Cubs Chair Tom Ricketts on Saturday gave his State of the Cubs address, appearing "relaxed and at ease ... calmly batting away queries about his family's association with President Donald Trump and the significant ticket-price hike at Wrigley Field after their championship season," according to Paul Sullivan of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. Ricketts, speaking at the team's Spring Training HQ in Mesa, Ariz., said that the Cubs "still offer 'more value-oriented' games for individuals and families" after an across-the-board ticket-price increase of 19.5%. Ricketts: "There is always that balance. Our (business department) guys do a pretty good job of keeping that balance. We study millions of pieces of data. We watch all the secondary markets. We watch all the primary markets." Meanwhile, Ricketts said that he would "like the team one day to be considered 'one of the great sports organizations in the world.'" Ricketts: "What separates a really good team from a truly great team is the consistency of results" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/19). Ricketts said that the team's Starbucks store will "open at the Wrigley plaza in April, adding that there are plans for the World Series trophy to be on display at the plaza after its whirlwind tour for fans around the Midwest" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/19).
CONFLICT OF INTEREST? In Chicago, Patrick Mooney noted Ricketts "wasn't certain" if his brother, co-Owner Todd Ricketts, would "have to step down" from the Cubs BOD to accept the Deputy Secretary of the Commerce Department position. Ricketts said, "I know there are the conflict of interest kind of things and ethics rules. He may have to. I’m not really sure. But he’s got to go through the nomination process first" (CSNCHICAGO.com, 2/18). Ricketts said that he "doesn’t fear any perception problems or impact in Wrigleyville on one of the biggest, ongoing feel-stories in sports" despite his family's ties to Trump. Ricketts: "I don't think anything that's going on in DC has any impact on us right now at all" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/19).
FOR EVERYONE: The TRIBUNE's Sullivan wrote it is a "stretch to believe" the Cubs are "still just Chicago's team." A championship season, a "slew of young, telegenic stars and a celebrity manager have turned the Cubs into a national phenomenon." Sullivan: "The cult of Cub is spreading like never before." Cubs manager Joe Maddon "prefers his players get their marketing work done before the regular season." Cubs SS Addison Russell is "working on deals with Pepsi and Audi," while 1B Anthony Rizzo has "endorsed BodyArmor sports drink and Buona Beef and filmed a video" for Reynolds Wrap. Rizzo also just "finished a digital commercial for Tyson Foods called 'Legends of the Grill' in which he grills Hillshire Farm sausages with David Ortiz" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/19). In Chicago, Rick Morrissey wrote there is still an "incredible buzz in Chicago and in baseball over the team's championship" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 2/19).
