox spokesman Scott Reifert said.

 

Considering the Sox are the first team to move their press box from behind home plate, baseball is actually behind the curve in casting media members to the side to add revenue.

 

The Bears' 200-seat press box at Soldier Field is in the southeast corner of the stadium, giving writers an angled view, if any at all. Views from the second and third row are obstructed.

 

"You have to remember," sports talk-radio pioneer Chet Coppock said, "in the pecking order we're somewhere between cotton-candy salesmen and parking attendants.

 

"The White Sox made a big statement that says, 'We can make enough money to pay a backup shortstop at the expense of the guys who cover our ballclub every day.' It's patently wrong, and I think it shows contempt that owners have for the press.

 

"And there's no question in my mind that in 10 years, we'll be in the outfield."

 

Writers covering Thursday's Sox game reacted to the new press box with outrage, wisecracks and acceptance.

 

"I've always wanted to watch a ballgame from Beverly," Copley News Service columnist Mike Nadel said.

 

Said Daily Southtown columnist Phil Arvia: "I don't like it. It makes our job harder. But if I were the Sox, I would have done the same thing."

"You have to remember," sports talk-radio pioneer Chet Coppock said, "in the pecking order we're somewhere between cotton-candy salesmen and parking attendants.

 

Chet Coppock is alive? Hmmm, who knew? The cottan-candy guy and the parking lot attendant are about 6 notches above ya, there Chet.

 

The press are there for free, they eat for free, park for free. Most people on here are better writers.

Wow. I dont know why but this really bothers me that these guys are complaining about where their free seats are. These specific guys also work for a company that owns(ed) our cross town rival. Maybe theyre not happy about it but I cant believe that they are actually trying to make themselves sound like victems.

F&*# the press. The Sox catered to their fans with this move, albeit with the intention for further profit, the fact remains, they gave the fans the opportunity to purchase and use the prime seats while moving the press to a further location, where they will still no doubt be catered too...awww, too bad, so sad.

The funny thing is that the press conditions at Wrigley are far and away the worst in sports but the shrine shall not be dissed.

Wow, my heart bleeds for them. Maybe we should offer to take those free tix nad parking off their hands. I'm sure they would hate the chore of writing about baseball everyday, what a crappy job.

The funny thing is that the press conditions at Wrigley are far and away the worst in sports but the shrine shall not be dissed.

 

Exactly. What a bunch of whiners.

 

I love how the point is made that the broadcasters and scorekeepers "still got the prime seats." Well, no s***, they kind of are a huge part of things, unlike writers who eat free popcorn and b****.

Dear writers,

 

Watch from home.

 

Love, 'Corn

Honestly, they should be in the outfield. Why should they get the best seats in the house? I don't care if they can't see one pitch of the freaking game. They are in a climate controlled environment, eating free food, in very nice seats. Get over it whiners and b-i-t-c-h-e-r-s, I am sure everyone here wishes we had your problems.

Dear writers,

 

Watch from home.

 

Love, 'Corn

 

+1

They should all line up so I could slap them individually with the upper stratosphere chair that I sat in during the playoffs. Free Food, Free attendance, and Free Heat on Cold Days. Most of them are not even fans. This post would be great to send to the Saturday Sound Off section in Sports in the Trib.

As someone who works with the press on a regular basis....I think it is safe to say that their attitude towards sports, and life in general is that they are unhappy and (unsatisfied), no matter what.

 

It's simple, you give them gold, they complain about not having silver.

 

Granted there are those in the media who are well mannered, and truly are class acts.

"You have to remember," sports talk-radio pioneer Chet Coppock said, "in the pecking order we're somewhere between cotton-candy salesmen and parking attendants.

 

...And there's no question in my mind that in 10 years, we'll be in the outfield."

 

 

 

So if A happens and B happens, then it follows that everything up to X, Y and Z will also happen.

 

Can you say "slippery slope", boys and girls? I knew ya could!

Edited April 7, 200718 yr by zimne piwo

They should all line up so I could slap them individually with the upper stratosphere chair that I sat in during the playoffs. Free Food, Free attendance, and Free Heat on Cold Days. Most of them are not even fans. This post would be great to send to the Saturday Sound Off section in Sports in the Trib.

 

I certainly hope the writers aren't fans. That's not what they're there for.

 

Free food? Nope. Free seats? I guess you could spin it that way, but keep in mind that they are there in a working capacity, not to sit around and slam beers.

Free food? Nope

 

well i know that the press get free food at bear games so i would imagine baseball would be no different.

well i know that the press get free food at bear games so i would imagine baseball would be no different.

 

Unless the policy has changed recently, media meals are not free. According to the 2005 media guide (which has been in my study aka bathroom for way too long), media meals are $7, with $3 hot dogs in the press box. If anything, they're probably more expensive now.

 

I think I've read that media guide front-to-back about a hundred times. Maybe it's time to invest in a current one.

but keep in mind that they are there in a working capacity, not to sit around and slam beers.

 

And their work is a physical grind like working in a coal mine. Pardon me if I lack sympathy.

I think the point of the article was just to say the press now gets the

worst seat in baseball at the Cell.

Every other park has the press behind the plate.

Some of the writers said in the article they'd do the same if they were

the Sox.

It's OK they point it out to their readers that their seats now suck.

No harm there.

And their work is a physical grind like working in a coal mine. Pardon me if I lack sympathy.

 

And how is that even remotely relevant?

they dont need to see the game from the best seats, all they need is a box score and interviews with the players.

Hey if there's a way to increase revenue for this ballclub, I'm all for it.

 

And that extra few mill, if it goes into the payroll, could be the difference in signing a player and not missing out.

Maybe this is why Joe Cowley has been hanging around the WSCR radio booth and making himself available for White Sox weekly and Rain Delay Theater. The radio booth is the best seat in USCF.

And how is that even remotely relevant?

 

 

Soxfan101 said all I needed to say.

thats wierd. i know that at the bears games its free because the one time i got sideline passes for the game, my dad and i went into the press room and ate some beef sandwhiches at halftime.

 

we got the passes because my dad worked with tony dungy's head security guy on a case, so when tampa came to chicago the guy offered my dad the passes. in turn we drove his wife to the game. needless to say my dad is detective along with dungy's security guy.

Being that most of the time the only way I can follow the team is via press accounts the press is more important to me than to y'all.