⚾ WAIT... THE WHITE SOX MIGHT MOVE?! NEW RIVERFRONT STADIUM PLAN HAS CHICAGO TALKING

Chicago, y'all know we DO NOT LIKE CHANGE.

You move one hot dog stand we've been going to since 1987 and somebody's auntie is going to start a petition.

So when you start talking about moving the CHICAGO WHITE SOX?!

Hold on now.

Because the Sox have been playing on the South Side for generations, and that's bigger than baseball. That's Chicago history.

But...

I just saw these new stadium renderings.

And dammit.

THEY'RE KINDA NICE. 😭

WELCOME TO “THE RAILYARDS”

A new development proposal called The Railyards has been unveiled as another possible future home for the Chicago White Sox.

The proposed site would stretch from around Roosevelt Road to 18th Street, between Canal Street and the Chicago River.

Translation for Chicago people:

Yes, it's still considered the South Loop.

So technically...

THE SOX WOULD STILL BE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

Okay.

Lady Red has lowered her eyebrow approximately 17 percent.

😂

Because I was about to say:

DON'T Y'ALL TAKE OUR SOUTH SIDE SOX AND PUT THEM SOMEWHERE THEY DON'T BELONG.

The Chicago White Sox playing in Schaumburg?

Absolutely not.

The Naperville White Sox?

Don't make me cuss.

THEY NEED TO STAY IN CHICAGO AND THEY NEED TO STAY SOUTH.

BUT BABY... A BASEBALL GAME ON THE WATER?! 👀

Now THIS is where they're getting me.

The proposed stadium would sit right along the Chicago River.

The renderings show a gorgeous open-air ballpark with the river and Chicago skyline incorporated into the experience.

And I can't lie.

WATCHING THE SOX WHILE SITTING OFF THE WATER WOULD BE NICE AS HELL.

Imagine a summer night.

Sox game.

Chicago skyline.

Boats going down the river.

Cold drink.

Food.

Music.

Home run flying toward the water.

OKAYYYYYY.

I see what y'all are doing.

😭

You're trying to distract Chicagoans from the fact that you're moving our stadium by putting some pretty water behind it.

AND IT MIGHT BE WORKING.

BUT WHAT ABOUT RATE FIELD?

Now here comes the part where Chicago starts fighting.

The White Sox have called the Bridgeport area home for more than a century.

That's not something you casually pack into a U-Haul.

Generations of Sox fans have memories tied to that neighborhood.

Families have traditions there.

Businesses depend on game-day traffic.

And some local elected officials are already saying:

HELL NO.

They're arguing that Rate Field still has life left in it and that moving the team would hurt the Bridgeport community that has supported the Sox for generations.

And I understand that argument completely.

Because a stadium isn't just a building.

When tens of thousands of people show up for games, they're buying food, parking, stopping at bars, spending money and bringing economic activity into the surrounding neighborhood.

Move the stadium...

and some of that money moves with it.

AND BEFORE WE GET TOO EXCITED...

Everybody calm down.

Nobody needs to start packing the bases yet.

The Railyards is NOT an approved White Sox stadium.

It's a proposal.

The site still has to go through studies and evaluations involving things like transportation, environmental issues and whether building a ballpark there even makes sense.

The White Sox have said that if the site proves viable, it could become another option alongside The 78 and other possibilities.

So we're still a long way from:

FIRST PITCH AT THE RAILYARDS.

AND NOW FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT CHICAGO QUESTION...

WHO. IS. PAYING. FOR. IT?!

👀

Because don't show me beautiful renderings of boats, restaurants, apartments and a shiny new stadium and then quietly slide a billion-dollar bill across the table toward taxpayers.

MOVE YOUR HAND.

😂

We've seen this movie before.

Developer:

“Look at the beautiful skyline!”

Chicago:

“Who paying?”

Developer:

“Imagine the economic development!”

Chicago:

“WHO PAYING?”

Developer:

“There will be restaurants and public spaces...”

Chicago:

“I SAID WHO THE HELL IS PAYING FOR THE STADIUM?!”

That's the conversation I'm waiting for.

Because if private money wants to build something spectacular along the river?

Let's talk.

If somebody starts digging through Chicago's couch cushions looking for taxpayer money?

Now we have another conversation.

🎙️ LADY RED SAYS...

I'm conflicted.

Because Chicago people don't like anybody touching our stuff.

We complain about our stuff.

We talk about how old our stuff is.

We say they need to fix our stuff.

But the minute somebody says:

“Okay, we're replacing it.”

Chicago:

“WHO THE HELL TOLD YOU TO DO THAT?!”

😭😭😭

That's us.

And I'm definitely sentimental about the Sox being in Bridgeport.

But if they're determined to build something new, keeping them in Chicago is non-negotiable for me.

And keeping the SOUTH SIDE SOX ON THE SOUTH SIDE matters too.

The Railyards checks those boxes.

South Loop?

Okay.

Chicago?

Absolutely.

Still south of downtown?

Yep.

Riverfront?

👀

Now you talking.

Because watching a baseball game off the Chicago River with that skyline in the background?

Baby...

I WOULD GO.

I might complain about the move the entire drive there.

Then walk inside...

See that water...

See that skyline...

Take 37 pictures...

Post:

“THIS NEW SOX STADIUM IS 🔥🔥🔥.”

Because I'm from Chicago.

That's how this works. 😂

Just don't move our damn team out of Chicago.

Don't take the South Side out of the South Side Sox.

And most importantly...

DON'T SEND US THE BILL.

Then maybe...

MAYBE...

Lady Red can deal with a little change. ⚾🌊😂

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