The Chicago White Sox don’t appear to have improved much from their historically terrible 2024 season, but they will make a notable change in at least one area.
After eight years of fans lamenting and mocking the name of the team’s home at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox announced that the stadium will have a new name: Rate Field. The change coincides with the name rights holder Guaranteed Rate’s rebranding to the Rate name, which he announced in July.
The change was announced to the fanfare of a 10-second social media video posted at 6:45 p.m. CT on a Tuesday. Notably, the course’s logo will continue to include a large red arrow pointing downwards, retaining a facet of the name that was particularly criticized.
The stadium in question was known as Comiskey Park, named for former White Sox owner Charles Comiskey, from its opening in 1991 until 2003, when it became US Cellular Field. That moniker gave way to Guaranteed Rate Field in 2016, named for the Chicago mortgage company. paying $2.4 million a year for the rights.
And now the “Guaranteed” will be removed, which is appropriate since there are no guarantees when Jerry Reinsdorf owns his equipment.
The White Sox are in the process of recovering from arguably the worst season in MLB history, having set a league losing record with a record of 41-121. Every facet of the team was a disaster, from the lowest-scoring offense in MLB to the 25th-best starting rotation by ERA, the third-worst bullpen, and a defense that ranked last in defensive runs saved.
And the team could get worse in 2025 after trading its only notable player, starting pitcher Garrett Crotchet, to the Boston Red Sox in search of prospects. The team at least has a new coach in Will Venable, but the leadership remains the same, for now.