Wrigley Field is not only one of the most iconic sports venues in the United States but also a designated National Historic Landmark. The Friendly Confines has been home to the Chicago Cubs for more than a century, since 1916.
Cubs Deny Report Stating Wrigley Field Will Host the 2027 All-Star Game
On Thursday, 670 The Score stated that Wrigley Field has been chosen to host the 2027 All-Star Game. As per Brian Levine of the Marquee Sports Network, sources had disclosed to him the decision from the league.
However, an article by the Chicago Tribune revealed that the Cubs have denied the announcement from their flagship radio station. According to The Tribune, the franchise said that “no decision has been made” regarding the All-Star Game.
Meanwhile, Levine later clarified his statement after the rumors spread like wildfire on social media and beyond. He posted a message on X declaring that the All-Star Game would be “awarded to the Cubs sometime this summer.”
Clarifying the breaking news-The All Star game will be awarded to the Cubs sometime this https://t.co/4rlC9N4wEv wants each city to have 2 years planning for the event.Home Run derby and FanFest etc. source told me Chicago (city) will get a windfall of $250 to $300 in revenue.
— Bruce Levine (@MLBBruceLevine)
Generally, MLB announces the venue for the Midsummer Classic at a mutually agreed-upon date with the host club to generate as much publicity as possible. Yet, such decisions are finalized in advance, so these speculations may indeed prove to be true.
So far, the Friendly Confines have hosted the All-Star Game on three occasions, with the last one being held in 1990. The only other teams to have not hosted the event since then are the Tampa Bay Rays and the Athletics.
According to 670 The Score, the Cubs’ ownership had been pressing hard to host an All-Star Game for a while. Security concerns have been the primary challenge, as MLB officials are afraid that the stadium might be a soft target for a coordinated attack.
On the other hand, the Chicago Tribune claims that the past two city administrations had rejected pleas from the Cubs to upgrade the security features at Wrigley. They had hoped to host the 2025 All-Star Game, which ultimately went to the Atlanta Braves.
The Chicago Tribune added that Wrigley Field might need extra security on the rooftops around the venue. Fans without tickets are typically allowed on Waveland and Sheffield avenues, so people are likely to gather to collect balls from the Home Run Derby.
The press box inside Wrigley should also need improvements, as it is one of the smallest in the MLB. Its capacity may not be enough to hold the media contingent, with a large number of reporters arriving from Japan and Latin America.
There may be a dozen other issues to deal with to bring the Midsummer Classic back to the prestigious old ballpark. If the rumor proves to be true in the coming weeks, it may be assumed that all these challenges will be overcome.