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Chicago Tribune
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Report on Chicago Cubs' All-Star Game announcement raises many questions — but team stays quiet
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is coming to Wrigley Field. Yeah, probably. It's going to make the city a ton of money, promote tourism and give the world a true picture of our town. Um, hopefully. And the real winners will be the Chicago baseball fans who will get MLB's crown-jewel midsummer event — the Home Run Derby — and the All-Star Game to boot. Well, assuming they have access to pricey tickets and don't have to stand on Waveland Avenue waiting for home runs like the ballhawks. The Chicago Cubs have denied a report by their flagship radio station that the team has been awarded the 2027 All-Star Game, but never mind that small detail. No one believes them, so let's start getting excited before it is made official. But first, a brief history lesson is in order. The last All-Star Game at Wrigley occurred in 1990, but the Cubs first began talking about getting it four years before it happened, when then-general manager Dallas Green brought it up at the 1986 game in Houston. There was one big holdup to the bid. Major League Baseball wouldn't award it to the Cubs unless they installed lights at Wrigley Field, the only baseball park that scheduled 81 day games. The All-Star Game was a prime-time event. Tribune Co., then the Cubs owners, already wanted lights to televise prime-time games on its WGN-TV superstation, which would add to the company's revenues. Neighborhood groups fought against lights, warning that night games at Wrigley would lead to more crime, noise and parking problems and general havoc during and after games. After a long, drawn-out battle, the Chicago city council voted on Feb. 25, 1988, to allow eight night games that year and up to 18 in future seasons. Shortly before the vote, then-National League President Bart Giamatti called Mayor Eugene Sawyer and informed him Chicago had been selected as the 1990 All-Star site under the stipulation the city council approved the lights measure. So the Cubs ended their day-games-only tradition for money and the promise of a big event. The team estimated the city would get $15 million to $35 million in revenue for the Cubs hosting the game, which was considered a lot in those days. 'There will always be day baseball at Wrigley Field,' pitcher Rick Sutcliffe told the Tribune after the vote. 'It may not be 81 games a year, but the majority will always be during the game there. That's something special.' The 1990 All-Star Game went off without a hitch, despite of a rain delay. The Cubs eventually added to their night-game demands, and almost half of the team's 81-game home schedule is now played at night. Wrigley and the neighborhood both survived. Day games are no longer as special, but that's the price of progress. The Cubs added a video board in 2015, ending another tradition and making them more generic. But they're still the Cubs, and most fans have lauded the Rickettses' ballpark renovations. Now the Cubs reportedly are in line for another All-Star Game at Wrigley in 2027, and like the 1990 game, they'll need help from the city council. MLB has long sought added security measures around the ballpark in order to reward the Cubs with the event, and Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) on Wednesday introduced an ordinance to the city council that would allow the Cubs to install removable 'anti-terrorism' bollards around Wrigley Field. The measure would cost more than $32.1 million, according to the ordinance, with the city responsible for $10 million or one-third of the cost, whichever is less. The cost to the Cubs would be a minimum of $8 million, including any overruns. The state of Illinois also would contribute about one-third. If that ordinance is approved, the Cubs believe they'll get the official nod from MLB to host the 2027 All-Star game, a team source said. It would be a huge win for the city and the team and generate hundreds of millions of dollars. Unfortunately for the Cubs, a report from WSCR-AM 670's Bruce Levine on Thursday, labeled as 'breaking news,' declared MLB approval was a done deal and the game is coming to Chicago. The report was later clarified to say an official announcement would be made this summer. The Cubs promptly denied there was any agreement with MLB. A spokesperson told the Tribune and other media outlets Thursday that MLB had not made a decision on the All-Star Game. On Friday there was nothing on the Cubs website or Marquee Sports Network's website about the initial report. But WSCR-AM 670 doubled down and continued reporting that the Cubs definitely would host the game. I called Cubs spokesperson Jennifer Martinez and asked if there had been any change overnight. Martinez repeated that 'MLB has not made a decision.' A request to interview any Cubs officials was denied. It had all the ingredients of a wacky headline from the Onion: 'Cubs deny report leaked by Cubs to a Cubs beat reporter on the Cubs' radio station.' Except that's apparently what happened. Asked again if the Cubs were saying the Score's report was inaccurate, Martinez repeated her statement that no decision was made. Here's the tricky part: Levine, a veteran reporter with close ties to the Cubs, works for both WSCR and Marquee Sports Network, which the Cubs own. The topic did not come up when Levine appeared Friday on the Cubs pregame show on Marquee. The Cubs have complete say over what goes on the network, which