I'm so sick and fucking tired of people fighting about Wrigley Fucking Field. You want to talk about a curse? The Cubs are cursed for having to play at a place that is over-thought, over-managed, over-regulated, and frankly...over-cared-about. We cant even get a decent amount of night games like EVERY other MLB team gets/has. The God damn team has not won shit for over 100 years....and now we get continued drama about signage in left field (see article below). We have the historical society, the neighborhood, the alderman, the local business men, other politicians, and the moron fans (see comments at bottom of article) who care more about the field than they do the team. Win a fucking World Series just once....and stop all the drama around an old baseball park. For the record, I live in the burbs and share season tickets and go to about 15 to 20 games a year. I like/love Wrigley as much as anyone....but I want the Cubs to win....PERIOD. What scares the hell out of me the most is the Ricketts continue to talk more about the "Wrigley Experience" than they do building a WS winner.

Anyway...this Sun Times article "set me off" today.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/2107095,CST-NWS-wrigleysign17web.article

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter fspielman@suntimes.com

The Tribune Co.'s 28-year stewardship of the Cubs featured battles with City Hall over everything from lights and the number of night games at Wrigley Field to landmark status, signage and bleacher expansion.

It looks like the Ricketts era could be off to a similarly rocky start.

The Cubs filed a permit application this week for a "projecting, illuminated" billboard rising high above the left-field bleachers that has the potential to rake in big bucks from advertisers at the expense of offending purists.

But, there's a problem. The 75 foot high, 360 square foot billboard has raised the eyebrows of local Ald. Tom Tunney (44th). And it may not pass muster with the Commission on Historical Landmarks, which must decide whether new signage conforms with Wrigley's landmark designation.

"There's been signage allowed in the ballpark under the landmark ordinance. But, this is a different level of advertising that's a lot less discrete. It's actually coming out of the left-center bleachers," Tunney said.

"I'm not sure how well received it's gonna be. The fact that it's a free-standing sign is challenging. And I'm concerned if you put up one, you might put up more."

Tunney noted that the 2004 ordinance that authorized a bleacher expansion and landmarked "historic elements" of Wrigley took pains to "integrate the field into the neighborhood and make it part of the vista."

"We were very concerned about the way the bleachers didn't block the view of the neighborhood. This [new billboard] is in the way," he said.

Peter Strazzabosco, a spokesman for the city's Department of Zoning and Land-Use Planning, said the permit application was filed Monday after the Cubs discussed "several hypothetical scenarios" with Landmarks Preservation staffers.

"Staff did indicate in general that it would be concerned with the visual impact of any proposed signage on the historic character of the ballpark -- both its exterior and interior. But, no determinations have been made. It's under review," he said.

Jim Peters, president of Landmarks Illinois, added, "There's a way that some signage can go in there [tastefully]. But, it's all a question of design, height, scale and placement."

Mike Lufrano, vice president of community relations for the Cubs, could not be reached for comment.

Until now, advertising creep at the 96-year-old shrine of Major League Baseball has been subtle. There are ads behind home plate, in the dug-outs, on the green doors of the outfield walls and in narrow electronic bands in the upper deck. The Chicago Board Options Exchange also has its initials -- CBOE -- on the brick wall in front of its premium seats along the third-baseline.

The new billboard -- obscuring the view of a Horseshoe Casino sign on a nearby rooftop -- would break new ground for advertising intrusion.

The casino promo is on a building at 3701 N. Kenmore owned by Tom Gramatis, who could not be reached for comment. He bought the building for $8.35 million in 2008 and made $1.2 million of it back over two years by putting the casino sign on the roof.

The sign got so much TV exposure, it caught the eye of new Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts, who wanted the team to cash in, instead of Gramatis.

