Tom Ricketts (right) speaks at Wrigley Field on Friday. His siblings (left to right) Pete, Todd and Laura look on. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Tribune)
After assuming control of the Cubs earlier this week, the Ricketts family made its first public appearance in a news conference Friday morning at Wrigley Field. (WGN-TV: Watch the news conference.)
The rain moved the festivities from the Cubs dugout to the Captain Morgan Club.
As the news conference started, Tom Ricketts stood while his three siblings, Pete, Laura and Todd, sat in chairs on stage.
"We're here for the long term and we're here to win," Tom Ricketts said.
Other highlights:
On the timetable to win the World Series: "I'll be honest. I think we have a team that can do it next year. I'm not going to promise anything. There's enough talent on this team coming back next season to go all the way to the finish line."On Developing the Triangle Building on Clark Street adjacent to Wrigley Field: "Developing the Triangle is the key to bringing Wrigley up to the standard we want in the long run."On Lou Piniella: "I haven't spent a lot of time with Lou personally. We hope he comes back. We strongly believe he's one of the best managers in baseball."
On naming rights for Wrigley Field: "We've had no discussions on naming rights and we haven't even really considered it."
On Ryne Sandberg's future as Cubs manager: "I've had no discussions with Ryne Sandberg. Frankly the process of closing the team was very consuming. There haven't been any discussions with baseball people."
On the current battle between Mesa, Ariz., and Naples, Fla., for the Cubs' spring training headquarters: "We're going to be open minded. ... We're not going to let the tail wag the dog."
Tom Ricketts said the family never considered moving the Cubs to another stadium temporarily to renovate Wrigley Field.
The family will raise ticket prices and increase the team's payroll but said they've never considered personal seat licenses.
Asked if he believes in curses, Tom Ricketts said, "There is no curse. There is no curse. If anybody on our team thinks he's cursed, we'll move him to a less accursed team. From this day forward, let's just get that behind us."
At one point, Tom Ricketts referred to current Cubs chairman Crane Kenney as "dude."
The Ricketts sat down with the Tribune recently. Read the story and watch the related video below.
The Tribune's Teddy Greenstein asks the Ricketts, What about Northwestern football at Wrigley?
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What the Hell??? I have to keep Refreshing the page to even be able to view the post can someone fix this issue please?
I enjoyed reading it. I require to read more on this matter...I am admiring the time and effort you put in your blog, because it is obviously one great place where I can find lot of usable info..
When I pull this site up on my htc apache it is garbled
Hey BILLY GOAT get a life there is no curse. 101 years of abyssmal management is why the Cubs continue to lose. Anyone who believes in the curse should ve drove outof the Unites States. Hey Mexico could use you. BTW congratulations to the Ricketts family it's going to be a tough road ahead good luck!
I am almost 60 and have been a Cubs fan my entire life. I have come to believe that much of the love for the Cubs is in their "loveable losers" image. I really hope that they go another 101 years without winning the World Series because they will otherwise be like every other team in baseball. Been there, done that, big deal. Try a little test on yourself: Pretend for a moment that 2008 Cubs had gone all the way and won it all. How would that change your feelings about next year's Cubs? Would the 2009 season have seemed any better? Would you like Milton Bradley? Would the 2010 Cubs seem like a better team? Would Lou be a better manager? Would you want to pay higher ticket prices?
Hey Fact-O-Life,
no one in their right mind would select Steve Stone as manager. You're the reason people don't like the Cubs, because of delusional nature of some fans. Of all the people you could pick, you select a guy with zero coaching experience.
And what do you expect them to say at their press conference? we're firing the manager? This is just a b-s session.
If the Rickettes are REALLY SERIOUS about winning, then the first thing in the agenda is to let go of Sweet-Tart Lou. Starting with a manager like Bob Brenly or Steve Stone would make me believe their desire to WIN! I like how they mention how they will raise prices and increase payroll, like overpaying will buy them a Playoff appearance. Look at the Minnesota Twins, always consistantly low payroll and waaaay more trips to the playoffs then you know who. IF the Rickettes have eyes and saw, what I saw, last year...maybe they'd know what they'd be talking about and what changes should be done immediately. But they sound content with what they have (same elderly manager and pitching coach.) and how they are gonna go about cashing in on this cash cow, or cash Cubbies. My interest in these losers has diminished very repeatly in the past 3 years to almost none...now I just love to tune in to bash them like the rest of the country!
They think Lou Pinella is a good manager? That already tells me its gonna be the same ol crap next year.
102 years next and continuing...........
Will they now be known as the Rickety Cubs?
Congratulations to the Ricketts family! The Cubs organization needed a huge dose of positive vibes!
The Ricketts family should consider is making the cesspool they call the bleachers into season tickets, not general admission. With all the bad news that ruins the Cubs experience for thousands of Cub fans every year, turn the bleachers into assigned seating. Or just put up with the racist comments and beer dumpers. Nothing positive ever comes from the general admission bleachers!