is why you seldom hear a critical word about the team, unlike the White Sox's pre- and postgame shows, on which analyst Ozzie Guillén frequently skewers the Sox with the tacit approval of Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. Marquee once stopped the taping of a program in which reporters from other media outlets criticized Cubs President Jed Hoyer, then retaped the segment after asking the reporters to go in a different direction. If Marquee is like Fox News, the Score is closer to CNN. WSCR is the Cubs' flagship radio station, but the team has no control over what's said on its airwaves. Several hosts have been critical of the team — and Chairman Tom Ricketts — over the years, adding to the station's credibility. But the station's website posted a story on Levine's All-Star Game report that had no byline and no mention of the Cubs' denial. A response from the Cubs might have changed the narrative, but it was still necessary to ask for one. The many journalists who work at the Score might want to remind Audacy management of how the reporting business works. Levine addressed the All-Star report Saturday on his 'Inside the Clubhouse' show on the Score, saying he believed the city council's approval of the bollards ordinance was a 'slam dunk' and repeating that the Cubs have been awarded the game. Asked about the Cubs' denials by co-host David Haugh, Levine incorrectly said 'the Cubs aren't pushing back on it.' He added that Mayor Brandon Johnson eventually would announce the news along with Ricketts and business operations president Crane Kenney. 'They're not going to confirm breaking their own story,' he told Haugh. 'They want to break it on their own.' They did break it on their own, albeit through a selected reporter, then denied it. Why now? Who knows? Either way, the story is out there and fans are eagerly anticipating the 2027 All-Star Game. But Ricketts and Kenney don't have to answer any pesky questions about it from the media since the Cubs are denying their own leak. 'Radio-Free Crane' works in mysterious ways. The leaking of the news puts the city council in an awkward position. If MLB hasn't made a decision, the council can put the kibosh on the All-Star Game by voting against the bollards ordinance. If it rubber-stamps the ordinance, the city is spending taxpayer money on the Cubs that the team's owners easily can afford. We've come a long way since 1988, from using the All-Star Game as a cudgel to get the Cubs their lights at Wrigley to using an All-Star Game to get the Cubs their bollards outside the park. Do Chicago taxpayers think helping the billionaire Cubs owners pay for the bollards is an appropriate use of our tax dollars? Should the Cubs pay for their own security improvements if they really want an All-Star Game? I'll hang up and listen for the answer.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Comcast's NBCUniversal Eyes MLB Rights To Bolster Streaming Service
Faced with a slowing broadband business and divestment of cable units, Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is already looking into the future. On May 21, NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, placed a bid to acquire Major League Baseball (MLB) rights previously held by ESPN. Jonathan Weiss / The offer is reportedly lower than ESPN's former $550 million annual deal, according to The Wall Street Journal. ESPN exited the agreement early in February, ending a 35-year partnership with MLB and opening the rights for new bidders. NBC's proposal, submitted earlier this month, follows weeks of negotiations. If successful, NBC plans to air Sunday night games, a slot ESPN has held since 1990, and stream them on Peacock. The company is also eyeing rights to the first round of the postseason and the annual Home Run Derby. The push for live games on Peacock streaming services comes as Comcast feels pressure on its broadband business. The company lost 199,000 domestic broadband customers in the first quarter of 2025 due to stiff competition. The push for MLB streaming rights also comes on Comcast spinning off most of its cable network portfolio. Versant is the new owner of USA, CNBC, MSNBC, and Golf Channel, cable units that Comcast initially owned. NBCUniversal has since been left with streaming service Peacock Universal Studios and Theme parks. While we acknowledge the potential of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CMCSA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Comcast's NBCUniversal Eyes MLB Rights To Bolster Streaming Service
Faced with a slowing broadband business and divestment of cable units, Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is already looking into the future. On May 21, NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, placed a bid to acquire Major League Baseball (MLB) rights previously held by ESPN. Jonathan Weiss / The offer is reportedly lower than ESPN's former $550 million annual deal, according to The Wall Street Journal. ESPN exited the agreement early in February, ending a 35-year partnership with MLB and opening the rights for new bidders. NBC's proposal, submitted earlier this month, follows weeks of negotiations. If successful, NBC plans to air Sunday night games, a slot ESPN has held since 1990, and stream them on Peacock. The company is also eyeing rights to the first round of the postseason and the annual Home Run Derby. The push for live games on Peacock streaming services comes as Comcast feels pressure on its broadband business. The company lost 199,000 domestic broadband customers in the first quarter of 2025 due to stiff competition. The push for MLB streaming rights also comes on Comcast spinning off most of its cable network portfolio. Versant is the new owner of USA, CNBC, MSNBC, and Golf Channel, cable units that Comcast initially owned. NBCUniversal has since been left with streaming service Peacock Universal Studios and Theme parks. While we acknowledge the potential of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CMCSA and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. Sign in to access your portfolio
