What to make of Chicago White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf meeting with Nashville mayor
By Todd Welter
The Chicago White Sox confirmed a report that team owner Jerry Reinsdorf met with Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Tuesday.
The team would not elaborate on why Reinsdorf met with the mayor. Ever since speculation started back in August that the franchise might move there after the lease to Guaranteed Rate Field is up in 2029, one can assume relocation was discussed.
O’Connell would only comment that the Reinsdorf and he had an informal meeting.
I texted with Nashville mayor Freddie O’Connell—
— Shane Riordan (@shane_riordan) December 6, 2023
This is big stuff, guys. pic.twitter.com/1JRRPQe69P
Should we worry about the Chicago White Sox possibly moving to Nashville?
You should not worry right now. This is part of Jerry Reinsdorf’s playbook in his attempt to get a new stadium.
He famously leveraged the Tampa/St. Pete’s area to get his current stadium on the Southside with a sweetheart lease.
He could also be getting the temperature of the political climate for any potential buyers of the club who have the intention of taking the team to Tennessee.
What we know for sure is Reinsdorf is getting ready to start the process of getting a new ballpark. His tone when he last spoke felt like if he was around for a ground-breaking ceremony, it would be in Chicago or the Chicagoland area. Being around for it is the key phrase.
We also know that Reinsdorf has instructed his family to sell the Chicago White Sox once he passes away.
While he is still with us, it is not shocking to see Jerry trying to leverage another city to get as much public assistance as he can for a new ballpark.
The problem with that strategy is the current governor of Illinois is not a White Sox fanatic like the governor was in the 1980s.
His other issue is Reinsdorf has alienated his fanbase to the point that a lot of them would be happy to see the club leave town.
Finally, the appetite for publicly funded stadiums is not as hungry as it was 35 years ago. Part of the reason O’Connell got elected was because of his opposition to Nashville assisting the Tennessee Titans with funding their new stadium’s construction.