New Fire Owner Joe Mansueto said that he wants to "win trophies, build a 'world-class' organization and develop more community engagement while attracting fans to Soldier Field," according to Brian Sandalow of the CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. Mansueto said of his acquisition of the Fire, "It will be a good investment, to be candid, over time. MLS has a great future. It's growing (every) year. I just think when you see the product, a lot more people should know about it. I think that growth can continue for a long time." Under former Owner Andrew Hauptman, the Fire and the Chicago market "underachieved." The club has "endured well-documented failings that many pinned on Hauptman." At SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, fans were "alienated, the game-day experience suffered and success slipped away." Mansueto is "not promising a specific amount of championships or attendance numbers" now that the club is moving to Soldier Field, but he and the Fire will "work hard at 'improving every aspect of the organization.'" Mansueto: "I'm confident if we do that, it's going to lead to good results. That's all I can do -- push as hard as I can" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 9/21).
ON SCREEN: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal wrote Mansueto has to "grow the fan base," but that is "extraordinarily difficult as long as games remain hidden behind a digital paywall on a subscription video streaming service, the way the Fire's are" on ESPN+. Whatever the benefits of the team's deal with ESPN+, it has been a "big minus in terms of exposure." If games were on WGN-TV, "talk of the team would be burning up the morning news." Virtually any TV outlet in town "would be better at bringing the Fire to the general public" than ESPN+, which is "why that has to be at or near the top of Mansueto's to-do list." Still, it is "not clear how soon Mansueto's Fire can break free" of ESPN+ containment, as the contract has "another year to run" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/20).
