Spring Training 2010

[rok]

Just trying to not get my hopes up, that's all.

[Andy]

<!--quoteo(post=77124:date=Jan 22 2010, 11:53 PM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Jan 22 2010, 11:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=77123:date=Jan 22 2010, 11:45 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Jan 22 2010, 11:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Actually, it isn't a done deal yet. The Ricketts haven't confirmed anything.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/brickwall.gif[/img]
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Team Ricketts is doing something remarkably well... creating a reason for Mesa to pull out all the stop in order to keep the Cubs. By giving Mesa some competition for the Cubs, Ricketts is forcing Mesa to come up with a better product for the Cubs. The Cubs have a long history with Mesa and Arizona, but they also have a long history of losing. It's nice that they're at least forcing Mesa to up the ante to stay there.

[mesacubsjay]

no its not good. AZ is in a major budget crisis and the ricketts are making Mesa bend over backwards and spend cash it doesnt have because the cubs want a nice shiny new stadium when there is nothing wrong with HoHoKam.

i'm glad the cubbies are staying but the way this has been handled is BS!

[mesacubsjay]

sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=78260:date=Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM:name=mesacubsjay)-->QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You're fine, Jay. You're among friends.

Welcome to the board. I hope you stick around.

[DaveB]

<!--quoteo(post=78258:date=Feb 1 2010, 06:24 PM:name=mesacubsjay)-->QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 06:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->no its not good. AZ is in a major budget crisis and the ricketts are making Mesa bend over backwards and spend cash it doesnt have because the cubs want a nice shiny new stadium when there is nothing wrong with HoHoKam.

i'm glad the cubbies are staying but the way this has been handled is BS!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

While it may be true that AZ is in a major budget crisis (like basically everyone else), that isn't the Cubs fault. If other places are willing to build the Cubs a better Spring Training facility than they currently have in Mesa, then why shouldn't the Cubs look into that?
If Mesa wanted to keep the Cubs there, they had to do this, 'budget crisis' or not

[PcB]

<!--quoteo(post=78260:date=Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM:name=mesacubsjay)-->QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you thought your post was harsh you'd better strap that butt plug of yours in nice and tight. You're in for a wild ride.

[Scarey]

<!--quoteo(post=78277:date=Feb 1 2010, 08:41 PM:name=PcB)-->QUOTE (PcB @ Feb 1 2010, 08:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=78260:date=Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM:name=mesacubsjay)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you thought your post was harsh you'd better strap that butt plug of yours in nice and tight. You're in for a wild ride.
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You and your butt plugs...

[rok]

Budget crisis or not, had AZ not stepped up and met the Cubs' demands, the lost revenue from losing the team to FLA would have made their economic/budget crisis even worse.

And believe me, I'm not a fan of publicly financed sports stadiums at all, but in this case the Cubs were in a position of strength and AZ should recoup their investment in a few years.

[Butcher]

<!--quoteo(post=78285:date=Feb 1 2010, 07:28 PM:name=rok)-->QUOTE (rok @ Feb 1 2010, 07:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Budget crisis or not, had AZ not stepped up and met the Cubs' demands, the lost revenue from losing the team to FLA would have made their economic/budget crisis even worse.

And believe me, I'm not a fan of publicly financed sports stadiums at all, but in this case the Cubs were in a position of strength and AZ should recoup their investment in a few years.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I feel like I read somewhere (it's possible that I'm totally making this up) that because the Cubs are the biggest draw in the Cactus League, that MLB agreed to pay a small percentage of their total Cactus League gate for X amount of years to help finance keeping the Cubs in Mesa.

Is that possible?

[Bricklayer]

<!--quoteo(post=78260:date=Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM:name=mesacubsjay)-->QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No problem buddy, we welcome the honesty and passion. Glad to have you on.

That being said, I couldn't give a god damned big fat flying fuck about AZ and their budget problems. If it means that somehow the Cubs benefit and that in turn leads to a World Series, I'd sell your whole fucking state to Mexico!

Now move out of your parent's basement and go kiss a girl.

