The White Sox this week "unveiled a new ballpark bar dedicated to artisanal brews" as the team tries to "capitalize on the craft-beer craze," according to Mitch Dudek of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. More than 75 craft beers from 38 breweries "will be featured at the Craft Kave." The craft-beer bar "replaces the Miller Lite Bullpen Sports Bar behind the right-field bullpen at Guaranteed Rate Field." Most offerings are "brewed in the Midwest." The White Sox earlier this month agreed to a three-year, seven-figure deal with Modelo Especial, which will be represented in left field "at a new beer stand called 'Casa Modelo.'" The bar was "under construction Wednesday and hopefully will be ready in time for the home opener Monday against the Tigers" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 3/30). In Chicago, Danny Ecker wrote the White Sox are "hoping the wide array of malt beverages will help cure the team's attendance woes." Closer to the game action, the White Sox "built a new suite on the main concourse behind home plate, dubbed Suite 134." The team will "look to rent the 25-person space for $4,000 to $6,000 per game, depending on the matchup." The price includes a food and beverage package. The most "noticeable new signage walking around the ballpark is for Guaranteed Rate, which replaced U.S. Cellular as the stadium naming rights partner after last season." But the mortgage lender also "bought rights to the home plate club, an area that hadn't had a title partner" since '13. Columbus, Ohio-based Huntington Bank "took over naming rights of the upper-deck club down the right-field line." The area "previously was the First Merit Club, but Huntington acquired Akron, Ohio-based First Merit last summer" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 3/29).
