Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs. (Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports)
The Chicago Cubs are not expected to make any money this season, despite winning games.
Even if the Chicago Cubs have been one of the hottest teams in baseball since early May, that has not helped them get out of the red financially.
Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney says the team is still on pace to lose money this year because ownership allows them to operate at a “break-even level”. On-field performance in the coming weeks will decide if the Cubs will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Chicago enters play on Monday vs. the San Diego Padres tied for first place with the Milwaukee Brewers.
This news from Kenney will surely make the Cubs fanbase especially happy with The Ricketts.
Chicago Cubs have to win or The Ricketts will absolutely blow this team up
Few teams in baseball have felt this kind of financial pressure this season. If the Cubs did not have a great May and played terrible baseball like they did in April, we may have already seen them trade high-priced assets to jumpstart a rebuild and get less expensive. Players like Javy Baez, Kris Bryant, Jason Heyward, Craig Kimbrel and Anthony Rizzo could all be placed on the trading block.
The shame in it all is this is one of the most beloved teams nationwide. The Cubs have a fantastic fanbase and the team is playing well right now. New ownership has been notoriously cheap and the fans will have to pay a price for it. We know a rebuild is inevitably coming, but it would be heartbreakingly sad for The Ricketts to pull the plug on one last good year because of a bad week.
If you cannot make money owning a franchise like the Cubs, then I do not know what to tell you.