Not much has gone right for the Chicago White Sox in recent years. After a brief stint of success with Tony La Russa, the team has been mired by clubhouse issues and overall poor roster construction. Just last year, the White Sox became one of the worst teams in MLB history by breaking the single-season loss record with 121 defeats to their credit.
White Sox fans have let their displeasure be heard, and most of it has been directed towards team owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who has owned the team since 1981. Fans have constantly implored Reinsdorf to sell the team during games. Well, it appears we've reached a step closer to that happening.
On Thursday, the White Sox announced that Reinsdorf has reached a long-term investment agreement with billionaire Justin Ishbia that could eventually lead to the shift of controlling ownership of the franchise. From 2029 until 2033, Reinsdorf will have the option to sell a controlling stake to Ishbia. If Reinsdorf doesn't during that period, Ishbia will then have the option to take over control of the White Sox in 2034.
With this news, there is potential hope for White Sox fans that things could change.
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White Sox ownership plan could provide hope for fans
Reinsdorf has a place in Chicago history due to his role in creating an NBA dynasty in the 1990s with the Bulls. With the White Sox, he oversaw the team winning the 2005 World Series. But there hasn't been much success during his tenure overseeing the team.
Since 1981, the White Sox have made it to the postseason just seven times. In 2024, the White Sox fielded the worst team in modern baseball history, one that lost 121 games.
With Ishbia, fans want to know if he will be willing to spend money to field a better team. Let's not forget that his brother, Mat Ishbia, owns the NBA's Phoenix Suns, and helped orchestrate blockbuster trades to bring in the likes of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal to contend for an NBA championship. Will Justin follow in his footsteps?
White Sox ownership change could finally spark action of a big-market team
White Sox fans will certainly hope so, considering as of this writing, the team currently has a payroll worth $67.8 million in total allocations, which ranks second-lowest in the majors behind the Miami Marlins, per Spotrac.
The White Sox do have a prospect core that they can build around, with left-handed pitchers Noah Schultz (No. 13 overall) and Hagen Smith (No. 30), catcher Kyle Teel (No. 28), and outfielder Braden Montgomery (No. 38) all ranked inside MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects in 2025. With these players developing and, hopefully, turning out to each be the real deal, the White Sox could sign top free agents and trade for top players to help contend for World Series titles.
Again, this will all be contingent on when and if Ishbia takes over the team. Even with this new agreement, Reinsdorf will maintain his controlling stake and make decisions for the team until he either decides to sell it before 2033 or if Ishbia opts in at 2034.