Sox Join Spring Training Ticket Surcharge Protest Against Cubs

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Mar 3, 2010 7:00PM

The crosstown rivalry just got financial. The White Sox have joined a group of Cactus League teams protesting a proposed ticket surcharge for spring training games, part of which would be used to fund the Cubs' new facility in Mesa. The Sox joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Cincinnati Reds in boycotting an annual kickoff breakfast to protest the proposed a $2.25 surcharge. Part of the revenue would fund the new facility which was promised to the Cubs to keep them from bolting for newer, better Spring Training digs. Angels spokesman Tim Mead told the Arizona Republic, "In a nutshell, we continue to feel it's fundamentally wrong to implement a tax on loyal baseball fans. We just fundamentally disagree."

AZ State Rep. John McComish, who sponsored the legislation, said, "I think it's a shame to boycott a kickoff breakfast. That's what petulant children do. In this case, they already had their turn at bat, they got their stadium." The Republic explains the bill's proposed surcharges and how it would partially fund the new Cubs complex.

McComish's bill would add a $1 surcharge to car-rental fees in Maricopa County and an 8 percent surcharge to all Cactus League tickets. McComish says it would generate $58 million that would finance bonds issued by the Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority for a new Cubs complex. Mesa would kick in another $26 million for a public financing project capped at $84 million. The Cubs would pay for the land.

As part of their 25-year lease agreement, the Cubs' new Spring Training complex will include a 15,000-seat stadium, offices, training rooms and four full-sized practice fields -- and it'll be theirs alone. Many team share Spring Training facilities, like the Sox and Dodgers do in Glendale. The Cubs will have a say in the stadium's new design and full control of the park when finished. They'll manage it, and also have naming rights for a sponsor and control of signage inside the park.