Family drama leads to PR mess for Chicago Cubs

The family that owns baseball’s eternal losers (but fan favorites) is tied up in a political mess, and it might hurt the team’s bottom line. PR pros weigh in on the family’s handling of the crisis thus far.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

On Thursday night, the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cubs on the field, while the media spent the day beating up the team’s ownership.

As a change of pace, reporters and pundits weren’t questioning the team’s World Series drought (or its horrific bullpen), but instead the Ricketts family’s political ties.

The billionaire Ricketts own the Cubs—along with a bunch of other stuff—and on Thursday The New York Times published a story indicating Joe Ricketts, the family patriarch, had considered funding a $10 million ad campaign against President Obama. The campaign would draw upon the president’s connection to the controversial Chicago minister Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.