The current owner of the Chicago Cubs, the ultra-wealthy Ricketts family, defied an existing legal contract signed by the former owner of the Cubs, i.e., the Chicago Tribune Company, with Wrigley rooftop businesses by significantly expanding bleacher space in right and left field. The expansion also includes the addition of video screens. These improvements are among the Cubs $375 million upgrades to the 101 year old ballpark. The rooftop owners sued, claiming revenue would decrease dramatically due to the erection of the video screens.
Personally, I doubt the court case will ever go to trial as either the Ricketts will secure financial settlements with rooftops owners or simply buy the various affected buildings for investment value. I digress.
The Cubs home opener is April 5. The renovation is nowhere near completion as you can see from the pictures. Wrigley will be transformed, no doubt, but not before May 11. Part of that transformation will include your inability to see a dinger to left that lands in the street that previously allowed a camera shot to the building with the blue-wrap Budweiser ceiling. The view of rooftop fans aka partying people will also be obliterated.
The iconic center field, hand-updated scoreboard measures 27’x75″‘ whereas the forthcoming left field video board looms much larger at 42’x95′. By contrast, the Chicago “Bean” in Millennium Park is 33’x68’. I am wondering if the video screen will block the wind, thus creating more home runs to left field.
Wrigley will definitely be transformed, aesthetically. And based on my reading, Cub fans, The Sporting News, and players, e.g., Anthony Rizzo, believe the Cubs will make the playoffs this year.
Finally, ACDC will rock in Wrigley in September. It would be a hoot if at that time the Cubs got rhythm, the dugout rhythm, and start a landslide, looking dynamite. If the team is aching and sore, then they’ll win no more. Playoffs are not a reality despite putting a pretty imprint on an ugly body.
