Chicago mayor won't play ball with Ricketts family

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

CHICAGO (AP) — As the baseball season began, Chicago buzzed about plans to upgrade wilting Wrigley Field. Then word spread that the patriarch of the family that owns the Cubs considered bankrolling a $10 million, racially tinged campaign against President Barack Obama, at the same time the team sought his hometown's help with its $300 million renovation.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the president's friend and former chief of staff, has since refused to negotiate financing or even take phone calls from the Cubs chairman. A best-selling author took to the Internet to vow never to set foot in Wrigley again.

Now fans are left wondering if the complicated financial deals and presidential politics mean the team's owners will have to put more money into the stadium, and less into building a winning ballclub.

“He's got $10 million to spend on that nonsense. He should spend $10 million on pitching,” longtime fan Pam Paxton said of Joe Ricketts, head of the Cubs-owning Ricketts family, as she waited for Wrigley's bleachers so she could watch the last-place team.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20120704/NEWS/707049901/1685#chicago-mayor-won-t-play-ball-with-ricketts-family

[GoCubsGo]

1. Pam Paxton has right.

We fans are wondering why these assholes can afford to sink $10 million into a political smear campaign, yet they need help paying to renovate their stadium. And, good for Rahm! Anything to keep that fucking video screen out of the ball park.

I give these shitstains five years before they sell the team.

[INdemo]

3. The Ricketts will never invest in the team as long as they fill the seats

and corporations buy up a bunch of them..The best thing that could have happen to the Cubs is if Mark Cuban would have bought them and baseball commissioner Bud Selig didn't give him a chance..its was all arranged for the Rickets to buy the team and just look at what we have ..a right wing nut that wants his stadium remodeled for free so he can raise ticket prices again and again...by the way have you check the price of the tickets lately?
"I give these shitstains five years before they sell the team" Best thing that could happen,,but I hope its a lot sooner than 5 years...

[GoCubsGo]

4. Yep.

I really wanted the team to go to Cuban. The Ricketts family was my last choice. And, from what I have been seeing, the whole thing is backfiring. They AREN'T filling up the seats from what I have been observing. All this talk about them being life-long Cubs fans is a steaming heap of bullshit. It's just another investment. I would like to see them gone sooner than 5 years, too. But, I don't think their egos will allow that.

[12AngryBorneoWildmen]

9. Yep, Cuban (Mark, that is-not our new $30M defector) would've been great.

I'm a maniac for the Cubs (watched 120+ games last year on MLBTV here in Knoxville, TN and am on pace this year for the same). I get teary eyed when something great happens for da' Cubs. I'm a strong boycotter-Walmart, high fructose, TV dramas etc. But I just can't quit 'em. Do you know Daddy Ricketts gave $600,000 to '2nd amendment remedies' Sharon Fucking Angle?! They've got plenty of $ to blow. As an aside, every time I see W in the stands anywhere, I want to throw up. He made millions when he pulled the same shit in Texas as what the Ricketts's are trying. Don't like Rahm much either, but I'll like him more if he manages a change of ownership under his reign.

[murielm99]

11. I think this is the first time I have seen the Cubs

have trouble filling the seats. I have been a Cubs fan for more than fifty years.

These people suck. The sooner they sell, the better.

[surrealAmerican]

14. They could easily fill the seats if that was a priority for them.

All they would need to do is lower the ticket prices. At Wrigley Field, you don't even need a winning team. There are plenty of fans who would love to see a game, but just can't afford it.

[kurtzapril4]

19. The Ricketts suck....

and so do the Cubs, who are in last place. They're perfect for each other!

[murielm99]

21. What are you, a fifth grader?

Who else sucks? Hmmmm?

[BumRushDaShow]

2. Good. K&R

Time to out the freeloader 1%. They snarf from the public trough when it suits them while they use their own money to simultaneously rail against the proprietors of that trough. In essence, they continually bite the hand that feeds them and then demand that they better continue to be fed "or else".

[jerseyjack]

5. Two points: For once in his assholic life, Rahm did something right. Better yet, don't give any

club owner any handouts.

[Teamster Jeff]

6. Whether you like Rahm or not...

he is a true hardass. I love the fact that he is sticking it to the Ricketts but he is also playing the same kind of hardball with Chicago

teachers and firefighters.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

7. Chicago is the kind of town that needs hard asses at times.

Our pension system is so fucked up, it can drive the whole local economy into the shitter. He is not shying away from that job, either.

[jade3000]

8. $ not needed anyway

I've been to that stadium. There's no reason at all why the public should invest $ in it. It's in fine shape. Going to the games there is extremely popular. I don't see why the owner would want to invest his own $ either, other than to create more high priced seating in some brand new booths, which is hardly a necessary improvement. Good for Mayor R. E. for standing up to this guy.

[banned from Kos]

10. Joe Ricketts daughter is a lesbian activist and prominent Obama bundler.

Things even out.

[hedgehog]

12. Let us all hope they sell the team soon - at a loss!

[ellie]

13. This is delicious

Rich people finding out the world doesn't bend to kiss their ring.

[madrchsod]

15. the cubs suck,the ball park sucks,as do the owners

times like these i`m glad i`m a white sox fan...

[mopinko]

17. ++++++++++

[MindMover]

16. All sports should be publicly owned.....enough of these 1%ers...

[mopinko]

18. and people wonder why

i like my mayor. hmm.

[riderinthestorm]

20. Chalk up another for Rahm. I'm pretty impressed with this. He is a hard ass which is good nt