Hopefully the Ricketts family will seriously consider this positive move.
Thank you!
The Ricketts Family borrowed over 500 million dollars to buy the Cubs. I suspect the annual payments on 500,000,000 is at least 20 Mil. add to that the 250,000,000 necessary over the next 10 years just to keep Wrigley Field safe and the Ricketts are starting each year in a $35,000,000+ hole. This all coming from a team that is near tapped out on revenue options and has a huge payroll yet continues to lose.
Unless the Ricketts are willing to throw all of their available cash into the Cubs to rebuild Wrigley and start making more money then the Cubs will almost certain have to cut payroll by at least $40,000,000 a year.
@Cheers to Capitalism
What are you talking about? The racket known as major league baseball is the only sport with an anti-trust exemption. With real capitalist competition, we'd have a lot more baseball, a lot less Milton Bradleys and maybe even a baseball equivalent of the Chicago Wolves that could win a title every once in a while.
Someone posted about team loyalty. These are professional athletes making tens of millions of dollars to play a kids game. They are charging the fans an absurd amount of money which even middle class families can't afford. He is going to raise ticket prices again, for a team that has lost for 101 consecutive seasons, in the middle of a recession? Anyone who parts with their hard earned money to be "loyal" to this poorly run BUSINESS needs to get their head examined. I wonder if those same "loyal" people are loyal to people who count in their lives like family and friends. When your kids baseball team is 0-8 and you still attend, that's loyalty. When you fork over two c-notes to watch crybaby millionaire Milton Bradley and get so drunk on $7.00 beer that you puke on Clark Street, you are an idiot.
I'M NOT LOOKING DOWN ON THEM. I'M JUST NOT CELEBRATING :(
Citizen --
As someone who actually has worked with people who are homeless and unemployed, let me point out a piece of thise puzzle.
The Cubs are a business. They employ more than the 25 guys who play on the field. They have an adminstrative staff, vendors, groundskeepers, and coaches. They are a part of the economy on the north side of town. Because of the team there are restaurants and bars that are there and hire people who have jobs. There are street vendors who sell stuff. And the all of the players and coaches and et al in the minor league system.
Sure, a lot of players make too much money, but that's the economics of the game. The same goes for any movie you watch, television show you follow, or whatever. But don't ever forget the value of sports teams like the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, or whatever. They all have a generally positive financial impact on the community.
Wow!! Raising the ticket prices again! Sounds just like the what the previous owner would have done. Of course, cubs fans don't have any brains so they aren't going to notice, even in this economy.
Are they going to ban waving at camera while cell phone stuck in ear? The guest conductors? Seagulls?
HEY BILLY GOAT HERE, RICKETTS WITH CRICKETTS, YOU BETTER BELIEVE THERE IS A CURSE I'M ALIVE AND WELL, WE'LL BE TALKING SOON , JUST REMEMBER THIS IS A SORRY A## OF AN ORGANIZATION AND I WILL KEEP YOU DOWN IN THE DIRT FOR A LONG TIME TO COME SO FORGET ANY THOUGHT OF GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES.FIRST YOUR FAN BASE WILL FINALLY REALIZE THAT YOU ARE IN IT FOR THE MONEY NOT THE GLORY, HENCE YOU WILL BE TIGHT W/ SIGNINGS,LOW COST FOR LOW ABILITY, YOU'LL PROBABLY HIRE CAST OFFS FROM OTHER NON-PRODUCING TEAMS, AW SHUCKS YOU'LL JUST FLAT OUT SUCK WIND BIGTIME.
BILLY GOAT,
THE CURSE
Then make some serious changes. Build a new modern grandstand at Wrigley Field (or build a whole new Wrigley Field somewhere else with lots of parking, with a Cub Hall of Fame, and a place to shop for Cub stuff). Get a modern socreboard with high def replay capability. Get a new GM and manager. Demand a successful scouting system and minor league system. And finally, get some players who can win.
Wow that sure sounds like I want the Cubs to become the National League's version of the NY Yankees.
THE YANKEES WILL WIN IN 6, GO BRONX BOMBERS, HURRAY FOR NEW YORK, THE NEXT DYNASTY, OH YEAH RICKETTS FOLLOW THEIR LEAD AND YOU TO CAN PLAY IN THE BIG SHOW.
snicker.
The Ricketts look as though smiling is very very painful for them, as though they have only tried it once or twice in their lives and found the experience too traumatic to try again. But I wish them well for the sake of my brother-in-law, who has been living and dying with Cubs' fortunes for nearly all of his 60+ years (mostly dying). Me, I couldn't care less, I haven't followed baseball since I was 12 (many moons ago, kemosabe). Still, I remember the thrills of Wrigley Field in the 60s and hope that, with an increased payroll, they may once again rise to the top or at least show some effort. I don't care if they raise the prices to the moon if they have to, they need to compete. There are people who still have jobs who can afford a game once in a while. The days of the $3 bleacher seat are gone forever, get used to it. It's a corporate world we live in now, with profits the only goal. Sorry.
