Go cheaper: Chicago sports owners shun pricey stars
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Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Cubs fans are dismayed that the team missed out on big free agents, including shortstop Carlos Correa.
- The offseason splurge has seen record contracts for baseball's best, but the White Sox and Cubs didn't spend like their big-market counterparts.
Between the lines: Chicago sports fans have reason to question their teams' recent performances.
- The Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, White Sox and Sky do not have any players in the top 10 highest paid in their respective leagues.
Threat level: MLB reporter Bruce Levine suggested the White Sox won't spend money on big free agents unless they have better attendance numbers.
- The organization was 19th in attendance in 2022.
The bottom line: Chicago franchises aren't spending, regardless of how many fans pass through the turnstiles:
⚾️ Cubs and Sox
- Highest paid Cub: Pitcher Marcus Stroman ($25 million annually)
- White Sox: Pitcher Lance Lynn ($18.5 million)
- MLB: Mets' pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander ($43.3 million each)
🏈 The Bears
- Highest paid: Eddie Jackson ($11.1 million), the 156th highest paid player in the league
- NFL: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford ($61 million)
🏀 The Bulls
- Highest paid: Zach LaVine ($37 million)
- NBA: Golden State's Steph Curry ($48 million)
🥅 The Hawks:
- Highest paid: Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews ($6.9 million each)
- NHL: Edmonton's Connor McDavid ($12 million)
Of note: Each league tracks annual salaries differently, so we used yearly cash numbers instead of salary cap hits.
What they're saying: "Other markets are spending what needs to be spent," writes Kevin Kaduk in the Chgo Newsletter.
- "Meanwhile, we’re sitting back here in Chicago and wondering why we should spend our own hard-earned money at the ballpark if the owners of both clubs refuse to do the same."
What's next: The Cubs are said to be in the running for shortstop Dansby Swanson. His contract would probably be over $200 million, which could make him the highest-paid athlete in Chicago.