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Feb 27, 2008 6:52 pm US/Central
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Zell Says He May Sell Wrigley Field Naming Rights
Tribune Company CEO Says 4 To 6 Potential Cubs Team Buyers Identified
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
The chief executive officer of Tribune Company says he won't hesitate to sell the naming rights to Wrigley Field -- even if baseball purists don't like the idea.
The Cubs' new owner, Sam Zell, renewed the talk about selling the naming rights to Wrigley Field.
CBS 2's Jim Williams reports workers are busy outside Wrigley Field in preparation for opening day a month from now. But Zell is thinking about renaming what fans call the "cathedral of baseball" if a company comes up with enough money to put its name on the famous red marquee.
On the cable channel CNBC, Zell seemed to have few concerns about breaking a long tradition.
"When I bought the Tribune I didn't get a discount because I wasn't going to use the naming rights that that field represents," Zell said.
You might not think of it this way, but the ballpark already has a corporate name. Wrigley is the name of the family that used to own the Cubs, and they started the most famous chewing gum in the world.
When the ballpark opened in 1914, it was called Weeghman Park. In 1920, the name changed to Cubs Park. Then the team owner and chewing gum mogul William Wrigley Jr. slapped his name on the field in 1926.
The wWrigley family sold the Cubs to Tribune company in 1981, but the name stayed the same.
Zell has a suggestion for the makers of DoubleMint and Juicy Fruit.
"Perhaps the Wrigley Company will decide after getting it for free for so long that's time to pay for it," he said.
The Wrigley Company had no comment Wednesday.
But even if the gum-maker does not come up with the millions necessary to keep its name on the park, many fans believe an 82-year history has made the name sacred.
"It represents Chicago, Wrigley Field," said Mark Gintzler. "I don't want to see it changed."
Zell said he plans to sell the Cubs and Wrigley separately and in his own time frame. He also disclosed that Major League Baseball has approved "four or six" potential ownership groups and that any one of them would be fine.
The sale of the team has been delayed by Zell's plan to sell the team and the stadium separately, and to have a state agency acquire and renovate Wrigley.
That has prompted grumbling from some potential ownership groups.
The Cubs are among the shrinking number of teams left in professional sports without a paid deal with a corporate sponsor. Right now 17 major league baseball teams get paid for naming rights for their ballparks. Thirteen do not.
Of the 32 NFL teams, 18 sold the naming rights for their stadiums; 14 have not.
CBS 2's Jim Williams and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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