Last fall, Ricketts put up blank billboards to obscure the casino sign, setting the stage for the permit application filed this week

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

+1. just blow it up. if it is a "shrine", it is a shrine to misery. i like going there, and it is a beautiful park in my opinion, but im with you, every little thing is such a big fucking deal. just build a new park somewhere.

they should make an aircraft carrier style stadium to float on the lake

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

I love Wrigley Field, but when I make my usual yearly trip up to Miller Park every year, it makes me want a beautiful new stadium even more each time I go. I say they should start planning a new stadium and close out Wrigley on its 100 year anniversary,

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All right... here goes. As a Cub fan for over 40 years, allow me to say this..this whole "Wrigley Experience" is total bullshit. It's a baseball park, not an outer space simulator. In actuality, Wrigley is a dump. No parking, bathrooms that are crowded like cow troughs and stink like cow troughs, chunks of falling concrete. etc. I live downstate and my travels to Cub games have lessened due to several factors, but never have I felt cheated because I wasn't able to go to beautiful Wrigley Field. And these "purists" ? Give me a break. That's a term people who want to feel important give themselves. Maybe as a Cub fan it is my duty to wax poetic about the magical wonders of Wrigley Field. Sorry, I'm just not feelin' it.

The Cubs haven't won a goddamn thing in Wrigley.
My cat is named Wrigley.
I say, knock 'em both other. They both smell, they're both past their prime... fuck em!

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Build a new park-- maybe even fund it by a ticket tax across MLB!
Get the Cubs and thier fans state of the art facilities. Keep Wrigley around as a museum, and maybe half a dozen series there each year: Cardinals, Sox, Brewers, maybe another interleague series, etc.

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I would be fine with this. Play maybe 1/4 of your home games at "The Shrine". Paying for upkeep on two stadiums though would be very pricey.

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That's a really good idea.

It really makes perfect sense. The fans and players get better facilities. And you can still market the Wrigley "experience" by having tours, and handful of games there each year, and if you have it half ballpark- half museum, it can be open 365 days a year.

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Why'd you have to let someone saying you had a good idea go to your head?

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

I apologize if I messed up.

I am a huge supporter of a full out Video Screen and I live close enough to Wrigley hear the audio and if I go to my rooftop can actually see it. However, the Cubs need to payback the city of the tax reduction they have got for having Landmark status and that caveat shall be removed. Thats the right way to do this.

Now if it was Reinsdorf, he would just get the Landmark Zoning Ordinance changed through Daley and not pay the City the money he saved when they ahd such status.

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

Never, ever take a landmark designation without a fight. The government becomes a partner who never contributed any capital much like when the mobsters took over the bar in Goodfellas.

On another note, yet another person with an Italian last name in the Zoning Department. I can only guess which part of the city he hails from.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Just as long as you don't touch the columns at Soldier Field I'll be happy!

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I wasn't even thinking about the Bears & The columns! Ugh. Thanks to MJ, Chicago has the United Center....but Comiskey was screwed up (better now after a lot of $$$ dumped back in) , Soldier Field is screwed up, Wrigley is screwed up....DePaul plays way off campus,....

What the hell is it with Chicago and stadiums? The freaking architecture within the city and the buidlings are incredible, yet they cant figure out how to build multifuntional & or state of the art major sporting venues??

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

Good to see Tom Ricketts has established himself as an asswipe before the Cubs have thrown a single pitch under his watch.

I don't want another stupid billboard. Shock of shocks, Bernstein is "with the Cubs on this one" as per the show blog, so gird your loins for another afternoon of THE CUBS SHOULD PUT UP LOTS OF BILLBOARDS AND SPEND LOTS OF MONEY TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Yeah, okay. Or they can not screw up the only thing that doesn't suck about them and stop wasting money because they suck at spending money anyway. I really tire of White Sox fans trying so hard to take Wrigley down a peg. That's always what it's about, not a Sox fan's burning desire to see the Cubs win a title. Wrigley is special, so make it less special. Now the team is shitty and the park has garish billboards. No excuses for liking the Cubs now.

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Wrigley is not special.

Its a Loser Colony

But if you do think its special. I really dont think the billboard makes it a lot worse. Fenway is pretty much the yellow pages and it still maintains its dignity.

Whatever it takes Ricketts.
Whatever it takes

Curious. Hair...I think I am missing your point. So are you a Wrigley fan or what? You care more about the field than the team? If you read the posts in this thread, 99% of them are from Cubs fans like me who may like & enjoy wrigley field, but care more about the team & being a winner than about some marketing campaign. We want a winner! If they (ricketts) want to put up billboards, jumbo-trons, and...fell free to clean up the bathrooms & improve quality of food...then fine. BUT...we want the Cubs to compete and win.

