Imagine this: It's 2014. Wrigley Field is officially 100-years old. Let's also imagine that in 2012, Boston decides finally, "Wow, our fan base is huge. Let's build a new stadium to capture more of it and sell more tickets."
This leaves the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only teams with a "historical landmark" for a stadium.
Now, I'm going to be sacrilegious and piss of Cubs fans all over the country, including myself. On the 100-year anniversary of Wrigley Field, imagine hearing in the news that the owner of the Cubs has decided to build a new stadium, following Boston's lead in realizing that the Cubs would EASILY fill a 50,000 seat stadium.
First question I want you to respond to: How would you react to hearing that the Cubs are no longer going to play at Wrigley Field?
Second question: There is no place to build the new baseball stadium in Wrigleyville. So, where would the Cubs play until the new baseball stadium can be completed on top of the grounds of the current Wrigley Field?
Third Question: What are your top three favorite baseball stadiums that you'd like to see the New Wrigley Field modeled after?
- B/R Ticket Guide
I'll answer my own questions now.
First off, I would be pissed upon hearing that Wrigley is being replaced. That place is baseball heaven. I'm from Nebraska, and I was furious to learn that the City of Omaha is building a modern, beautiful baseball stadium in downtown to replace Rosenblatt Stadium for the College World Series. I'm a baseball fan that believes in history, and a stadium is a shrine for baseball history.
Second: Here is my strategy for where the Cubs would play the 2013 season while a new park is being built on top of the existing Wrigley Field. I would use Soldiers Field in the same way the Oakland Athletics use the Raider's football stadium as their home turf. It would be annoying, but it's just for one season.
And there is now way the Chicago White Sox would share US Cellular with the Cubs. No chance in hell. The pressure would be on the building crew to complete the stadium in 1.5 years in a very unpredictable climate. Good luck!
Third: My three favorite stadiums, other than Wrigley. 1) Coors Field 2) New Busch Stadium 3) Pac Bell Park
All of those stadiums are gorgeous, fan friendly, great for baseball, and provide great views. Oh, there lies the problem.
Imagine, this is the last time, having a beautiful new park smack dab where Wrigley Field is now. Imagine that it is made by the same company that made the three named stadiums. See the problem: New and old don't go good together.
You would have a Ferrari parked in a garage filled with Ford Pintos. The buildings around Wrigley show their age, and would look very awkward next to a brand new, shining gem of a stadium. Also, imagine what the architects would have to work with for a view!
Busch has the downtown skyline of St Louis and the Arch, Coors has the mountains and downtown Denver, and San Francisco's Pac Bell Park has the gorgeous bay, bridges, and mountains.
The new Wrigley would have views of 1) three-story flat condos, 2) McDonald's on Clark, 3) bars everywhere.
So, to sum it up. If the Cubs need to build a new stadium, don't expect it to stay in Wrigleyville. I don't see this happening anytime soon, but you have to be realistic, and realize that with age comes problems and costs, and at a certain point, it is more cost effective to start from scratch—Yankee Stadium.
Go Cubs!
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5 months ago
If they wanted an easy way to pay for a new stadium they could raffle off tickets at $100 a pop, and the winner gets to push the detonator to take down Wrigley.
from 5 months ago
I'll do it!
As long as Derrek Lee, Lou Piniella, Sammy Sosa, Jason Marquis, Alfonso Soriano, Ryan Dempster, Kerry Wood, and Carlos Zambrano are inside of it when I do!
5 months ago
By 2013, I don't think I personally would have a problem with a new stadium. I have been to a few of the newer ones around and really have enjoyed the different aspects each one gives.
Safeco Field is a great place to see a game and the food is amazing.
Miller Park is very fan-friendly, especially with a retractable dome.
Dodger Stadium is old but the view of the mountains in the background on a warm summer night left me with a unique impression I will never forget
I live in Chicago and have gone to over 500 Cubs games in my life, so Wrigley is truly a special place to me. I know its old and has its flaws, but if everything is perfect that day (weather, traffic, etc), there is no better place to watch a game, period.
from 5 months ago
I agree. As much as it rocks to watch baseball at Wrigley, it does have some MAJOR downfalls. For example, well over 45% of the tickets have an obstructed view due to the damn poles that hold up the second deck. New stadiums eliminate that problem. My big point I'm trying to get across with this article, is where the hell do you build the new stadium?
from 3 months ago
I would have no problem with the cubs playing 2 seasons at the Cell while major renovations are made to Wrigley, with an emphasis on modernizing it while still keeping landmark status and it's original charm. In regard to Tyler's comment on the poles supporting the second deck: When
Yankee Staduim was renovated, they kept much of the original structural steel but imporoved it and eliminated those poles obstructing the view. Certainly that can be done to Wrigley Field.
5 months ago
I'm no Cubs fan, but I am sad that they are considering a name change, and a new stadium. Wrigley Field has some of the best history in baseball. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but it would be tragic to lose it.
5 months ago
The seating is horrible in most areas and it seems like you become a huge burden to the rest of your row when you stand up to get food or go to the bathroom
5 months ago
Quit buying cheap tickets and drink some more oldstyle, Wrigley forever.
5 months ago
Part of me will die with Wrigley Field if it is ever torn down or if the Cubs ever have to call a new stadium their home... Renovate parts of Wrigley, but keep the old, classic feeling to the ballpark is my answer.
5 months ago
I want to reiterate: There are no plans in place to tear down Wrigley anytime soon. This article is just a "what if" artile. Don't be scared!
5 months ago
I concur with not wanting the Cubs to play anywhere else. While I know it will be in their future, and quite possibly near future, it's hard to think about. I am a diehard Cubs fan, and there is nothing better to me then going to Wrigley to watch a Cubs game. Yes some of the views are obstructed, and there may be some issues with scaffolding and what not, but how can you beat the ivy, the manually run scoreboard and the bleachers? There's ambiance there people, love it, and appreciate it.
Nice article Tyler!
3 months ago
If I am correct, Wrigley is considered a historical landmark by the city of Chicago. This protects the stadium from being demolished, but allows additions. Even if someone wanted to build a new stadium, it wouldn't be on top of where Wrigley sits now. The only thing that it doesn't protect is name changes, which is sad, and why I hope Cuban is the next owner. He wouldn't sell the naming rights.
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