Nov. 1, 2012

ASU ceases talks with Cubs on use of stadium

After more than a year of discussions, Arizona State has ended talks with the Chicago Cubs and the city of Mesa on use of the new Mesa Stadium for the Sun Devils, under head coach Tim Esmay (left).

The school’s athletic department released the following statement:

“After many months of negotiation, ASU regrets that the effort to have the ASU baseball team play in the new Cubs stadium in Mesa has failed. The university approached the talks enthusiastically and readily accepted the deal as originally outlined. But as the new Cubs management changed the original deal points and added new issues to the negotiation, the new terms became far too costly to the university, imposed too many restrictions on ASU’s use of the facility and exposed the university to too great a level of financial liability for the entire complex. We wish to thank the City of Mesa, in particular, Mayor Scott Smith and his staff for the enormous effort the city made to bring the two sides together. We also want to assure ASU baseball fans that the university will immediately start pursing other stadium options.”

(photo courtesy of ASU Media Relations Office)