Last week, news broke that Jerry Reinsdorf might sell the Chicago White Sox and was talking with potential buyers including Dave Stewart. Stewart has been trying to bring a baseball team to Nashville for years.
People quickly started wondering if this meant the White Sox could move to Nashville. But when asked about it, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred seemed to think that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
“Chicago is an anchor city for us,” said Manfred. “The White Sox have challenges, especially with their stadium location , but I believe things will work out and Chicago will keep both its teams.”
Stadium Talk: A Familiar Tune
The real issue here seems to be about getting a new stadium. Whether it’s in Chicago or elsewhere, that’s the big question. Reinsdorf has played this game before; he once used a threat of moving the team to Tampa Bay as leverage for a new stadium. Fans might think this is just another round of that same old dance.
Reinsdorf even mentioned earlier this year that his son Michael would need to do what’s best for investors when he’s gone, hinting at selling the team because “the team will be worth more out of town.”
What happens next is still up in the air. But if you’re someone like Manfred or part of MLB, keeping the team in one of America’s biggest media markets is important—especially if they can get a shiny new stadium out of it.
So what do you think? Should they stay in Chicago or head somewhere else?
