Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts, who intends to pay for $500 million worth of renovations to Wrigley Field out of pocket, says that moving could be an option if plans for an outfield videoboard and other signs get nixed.
Ricketts is staring down a battle with owners of the buildings surrounding Wrigley Field over the possibility of obstructed views from rooftop seats across the street. In speaking at an event this morning, Ricketts intimated that moving the Cubs remains a possibility if he doesn’t get his videoboard and additional signage:
Ricketts at AM event: If team can’t put up OF signs, “we’re going to have to consider moving.”
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) May 1, 2013
Rooftop owners currently have an agreement with the Cubs to share revenues from the seats. It’s entirely reasonable that they would be upset about the likelihood that this revenue stream could be diminished, or extinguished, if the proposed renovations obstruct patrons from viewing Cubs games.
At this point, it seems like Ricketts will be getting his giant videoboard and signs, rooftop owners be damned. A compromise would appear to be in order, which could mean compensation for potential lost revenues to rooftop owners, or strategic placement of signage. Whatever the case, Ricketts’ seemingly empty threats come across more than a little bit dramatic.