@CITIZEN
Are you a Socialist?
People lose there job every day. Just because more of it is happening today than in the last several years doesn’t mean you have to look down on people with money and how they decide to spend it and not helping the less fortunate. If you truly care about the people losing their job and their homes, help them, don’t push your beliefs on others. I bet you have never let a homeless person eat at your dinner table or sheltered one for a night when it is rainy or cold, have you?
Why don’t you go back to reading or watching some sensationalist news story about one person losing their home and pretend like you actually care for that person.
The cubs finally have an owner in place that seems to care about the team. They understand the fans and the players, they also understand business. From their brief comments, they seem to have a good balance of the three. I hope this is the year the Cubs can put it all together and win it all!
Cheers to Baseball, The official sport of Capitalism.
they lie just as much as the tribune did all they wanna do is raise prices and make money and cubs fans are so stupid they believe anything have bartman throw out the first ball next year
I gave up on the Cubs as soon as they traded Greg Maddux for the second time.
This franchise has no intention of ever winning a World Series as long as the stands are full for a mediocre product.
So Ricketts', enjoy the ride - you bought the only franchise that people are stupid enough to support even when the team does nothing but disappoint.
The Cubs will still blow. Hard.
More rhetoric B.S.
"I'll be honest. I think we have a team that can do it next year. I'm not going to promise anything. There's enough talent on this team coming back next season to go all the way to the finish line."
Are you kidding ME? There has to be some kind of an overhaul. This quote is ridiculous.
I wish the Ricketts Family well.
Will 2010 be a CUBS Odyssey. I sure hope so. I'm just tired of Sox fans, giving Us CUBS fans the raspberries. Besides making history,it would sure make Our/My life easier to handel in the Summer.
Good Luck Cubbies
I wish the Ricketts Family well.
Will 2010 be a CUBS Odyssey. I sure hope so. I'm just tired of Sox fans, giving Us CUBS fans the raspberries. Besides making history,it would sure make Our/My life easier to handel in the Summer.
Good Luck Cubbies
Chicago Illini - boycott the Chicago Tribune! Don't pay for another copy; don't click on another ad.
Dear Ricketts,
Lets start by getting rid of Hendry, replacing him with a new GM, a new scouting program and new minor league instructors. Then worry about raising ticket prices.
DJB
You're going to raise ticket prices AGAIN? FOR A LOSING TEAM?? Yeah, that's really showing the fans you care.
I used to attend at least 12 games a year, but when the tickets in the 100 section jumped up $10 last year FOR A LOSING TEAM, I only attended two. The Cubs keep raising their ticket prices yet they keep putting a losing product on the field. I refuse to give the team more money that they don't deserve.
As always, the tourists will come in and snatch up the tickets through the Cubs legal ticket scalping operation, but you're really screwing over the local, lifelong fans.
Thanks, Rickett family.
I hope the Ricketts family is able to make some smart decisions and breath some life into the Cubs. I'm a lifelong White Sox fan, but, most of my family are Cubs fans, along with many friends. I would like to seem them rewarded for their team loyalty for so many years.
Please get it done Ricketts family. If the Sox never win another WS, I could handle that. At least they did it once in my lifetime and it was a thrill I'll never forget!
When you people get a job you too can enjoy taking in a ballgame or other forms of entertainment here and there...that's what 95% of the population does. I wish the Ricketts well, sound like good people. Number 1 priority is renovating the decrepit stadium.
Like most Cubs fans, the Ricketts seem slightly delusional and out of touch with reality.
CITIZEN... People ARE losing their homes... And the economy DOES suck. But no at should we be upset about those upset about this. This gives people a break of those harsh realities. Why should we sulk all day about that, and frown upon stories like this? This gives Chicago or at least the cubs fans something to be happy about and look forward too. Something that the stories of crime, the economy, and international affairs do not do.
HOW CAN YOU CELEBRATE PEOPLE SPENDING MILLIONS ON A BASE BALL TEAM
Like this:
YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
Give it a shot.
I agree with not getting excited when people are in an economic downfall. The only way I would get excited is if they decide to lower the prices of all the vendors food and drinks. The seats can be reasonable, but having a little food, parking your car and have a couple of drinks is outragious. So why do so many people still go and support all of these teams. When you look at any sport games that are televised, the stands are full? Who has all of this money to support the team.
I REALLY CAN'T GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN THE CITY LOSING THEIR HOMES, JOBS AND LIVES AND THE WORLD IS BROKE AS HELL. HOW CAN YOU CELEBRATE PEOPLE SPENDING MILLIONS ON A BASE BALL TEAM