Chicago Tribune
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Cubs deny report that All-Star Game is headed to Wrigley Field in 2027: ‘No decision has been made'
The Chicago Cubs denied a report from their flagship radio station that the 2027 All-Star Game was coming to Wrigley Field, telling the Tribune 'no decision has been made.' WSCR-AM 670 reported Thursday that MLB has awarded the game to the Cubs, who have long sought the big event since a massive ballpark renovation in the 2010s. MLB tends to make its All-Star Game announcements at a mutually acceptable date to the club to get maximum publicity for its TV networks and corporate sponsors, so speculation that the decision has been made but was prematurely leaked seems plausible. Bruce Levine, a reporter for The Score and Marquee Sports Network, which is co-owned by the Cubs, later clarified his report, writing on X that the All-Star Game would be 'awarded to the Cubs sometime this summer.' The Cubs have hosted only three All-Star Games at Wrigley and none since 1990. The only other MLB teams who have not hosted since '90 are the Tampa Bay Rays, who currently play in a minor-league facility after extensive hurricane damage to Tropicana Field, and the Athletics, who moved from Oakland, Calif., and are temporarily playing in West Sacramento before relocating to Las Vegas starting in 2028. The Cubs' first All-Star Game was played in 1947, and they hosted again in 1962. The Cubs were awarded the 1990 game after Tribune Co., the then-owners, agreed to install lights in 1988, ending the day-baseball-only tradition. The '90 All-Star Game at Wrigley included a rain delay in the seventh inning of a 2-0 American League win. In the 1990 Home Run Derby, which took part in the daytime the previous day, Cubs All-Star Ryne Sandberg hit three home runs to pace the NL Derby 'team' to a 4-1 win over the AL team, which included Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr. and Jose Canseco. Different rules were in place at the time, leading to the miniscule home run totals, and the event was not nearly as big a deal as it is now. Under the Ricketts family ownership, the Cubs have tried to host an All-Star Game at Wrigley under three mayoral administrations, starting with Rahm Emanuel, continuing with Lori Lightfoot and currently with Brandon Johnson. Increased security demands around Wrigley requested by the Cubs to the city to meet MLB's standards for big events have gone unheeded by the last two administrations, sources told the Chicago Tribune in 2023 after they were bypassed for the 2025 game, which will be played in July in Atlanta. The Project 1060 renovation of Wrigley Field, which began in 2014 and was completed in 2019, was important in the Cubs even being considered for the All-Star Game. The visiting clubhouse had been too small, and security around the ballpark was lacking due to its proximity to bars, restaurants and buildings. The Home Run Derby, which is arguably more popular than the game itself, also might require some extra security demands on rooftops and in the streets. Fans without tickets are typically allowed on Waveland and Sheffield avenues outside the ballpark during games, and large crowds would be expected to congregate for valuable home run balls onto the street from the game's biggest sluggers. The Wrigley press box also needed changes. It's still among the smallest in the majors, but the Cubs at least added air conditioning at the tail end of the renovation. The influx of the Japanese media at All-Star Games for players such as Shohei Ohtani, the game's biggest star, would probably test the capacity of the Wrigley press box. The Cubs-Dodgers games last month at Wrigley Field drew so much Japanese media the Cubs had to use the media dining room to accommodate requests. An All-Star Game at Wrigley would be significantly more taxing. Many other issues would need to be remedied, but if the report turns out to be accurate it would mean the Cubs and MLB have resolved most of them, bringing the All-Star Game to Wrigley Field after a 37-year absence.
Business Insider
22-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
NBCUniversal to bid for ESPN's MLB package, WSJ reports
Comcast's (CMCSA) NBCUniversal has made an offer to Major League Baseball to take over the package of regular-season and postseason games that Disney's (DIS) ESPN is walking away from, offering much less than its rival currently pays, The Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint and Jared Diamond report, citing people familiar with the matter. In February, ESPN exercised a clause to opt-out of the final three years of its $550M-per-year contract after the 2025 season. The move ended a 35-year partnership with MLB and put the rights into play for others. If the bid is successful, NBC would air games on Sunday night, the slot ESPN has occupied since 1990. Games would also appear on NBC's sister streaming service Peacock. NBC is also interested in ESPN's rights to the first round of the postseason and the annual Home Run Derby. Confident Investing Starts Here:
