Menu
Facilities

Theo Epstein Preaches Patience For Players, Fans Regarding Wrigley Renovations

Cubs players "will have to make some adjustments thanks to construction delays that affect the bleachers, the outfield batting cages and other places inside and around" Wrigley Field, according to Paul Sullivan of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said, "Have patience. I think the big message for us, that we've given our players, is there is something special starting opening day 2016 for them with the new clubhouse. They will have every imaginable luxury, convenience and resource starting in April 2016. But 2015 is largely going to be a 'hang with 'em' year." Sullivan noted the Cubs' opener this season moved from Monday to Sunday night "to accommodate ESPN." Furthermore, batting practice Sunday "has been moved up a half-hour so the marketing department could stage a Fall Out Boy concert before the game, changing some of the players' pre-game routines." Sullivan: "A brave new world is coming on opening day, and no one really knows what to expect" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/28).

STARTED FROM THE TOP: Skybox on Sheffield company officials Saturday said that the operator of the Wrigley rooftop club "accused of ripping off the Cubs, the city of Chicago, Cook County and the state of Illinois to the tune of at least $600,000 has been fired." Attorneys for Skybox said R. Marc Hamid, a minority stakeholder in the business, has been "relieved of all duties and responsibilities" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/29). Federal prosecutors on Friday "announced criminal fraud charges" against Hamid, claiming he hid more than $1.5M in revenue "to avoid paying about $600,000 owed to the Cubs as well as in state and local taxes." In Chicago, Jason Meisner noted the charges "add a peculiar dynamic to what already was a tense situation between the Cubs and rooftop owners" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 3/29).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/03/30/Facilities/Cubs.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2015/03/30/Facilities/Cubs.aspx

CLOSE