Kenny Speaks

[gosox41]

Originally Posted by captain54

the Sox have consistently not been able to beat the teams in their division they need to beat. Having crappy records against KC and Detroit is what ultimately cost them the division.. and more directly, hitters that are paid to hit...did not hit, and failed in crucial situations.

The Sox have lived and died by the Homerun for quite a while, and to me, that's a trademark of the Kenny Williams regime.. and the downfall of the team, 2009-2012.

Let's take it one step further with the home run if Kenny wants to study it.

The Sox didn't have a great April and had a terrible September. Aren't those the coldest months to play baseball?

Teams that rely on the home run don't hit as many when it's cooler. Seems pretty obvious to me.


Bob

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Apparently the plan to develop more retail business around U.S. Cellular Field has reached a dead-end. Kenny comments on that and other things regarding Sox attendence issues:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,3093254.story

Lip

Given the state of the economy, that's not surprising.

[Lip Man 1]

Spivak:

Not sure what Kenny meant by his statement in that regard.To develop more retail business would taxes or something go up in Bridgeport?

His comment (paraphrasing) about understanding where the people are coming from made me think maybe the neighborhood doesn't want this.

Lip

[hawkjt]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Spivak:

Not sure what Kenny meant by his statement in that regard.To develop more retail business would taxes or something go up in Bridgeport?

His comment (paraphrasing) about understanding where the people are coming from made me think maybe the neighborhood doesn't want this.

Lip

Another reason that the Sox blew it when they stayed in bridgeport...should be in south loop.

[kittle42]

Originally Posted by hawkjt

Another reason that the Sox blew it when they stayed in bridgeport...should be in south loop.

Man, that would have been a wise move.

[LITTLE NELL]

Originally Posted by bunkaroo

I can also say without a doubt the heat kept me away from at least 3 games I would have gone to as walkups in July and August. It was just unbearable. Awful summer this year.

The heat did not stop other teams from drawing 3 million.
We can talk about this until we are blue in the face, the fans did not come out this year because they rebelled against the high ticket prices to go along with the dynamic pricing BS.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Spivak:

Not sure what Kenny meant by his statement in that regard.To develop more retail business would taxes or something go up in Bridgeport?

His comment (paraphrasing) about understanding where the people are coming from made me think maybe the neighborhood doesn't want this.

Lip

The Sox don't want it, either. You can't build a lively, fun entertainment district with the park as its centerpiece if it's surrounded by empty parking lots. Biggest problem with U.S. Cellular Field is that it's a park designed for the suburbs that got dropped in the city. People make fun of Wrigley for being a bar with a field in the middle of it, but that helps it anchor one of Chicago's most lively entertainment districts, even though it's farther away from the central core than Bridgeport. Sox Park was a soulless, sterile shopping mall with a field in the middle. It was designed to be built in some suburban wasteland like Addison or wherever, not to anchor a thriving urban neighborhood.

Jerry and Rocky are learning this lesson with the United Center, which has absolutely killed gentrification on the West Side, but luckily, Rocky's not a stubborn old man like his dad, and they're starting to chip away at the parking lots in favor of more urban-friendly development.

[16th&State]

Originally Posted by Lip Man 1

Apparently the plan to develop more retail business around U.S. Cellular Field has reached a dead-end. Kenny comments on that and other things regarding Sox attendance issues:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports...,3093254.story

Lip

Originally Posted by doublem23

The Sox don't want it, either. You can't build a lively, fun entertainment district with the park as its centerpiece if it's surrounded by empty parking lots. Biggest problem with U.S. Cellular Field is that it's a park designed for the suburbs that got dropped in the city. People make fun of Wrigley for being a bar with a field in the middle of it, but that helps it anchor one of Chicago's most lively entertainment districts, even though it's farther away from the central core than Bridgeport. Sox Park was a soulless, sterile shopping mall with a field in the middle. It was designed to be built in some suburban wasteland like Addison or wherever, not to anchor a thriving urban neighborhood.

Jerry and Rocky are learning this lesson with the United Center, which has absolutely killed gentrification on the West Side, but luckily, Rocky's not a stubborn old man like his dad, and they're starting to chip away at the parking lots in favor of more urban-friendly development.

I have always hated the ugly sea of parking lots surrounding Sox Park. But I don't see current Sox ownership ever allowing anything to be built adjacent to the park, (unless serious outside dollars were committed and the Sox got a piece of the profit). I would be really curious to know what efforts the Sox have made towards retail development (if any) in the surrounding neighborhood.

