Though the Joliet Slammers (independent; Frontier League) have worked hard on a quality product, some locals say baseball won’t be successful until affiliated ball arrives — which will probably be never. The Slammers were a smash in the first season, then saw things level off in 2012. That’s led to some talk about affiliated ball […]
Tag Archives | chicago white sox
MLB 2014 season to open in Australia?
The 2014 Major League Baseball season could begin at the Sydney Cricket Grounds in Australia, as officials there prepare a multimillion-dollar bid to land a commitment. Opening a season out of the country is becoming a routine things for Major League Baseball; this season saw the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics start their seasons in […]
MLB: Attendance could hit 80M this season
Attendance at Major League Baseball games is up some 8.1 percent this season, and there’s an outside chance the sport could set an all-time record for attendance. Right now MLB teams are on a pace to draw the most fans since 2008, with the chance of reaching 80 million for the first time in history. […]
Nine MiLB teams to participate in MLB diversity summit
It’s a good start: Representatives from nine MiLB organizations will join executives from Major League Baseball’s Central Office and all 30 MLB teams at the inaugural MLB Diversity Business Summit in Chicago on July 24. MLB and the Chicago White Sox are co-hosting the event. MiLB teams at the summit: Brooklyn Cyclones (short season A; […]
Selig: Rivalry series may survive interleague play
The two annual rivalry series may survive a scheduling reconfiguration in 2013 because of their popularity with fans, according to MLB Commissioner Bud Selig. Right now there are two three-game rivalry interleague series — Yankees/Mets, Cubs/White Sox, Twins/Brewers, Rays/Marlins, A’s/Giants, Angels/Dodgers, etc. — that are popular in terms of box-office appeal and ratings, particularly in larger cities where […]
America’s most famous tax cheat at the ballpark
On Tax Day, it’s appropriate to remember America’s most notorious tax cheat, Al Capone, was a baseball fan at heart; here he is with Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett during a White Sox/Cubs game at Comiskey Park. The game was a September 9, 1931 exhibition fundraiser long before the start of interleague play. Capone, far right, was there […]
Pima County: Three spring games add $500K to Tucson bottom line
Three spring-training games at Kino Stadium, a former spring-training base in Tucson, will add a half-million dollars to the local economy, according to Pima County officials. Of course, that’s predicated on the three games doing well at the box office. One of the three games will divert part of the proceeds to charity, but the […]
ISFA: Boy, did the White Sox get a sweet lease for The Cell
The Chicago White Sox may have a valid lease for U.S. Cellular Field running though 2029, but that’s not stopping the Illinois Sports Facility Authority from reevaluating its relationship with the team. The team’s lease is pretty simple: the team pays $1.5 million a year and controls all revenue from ticket sales, concessions, parking and […]
White Sox to go big with new team store
The Chicago White Sox will be adding one of the largest team stores in the majors to U.S. Cellular Field, working with Delaware North Companies Sportservice to open a two-level, 13,000-square-foot facility just east of Gate 5, near the new Bacardi at the Park. The store will feature a full line of White Sox merchandise, […]
White Sox introduce new organist
Glad to see the Chicago White Sox keeping the tradition alive, as the team announced Lori Moreland will succeed Nancy Faust as the U.S. Cellular Field organist for the 2011 season — extending that human touch at the ballpark. “Over the past decade, the in-game experience has evolved with the use of digital scoreboards, video […]
White Sox minor-league schedules posted
More news from spring training: we’ve posted the schedules for the four minor-league affiliates of the Chicago White Sox, playing out of Camelback Ranch-Glendale. The four teams: Charlotte Knights (Class AAA; International League), Birmingham Barons (Class AA; Southern League), Winston-Salem Dash (Class A; Carolina League) and Kannapolis Intimidators (Class A; Sally League). You can view […]
Development and ballparks: today’s good and bad news
A development expected to help pay off debt on Camelback Ranch-Glendale is going into foreclosure as the developers enters bankruptcy, while the St. Louis Cardinals are finally ready to go ahead with the long-awaited Ballpark Village. Two tales of the sometimes awkward marriage between ballpark financing and development. First, the good news. The St. Louis […]
In memoriam: Ron Santo
Ron Santo, who had a clear passion for the Chicago Cubs both as a player and as a radio broadcaster, passed away last night in Arizona because of complications from bladder cancer. He was 70. Santo had been battling several health issues over the last decade, including a bout of diabetes that led to a […]