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Proud to be UNVERIFIED.

JESUS FUCKING CHRIST


YOU ROOT FOR THE TEAM ON THE FIELD. Not the field that the team plays on. Wrigley is old and needs to be replaced simple as fucking that.

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More than anything, my gripe is the false causality that blighting the park will make the team better. No it won't. It hasn't yet. Am I the only one who remembers B&B gleefully noting that Ricketts is going to drop payroll to "White Sox levels"? So then now they're not even putting the billboard money back into payroll. What's the point.

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+1

I'm more or less against building a new stadium, but have no issues at all renovating Wrigley from ground up. See if we can make a deal to play at the Cell for a year and completely gut that place. Put up billboards and signs on the back of seats if that's what it takes.

There is absolutely no reason that this team in this market shouldn't be able to field an 85+win team every year. If they need to maximize the profitability of Wrigley to get this done, I'm all for it.

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Team Cutler.

Stop making sense on St. Patricks Day!!!!

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There goes one over the fence..Tru Link Fence..Beauty, Privacy Security....Call Tru Link.
Murph's Union 76 Truck Stop....A great Thanksgiving Tradition!!!!

WOO LIFE!!!!

There is a reason, and it's the same reason it's always been whether the Cubs have been operated as the Wrigley family's toy or channel 9's TV show: they don't draft & develop. That's fundamental. That's why the Twins rattled off a fistful of division championships when they were drawing 15,000 people to a carpeted circus tent. "Maximizing the profitability of Wrigley" doesn't make the Cubs better at seeking, acquiring, and nurturing talent; it just makes the park ugly and the owners rich. If I wanted to watch a shitty team play 80 night games in an ugly box of ads, I'd be a Houston Astros fan. Frustratingly crappy as they are, at least following the Cubs is being part of something special.

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I'm painfully sober right now.

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Team Cutler.

Attn Curious_Hair,
Excellent posts about Wrigley & the Cubs. The Trib ownership added tasteful advertising on the walls for some sporting goods company. I think a billboard that is not electric and has one advertiser like Coke for instance,with the rule "Retro Only" advertising allowed with an old coke sign would ADD to the charm. It might be a good middle ground.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

HH won't like that crack

Then she will point out that she has seen her team play a WS game in the (color)television era.

And next (with apologies to Forrest Gump) do remember that "special is as special does"

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

.I.............RELLO ?

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"That's what the internet is for. Slandering others anonymously." Banky
“Been that way since one monkey looked at the sun and told the other monkey ‘He said for you to give me your fuckin’ share.’”

You are 100% correct about the importance of drafting, but these two solutions are not mutually exclusive. No reason why the team can't address and improve our drafting and player development (which has been improving for sure over the past 2 or 3 years) and make the most out of Wrigley.

The Twins model is great, the only problem with it is if they miss on a prospect or two it sets the team a couple years generally. The Cubs should focus primarily on drafting and player development, but at the same time have the resources available to acquire an big name free agent or be able to make a trade to fix a problem created by a bust prospect. The second part there is what a financially booming Wrigley can provide.

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Team Cutler.

Dont take this the wrong way, but I can not stand Cubs fans like you!! Twice now you have said your more about just being along for the experience than a championship run. Fans like this are holding the rest of us that would like to see them do anything they possibly can to win a championship. And it pisses me the fuck off.

Edit: Jimmypasta too now.. WTF are you guys thinking? Really? Having another source of income wouldnt help? Take that money and pour it into scouting and development of young players. Ricketts family just bought the damn team and your basically saying well the Tribune didnt do this, so why would they!! The Tribune did spend the money on the players, it was just the fact they spent the money in wrong ways at times. Shit if they have to change the name at the front of the stadium like so many other teams have done, it doesnt diminsh anything. You know what is alot worse than having a lighted scoreboard up???? 100 fucking years of being a loser. Anything they can do to help this out. ANYTHING.

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