[bz]

<!--quoteo(post=78307:date=Feb 1 2010, 10:49 PM:name=Bricklayer)-->QUOTE (Bricklayer @ Feb 1 2010, 10:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=78260:date=Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM:name=mesacubsjay)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mesacubsjay @ Feb 1 2010, 05:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->sorry if that was too harsh guys. i dont use message boards much outside of world of warcraft, which can get pretty heated. i dont want to piss anyone off here already, i'm new!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

No problem buddy, we welcome the honesty and passion. Glad to have you on.

That being said, I couldn't give a god damned big fat flying fuck about AZ and their budget problems. If it means that somehow the Cubs benefit and that in turn leads to a World Series, I'd sell your whole fucking state to Mexico!

Now move out of your parent's basement and go kiss a girl.
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[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/spit.gif[/img]

[Auz]

The state of Arizona make nearly 50 mil a spring training from the Cubs. Gotta spend money to make money.

[rok]

In case you guys haven't been following the recent drama over the Cubs deal to keep ST in AZ, our good friend Jerry Reinsdorf, in rare form, is leading the opposition for public funding of our new facilities.

I guess these bozos have forgotten that ALL of their stadiums were supported by public funds, and no one tried to stop them. Also, take the Cubs out of the equation, and I'd love to see how overall attendance and revenues would plummet across the Cactus league. Sounds like a load of BS to me.

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->Cactus League president Robert Brinton is supportive of efforts to keep the Chicago Cubs spring training, but he stressed Saturday that he's not yet taken stance on a plan being put crafted at the Arizona Legislature to finance an $84 mllion stadium for the Cubs in Mesa.

State lawmakers are putting together a financing plan that could include a new, first-of-its-kind surcharges on all Cactus League game tickets as well as a Maricopa Countywide increase to rental car taxes to pay for the new stadium.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox are among those panning the idea of charging their fans and other Cactus League fans new fees to pay for the Cubs spring training facility. Brinton said he won't take a stance on the Cubs plan until he sees the details of the package, which could be introduced next week. <b>The Cubs are the biggest draw in the Cactus League</b>, and the team has threatened to move to Naples, Fla., unless a new stadium is built.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/...not-their-issue

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->The Chicago Cubs' response to critical comments made by White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf about a possible Cactus League tax on all baseball tickets sold is no response at all.

<b>"This is not our issue," Cubs president Crane Kenney said. "This is an issue for the state of Arizona to represent."</b>

Arizona at this point has committed to a ticket amusement charge, however they are considering that as part of the way to fund the $85 million needed to build a new Cubs compex in east Mesa. The state is looking at many ways to try to raise funds, including adding a rental car tax. The Cubs as well as the other 14 teams training in Arizona would be subject to a ticket tariff if that is the direction the state decides to go.

Reinsdorf told the Phoenix Business Journal that the White Sox are opposed to a tariff on Cactus League games.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...o-cubs-tax.html

<!--quoteo-->QUOTE <!--quotec-->In an interview with the Arizona Republic, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith criticized White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf for his opposition to the proposed surcharge, which is expected to be introduced into legislation Monday.

Smith said the proposed surcharge -- the "Cubs tax" -- would not affect "current revenue streams" for the other 13 teams that train in the Cactus League. He then noted that Reinsdorf's Sox left Tucson for a publicly funded spring training complex in Glendale, Ariz.

<b>"Is this the same Jerry Reinsdorf that skipped out on Pima County taxpayers who had spent tens of millions of dollars to provide him with a taxpayer-funded stadium, to come to Glendale, where Maricopa County taxpayers provided him a Taj Mahal spring-training facility?" Smith said.

Smith also said Reinsdorf's White Sox play in a publicly funded ballpark in Chicago, and that Reinsdorf looked into buying the Phoenix Coyotoes, who play in a publicly funded facility in Glendale.

"The irony is delicious," Smith said.</b>

Arizona president Derrick Hall told the Republic that the other 13 teams in the Cactus League "feel the same way" about helping to subsidize the Cubs' ballpark in Mesa.

Both Reinsdorf and Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts declined interview requests by the Tribune on Friday.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Butcher]

What the fuck is Reinsdorf's malfunction? Just when I think my loathing for the White Sox can't get any deeper...