The Chicago skyline near Wrigley Field might soon have a refreshing shine of red-and-white—the iconic colors of Coca-Cola. According to a proposal the City Council is mulling over, the Chicago Cubs are looking to add corporate gusto in the form of two goliath rooftop signs around their historic ballpark home. If all goes their way, advertisements for Coca-Cola and Benjamin Moore could soon be gracing the skies above The Friendly Confines.
In what some see as a bid to squeeze every last drop of revenue from the neighborhood, the Cubs-owning Ricketts family has backed an ordinance introduced by Ald. Bennett Lawson that would clear the way for these branded behemoths. Per a report by the Chicago Sun-Times, the signs won't just be any run-of-the-mill placards; the proposed Coca-Cola sign will glow with the soft drink giant’s vintage script and a familiar Coke bottle, while the Benjamin Moore badge will stretch a bold 38 feet, sporting the paint company's name and a stylized logo.
But this venture isn't without its potential snags. With memories of past feuds with the City Council still fresh, this latest chapter could signal a smoother sail for the Cubs' ambitions under the stewardship of Ald. Lawson, or reignite hot debates about sign pollution. Julian Green, a spokesperson for the Cubs, described the balance they're trying to strike, stating to the Chicago Business Journal, "We will continue to move very methodically in terms of providing value for our partners while protecting the experience for our fans."
Yet, there's more at stake than eye-catching skyline changes. The advent of these signs symbolizes a sharpened acumen by the Ricketts family to capitalize on their sports empire's environs. Once upon a time, the battle for such advertisement spaces was a minefield fraught with legal showdowns and community backlash. Now, the Cubs appear to be batting with confidence, owning 12 of the 19 rooftops overlooking the ballpark—a strategic empire built over time, and not without controversy, with the same careful precision a general manager might stock a baseball team's bullpen.
This shrewd play comes as the Cubs pencil out new chapters in their relationship with city officials. The reconciliation of old, fervent disputes and embarking upon new revenue-generating ventures could potentially be an 'All-Star' move for the organization. Green framed the decision as part of the quest “to find very creative ways to identify what we believe would be high-value assets to our corporate partners." The proposed signs would be separate from the in-stadium assets the Ricketts family secured as part of the storied ballpark's landmark status.
The proposal still must clear the gauntlet of city approvals, but success could rewrite the playbook on how sports franchises leverage their iconic neighbors for branding home runs. Not that anyone's keeping score, but if the Cubs swing this out of the park, Wrigley Field and its surroundings may soon be playing in a league of their own, where the love of the game and the allure of ad dollars are comfortably on the same team.
