Wrigley Field is evolving again - and this time, it’s with a few more signs in the outfield’s line of sight.
The Cubs have submitted a proposal to expand advertising around the Friendly Confines, specifically targeting two more rooftop buildings just beyond the outfield walls. If approved, the additions would bring even more branded signage to the iconic ballpark’s surrounding neighborhood - a trend that’s been steadily growing since the team completed its sweeping renovation project.
Here’s what’s on deck: one new sign would go up on a building at 1030 W. Waveland, just past the left-field foul pole.
The other would be installed across the way at 3639 N. Sheffield, just beyond the right-field line.
If those locations sound familiar, it’s because they’re already home to a pair of rooftop ads - one for Coca-Cola, the other for Benjamin Moore - both of which have become part of the ballpark’s evolving visual landscape.
These proposed additions would essentially mirror the current setup, adding another layer to the rooftop advertising that now frames the stadium’s outfield perimeter. And while renderings of the new signage have been made available for review, the expectation is that these signs will likely be in place by Opening Day - assuming all necessary approvals go through.
Now, for fans who remember Wrigley Field as a minimalist throwback to baseball’s purer past, this might feel like another step away from that nostalgia. But let’s be real: Wrigley hasn’t been ad-free in a long, long time.
From the outfield wall doors to the padding down the foul lines, sponsorships are already baked into the ballpark’s design. And that’s not even counting the digital signage behind home plate or the rooftop branding that’s become part of the neighborhood’s skyline.
This is all part of the broader modernization of Wrigley Field - a process the Cubs embarked on years ago not just to preserve the park’s charm, but to make it sustainable and competitive in today’s game. Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts put it plainly once: “Wrigley Field is not a museum.”
And he’s right. It’s a working ballpark, one that has to balance tradition with the realities of the modern sports business.
The good news? Despite the influx of advertising, Wrigley still feels like Wrigley.
The renovations were done with care, nodding to the ballpark’s “Golden Age” - the 1930s, when the Cubs won four National League pennants between 1929 and 1938. That era also brought us the ivy-covered walls and the current bleacher layout, both of which remain untouched and iconic.
So while the skyline around Wrigley may be getting a little more corporate, the heart of the ballpark - the brick, the ivy, the scoreboard, the vibe - remains intact. And for fans locked in on the game, the new signs are just background noise. The real show is still on the field.