[16th&State]

Originally Posted by hawkjt

Another reason that the Sox blew it when they stayed in bridgeport...should be in south loop.

Originally Posted by kittle42

Man, that would have been a wise move.

It would seem wise now, but the South Loop was hardly a hopping place-to-be until recent years. This is of course my opinion, but I'm sure many of the same criticism bestowed on Comiskey II and the area surrounding would have been said about even a Camden-style retro park until the neighborhood caught up.

[Golden Sox]

If the Cell had been built in the South Loop I would bet my life they would be drawing alot more people than what they're drawing at the present location. One of the proposed sites for the new White Sox stadium was near Union Station. Everybody would of been better off if the park had been built there. Other cities all over the country have built their stadiums in their downtown areas for a very simple reason. It brings people downtown. Rather than the disaster that Block 37 has become in the Loop, a new baseball stadium would of brought more people downtown. Block 37 might have been more successful after a new stadium was built in the South Loop. Other cities have built their stadiums downtown and after the stadiums are built other businesses follow. It could have easily happened that way in Chicago. Unfortunately it didn't.

[bunkaroo]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

The heat did not stop other teams from drawing 3 million.
We can talk about this until we are blue in the face, the fans did not come out this year because they rebelled against the high ticket prices to go along with the dynamic pricing BS.

I'm not saying it's a major reason, and I agree with the other reasons you posted. But it definitely kept me from going, and I'm sure there are others who felt that way too.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Golden Sox

If the Cell had been built in the South Loop I would bet my life they would be drawing alot more people than what they're drawing at the present location. One of the proposed sites for the new White Sox stadium was near Union Station. Everybody would of been better off if the park had been built there. Other cities all over the country have built their stadiums in their downtown areas for a very simple reason. It brings people downtown. Rather than the disaster that Block 37 has become in the Loop, a new baseball stadium would of brought more people downtown. Block 37 might have been more successful after a new stadium was built in the South Loop. Other cities have built their stadiums downtown and after the stadiums are built other businesses follow. It could have easily happened that way in Chicago. Unfortunately it didn't.

The Sox certainly would have been better off, but you're pretty out of the loop (pun intended) if you think downtown Chicago needs a baseball stadium... The census just released some figures that shows Chicago's city center is booming like nowhere else in the country. Growth of the downtown area from 2000-2010 was something like 45+%. 2nd best was New York, who didn't even hit 10% growth.

[Noneck]

Originally Posted by doublem23

The Sox don't want it, either. You can't build a lively, fun entertainment district with the park as its centerpiece if it's surrounded by empty parking lots. Biggest problem with U.S. Cellular Field is that it's a park designed for the suburbs that got dropped in the city. People make fun of Wrigley for being a bar with a field in the middle of it, but that helps it anchor one of Chicago's most lively entertainment districts, even though it's farther away from the central core than Bridgeport. Sox Park was a soulless, sterile shopping mall with a field in the middle. It was designed to be built in some suburban wasteland like Addison or wherever, not to anchor a thriving urban neighborhood.

And that type of suburban park works also, look at Miller Park. The Sox have the best of both, ample parking(but not cheap) and good public transportation. Teams dont need the bar, restaurant, nightlife scene to draw fans.

[hawkjt]

Originally Posted by doublem23

The Sox certainly would have been better off, but you're pretty out of the loop (pun intended) if you think downtown Chicago needs a baseball stadium... The census just released some figures that shows Chicago's city center is booming like nowhere else in the country. Growth of the downtown area from 2000-2010 was something like 45+%. 2nd best was New York, who didn't even hit 10% growth.

This is exactly why the Sox being in the Loop would have been very good for the Sox. I know, water over the dam, too late now. Maybe if Daley had allowed a new retractable roof Bear stadium next to Soxpark, it could have worked out fine also....but no...would not want Super Bowls,Final Fours,Concerts ect year around in Bridgeport,I guess.

[kittle42]

Originally Posted by LITTLE NELL

The heat did not stop other teams from drawing 3 million.
We can talk about this until we are blue in the face, the fans did not come out this year because they rebelled against the high ticket prices to go along with the dynamic pricing BS.

I'm waiting for someone to explain how heat - like the economy - impacts Sox fans more than other human beings.