As the Oakland Athletics are getting closer to using leverage to get out of Oakland, the Chicago White Sox may adopt a similar strategy when they start looking into possible new stadium locations.
When the stadium lease with Guaranteed Rate Field ends after the 2029 season, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is reportedly considering transferring the team from its current home, according to Greg Hinz of Crain’s Chicago Business.
Hinz stated that although there doesn’t seem to be a choice made just yet, options include “moving to a new stadium in the city or suburbs, or even relocating to Nashville, a subject of recurring gossip on and off for years.”
For that reason, a developer in Chicago is “preparing a bid” for a new stadium, as rumors of the White Sox moving there become more plausible.
Senior assistant to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, Jason Lee, informed Hinz that the administration is “planning to hold a conversation with the team about its future” due to the growing discourse surrounding a possible move.
“Chatter among team insiders” has also suggested that Reinsdorf, who has controlled the team since 1981, may try to sell it.
The White Sox’s vice president of communications, Scott Reifert, provided a statement regarding the report to Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
“We haven’t had any talks concerning our lease situation, but because we have six years left on it, the time is almost here for those talks to start. The topics of discussion with the city, the state, and ISFA [Illinois Sports Facilities Authority] would probably center on the future, prospects, and vision.”
Merkin mentioned that Guaranteed Rate Field is owned and constructed by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
The Bears’ future at Soldier Field has garnered a lot of attention in Chicago. The NFL club had been considering a section of Arlington Park for a new stadium, but in part because of opposition from the Arlington Park school district, they began exploring alternative options.
Earlier this summer, Johnson and Bears president Kevin Warren met to talk about possible locations for new stadiums that would retain the team inside Chicago’s municipal limits.
Nashville has been mentioned a lot as a place where MLB would be willing to move a franchise or perhaps expand in the future.
According to a June The Athletic poll of 100 players, Nashville is the best potential MLB expansion city, with 69% of the players voting for it.
A collection of Nashville-based business, sports, music, and community leaders called Music City Baseball are dedicated to bringing a team to the city and plan to construct a new stadium in time for the 2027 season.
In 1901, the White Sox started playing as one of the founding teams of the American League. Since 1991, they have held events at their present stadium. Over the last 25 years, it has undergone a number of improvements, including the addition of two view bar sections to the upper deck before the current season began.