Sports

Budweiser Sign to Fill Wrigley's Right Field

Now the question is when the sign will be erected. The Cubs say if negotiations with the Wrigley rooftop owners remains a stalemate, it could be sooner than you think.

By Andy Ambrosius

The Chicago Cubs have signed a multi-year, exclusive marketing partnership with Budweiser, a deal that will include a 650-square-foot sign in right field at Wrigley Field, Crain’s Chicago Business reports.


It’s a renewed agreement with company Anheuser-Busch InBev, extending the team’s 33-year partnership with the beer company, according to Crain’s. Budweiser-branded signs will also be found in the upcoming Triangle plaza and hotel across from Wrigley Field.

Now one big question remains: When will the Cubs decide to erect the sign, potentially blocking views from the adjacent Wrigley rooftops?

It’s a topic that most recently came up when Ald. Tom Tunneycame out in opposition of the proposed party deck over Sheffield Avenue. Part of that idea was to erect the right field sign closer to the rooftops behind the deck, no longer blocking rooftop views.

But between disapproval from both Tunney and the neighbors, the idea seems to have fallen flat. Cubs spokesman Julian Green says if an agreement isn’t reached soon—effectively dodging a lawsuit between the team and rooftop owners—they may just erect the sign immediately.

“As we go into the off-season, this is the time when we talk to our corporate partners,” Green told the Sun-Times earlier this week. “If there is an interest and a potential suitor for that right-field sign, we might find an opportunity to pull the trigger.” 

The “exclusive” partnership, however, doesn’t mean fans won’t be able to sip an Old Style or other craft beers during ballgames. Crain’s reports the Cubs are committed to “providing a diverse portfolio” of beers.

Budweiser is now the second “Legacy” partner signed on with the Cubs, only second behind Starwood Hotels for the Ricketts family’s hotel project across the street. The team hopes to have around a dozen Legacy partners during the $500 million renovation project, according to reporter Danny Ecker.


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