Professional sports is risky business. The competition is fierce, athletes are unpredictable and championships don’t come easily, especially in the Valley. And the Diamondbacks are about to learn the hardest lesson of all:
Nobody wins playing the stadium game.
The team is suing Maricopa County to break its lease at Chase Field, which prevents the Diamondbacks from leaving until 2028. They claim the 19-year-old facility is outdated and on the verge of becoming structurally unsound, a potential hazard to paying customers. They say they have no other option since the county can’t and won’t pay for necessary repairs; has failed badly at creating revenue from non-baseball events; and rebuffed attempts to cede control of the building to the team.