Cubs' Ricketts Speaks to NPR, Season Ticket Holders
If you didn't get a chance to hear from new Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts at today's
introductory press conference, you're in luck. At 10am on Saturday, NPR News'
Weekend Edition will air an extensive interview with the man who, along with his brothers and sister, took over ownership of the Cubs organization today.
NPR has already released some excerpts from the interview and a full transcript will be available at
NPR.org Saturday at 10am.
Though the Ricketts family currently
has no plans to shake up management, in the interview with [Weekend Edition host Scott] Simon the new
chairman shares many ideas about how to improve the franchise, including
developing property adjacent to Wrigley Field, how family ownership benefits
fans and using the Boston Red Sox as a model for both rehabbing a landmark
vintage ballpark and turning a losing club into a winner.
Many of the topics Ricketts spoke about in his press conference today are also covered in the interview. When asked about the future of Wrigley Field, he told NPR's Simon:
"First of all, we want this to be the best franchise
in baseball, and you can't be a world-class franchise and have
third-class facilities...there is land that
is just adjacent to the stadium, along Clark Street, that the team owns and we
intend to develop that into a part of the stadium, that will give fans more
options on game day, but as importantly free up space inside of the stadium to
build in some of the clubhouse functionality that other teams enjoy."
Ricketts isn't saving his words for the media, though. In addition to the NPR interview and today's press conference, the new Cubs chairman also connected directly with Cubs fans, sending out an email to all of the team's season ticket holders:
Dear XXXX,
On behalf of the Ricketts
Family, we are thrilled to be the new majority owners of the Chicago
Cubs. We share your passion for the team and Wrigley Field and are
eager to begin working towards our primary goal- bringing a World
Series championship to the Friendly Confines.
Like you, my
family and I are Cubs fans. Over the past 25 years, it is very likely
we have been sitting near you, cheering on the team -- celebrating Cubs
wins and suffering their losses. My parents, siblings and I appreciate
the great responsibility we have as stewards of this historic
franchise. It is also a great opportunity to bring a championship to
the most deserving fans in sports. From the beginning, we will promote
excellence and accountability within the organization at every level.
Equally
important to our family is the preservation and improvement of Wrigley
Field. We understand that Wrigley Field is unique and special. As the
media has reported, it is true that I met my wife in the bleachers and
I lived across the street from the field. Like many of you, we are
raising our children to respect the traditions and history of Wrigley
Field. As stewards of our beloved ballpark, we will not disturb those
important traditions, even as we explore avenues to maintain and
improve the park. We will also expand on the recent tradition of
soliciting your feedback on how to enhance your experience at Wrigley
Field.
Building a consistent winning tradition on the field,
while at the same time improving our 96-year-old ballpark will not be
easy and it won't happen overnight. Our family is committed to this
endeavor for the long-term and we will reinvest all of the club's
profits into the team and the ballpark for the foreseeable future.
As
we look forward to a great season in 2010, we would like to thank you
for your continued support. We truly believe that Cubs fans are the
best in baseball. We look forward to meeting you at Wrigley Field and
to working with you as we turn the page to the next chapter in the
history of the Chicago Cubs.
See you Opening Day,
Thomas S. Ricketts
Cubs Chairman
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