Does anyone really believe the Cubs Ownership will keep their threat to leave Wrigley Field?

I don't really know if saying that if they can't do what they need to do the ballpark that they will have to look at moving is much of a "threat".

More of a "let's throw it out there so the bonehead in City Hall (as well as the residents of the neighborhood who fail to realize that without the Cubs they become just another very generic city neighborhood, minus most of the bars and restaurants who make enough in the 81 home dates for the Cubs to fund their entire year of business) realizes that other options do actually exist."

As for whether or not it will happen, I bet its about 10-1 against. Not real likely, but until they spend that $300 million anything is possible.

Speaking as a Cubs fan I would love to see them move out of there. I've been going to games there since I was a mere pup back in 1969 and while I have some great memories, the old girl is showing her age. And pumping $300 million into the ballpark won't change the fact that it is 100 years old.

Anything is possible in today's sports world. Since the Cubbies haven't done much of anything in over a century and the fact that the White Sox seem to be the competitive franchise, it could happen.

The down side for historical reasons would be the loss of Wrigley Field. Of course no one believed that the old Yankee Stadium would one day be just a memory. Such is the world of sports business. It would be hard to imagine no Wrigley Field or for that matter no more Fenway Park.

I think it would be a different story or no story at all if the Cubs were winning pennants and a world series now and then. Of course that hasn't happened.

Yes. Look into the history of baseball and you'll see this scenario repeated again and again over the past 150 years. Teams are established somewhere, have history there and the cities never believe they'll actually leave. But it's been happening ever since Harry Wright moved his Red Stockings out of Cincinnati and to Boston in 1870!

Union Grounds in Brooklyn, gone. Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, gone. Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, renovated and remade some many times it's essentially gone. Shibe Park in Philly, gone. the Polo Ground in NYC, gone. Commiskey Park in Chicago, gone. Wrigley will likely be next, although I'm sure the franchise will try to keep the original name even if the ballpark gets moved or blown up and reconstructed.

Nah.

It's more there for political purposes. As in, a "what if" scenario. It makes people think what would Wrigleyville be without the Cubs. Sure, it would still be a nice place to go to (trust me, it's hella fun even without the Cubs), but it just would not be the same.

The Cubs won't leave Wrigleyville.....they are using the threat to leave as a bargaining chip.

Its possible

The Bears

the White Sox

and i am sure the Bulls and BlackHawks said the same thing

all did the same thing and they stillare in town and in the the same area

The White sox moved acroos the street The Bears rehab Soldier Field

the Bulls and Black Hawks moved across the street also

Look for something to get done

No one took George Steinbrenner's threat to leave Yankee Stadium and move to New Jersey seriously either. It turns out that he had a deal to move all worked out and if NYC had not caved in, he really would have moved. If the Yankees could have left Yankee Stadium the Cubs could leave Wrigley. Remember, these guys are first and foremost businessmen. They will do whatever makes the most money for them.

I think it very well could if they can't get the $$ they want to stay there. I could see them in the suburbs. I thought all along Ricketts would try to do this, and hes right.

If the Dodgers and Giants could have left NY City, the Cubs could surely go as well.

Without harsh financial covenants in the form of penalties to bind a club to a ballpark, the threats can become real.

They will eventually have to leave Wrigley anyway. It is going to start falling apart soon because it's becoming so old and dilapidated. As soon as something collapses on someone and kills them at a game they will move out.

Yep, they would - it would save them some big bucks in the long run on rehabbing the current stadium. Chicago politics, gotta love 'em!