Cubs Sale

From Wednesday's Tribune...

A new channel devoted to the Cubs is one of the enticing potential revenue-generating items that Tribune Co. is floating as part of its planned sale of the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and its 25 percent stake in Comcast SportsNet.

The story mentions some of the roadblocks that might prevent a New York Yankees/YES Network sort of channel from becoming a reality in Chicago, including the possibility that Tribune Company could box the team's new owner into continuing to air many games on Tribune-owned WGN. Still, one can certainly see why the concept might be attractive...

Read the rest of this entry>>>

Crain's Chicago Business reports Tuesday that prospective purchasers of the Chicago National League Ballclub have been given a deadline of July 18th to submit their initial bids.

Crain's says 10 parties are currently in the running; those ten received the team's financial books last month. The paper's source expects the field to be culled down to four or five finalists following this first round of bids, with the winning bidder being "identified at or near the end of the baseball season (and) a deal closing by year end or very early next year."

Tribune Company has announced it plans to retain 5% ownership of the team, which should be more than enough to ensure that Sam Zell will be able to get a decent seat and a cold Old Style whenever he damn well pleases.

With all of the excitement—and by excitment, I mean disgust—over the likely Cubs signing of Jim Edmonds, there wasn't an opening here yesterday to note the snag in efforts to peddle Wrigley Field to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.

Read the rest of this entry>>>

As reported by Phil Rosenthal in Friday's Tribune:

(Tribune Company Chairman and Chief Executive Sam) Zell said in a conference call with creditors Thursday he now expects the confidential Cubs figures to be released to potential buyers in the next 10 days or so and a sale to be completed "sometime this year," regardless of what happens in ongoing negotiations with the state over Wrigley, or whatever the park winds up being called.

"You ought to read the latest newspaper because it's all out there," Zell said, noting there continues to be "steady progress" in talks for a ballpark deal. "We're trying to do what is the optimum transaction with the Illinois Sports Authority while simultaneously running with a book on the Cubs going both ways, with or without the sports authority."

If you liked this article, consider supporting us during TCR's April Pledge Drive.

Reader Crunch beat me to this by a couple minutes in the Comments, but Paul Sullivan of the Tribune writes that after making his Spring Training debut Saturday in a 6-2 Cubs loss to the Angels (2 runs, 3 hits allowed in 2 IP), Jason Marquis let it be known that he wants to be traded if the Cubs aren't going to let him start:

"I love Chicago. I definitely want to stay here...But I also signed as a starter...I love (Chicago), I love the fans, I love the stadium. I also have a family to worry about, too. I think I can take my services elsewhere...and help another team, in that capacity as a starter."

How Marquis's family would suffer if he was pitching long relief, I'm not sure.

Lou Piniella's response after he was informed of Marquis's comments:

"You know, that galls me about Marquis, it really does. I'm not pleased with that comment. We've had a good camp over here, everybody's getting an opportunity. Go out and win a spot in the rotation."

Sullivan also writes that Boston scout Keith Champion was at Saturday's game, which one might connect with the Cubs' reported interest in Coco Crisp. When Curt Schilling's latest injury came to light, Marquis's name came up as a possible trade target for Theo Epstein, but since the Sox recently signed The Pitcher Who Used To Be Bartolo Colon, their interest in Marquis might be less...if there was ever any to start with.

According to Crain’s Chicago Business, Sam Zell’s plan to sell Wrigley Field to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority is “alienating would-be buyers” of the ballclub, A member of one of the prospective ownership groups says, “Splitting (the team and ballpark) absolutely diminishes the value of the team and my interest level.”