It’s going to be awhile before Justin Ishbia takes over the Chicago White Sox from Jerry Reinsdorf, but he’s already looking to a future with a new ballpark blessed by Pope Leo XIV and a team winning “many championships for decades to come.”
That was the message Ishbia relayed to the world’s most prominent Sox fan Wednesday in Rome when Ishbia met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. A photo of Ishbia gifting an autographed 2005 Sox jersey to the pontiff was posted on the pope’s Instagram page.
“It was an amazing experience,” Ishbia told the Tribune in a phone interview. “It was spiritual and moving and awesome, and we spoke about Chicago. (He’s) an international beacon of the community of Chicago, the city of hope, opportunity and community for all, and I shared a vision of a new White Sox ballpark, a house of joy for families and kids of Chicago and visitors alike.
“And in the conversation I extended an invitation for him to visit Chicago and throw out the first pitch on opening day should this ballpark come to fruition. As part of that, I also presented to him a 2005 World Series championship team jersey, signed by the team, as a symbol of teamwork and perseverance. I said ‘I’m hopeful you’d bless our stadium, and our stadium will be a place that creates joy and happiness and many championships for decades to come.’ ”
So what was Pope Leo’s response?
“He looked at me and smiled and said, ‘Thank you, and I’d love to, schedule permitting,’” Ishbia said.
Ishbia, a limited partner, won’t be taking over as majority owner of the White Sox until at least 2029, according to an agreement he made with Reinsdorf, who has run the Sox since heading a group of investors who bought the team from Bill Veeck in 1981. There has been no recent movement on a proposed South Loop ballpark the Sox hope to be able to build in The 78.
Does this offer to the pope mean the Sox definitely plan to stay in the city? Some rumors had them leaving for Nashville, Tenn., if they couldn’t get a new stadium built.
Ishbia replied that he was focused on his meeting with the pope and that “all decisions related to the team today are Jerry’s decision, and he has 100% decision-making power” on everything.
“When I’m the steward, I will have an opportunity to determine where the team plays and a lot about what they do, but that is not my decision today, so you’ll have to ask him about that,” Ishbia said. “But I will say this: The lease (at Rate Field) is up in four years after 2029, and I’m 48.
“So I can tell you one thing for sure — we will build a new stadium. I’m not sure when it will be. But in the next 50 years, when I’m the steward, there will be a new stadium built. I’m not sure if it will be four years or 40 years, but there will be a new stadium at some point.”
Justin Ishbia, right, and his wife, Kristen, sit courtside during a Bulls-Suns game Feb. 22, 2025, at the United Center. (Erin Hooley/AP)
Ishibia said he obviously couldn’t tell Pope Leo XIV when that opening pitch and stadium blessing would occur but called the meeting a “positive interaction.” They spoke for only a couple of minutes.
“To me it felt a little bit like two guys who are baseball fans, talking baseball for a couple minutes,” he said. “It wasn’t a long interaction, but it was a special moment to be with an individual who brings and inspires such hope and togetherness around the world.”
Pope Leo XIV famously attended Game 1 of the 2005 World Series when he was known as Father Robert Prevost, and was caught by the Fox Sports TV cameras during the telecast. Ishbia said they didn’t get a chance to talk about the Sox’s dominance during their 11-1 postseason run or the pope’s memories of being at Game 1.
“I didn’t ask him whose jersey he was wearing at the game that night either, or who was the 10-year-old in his arms,” Ishbia said. “It was more about aspiration and Chicago.”
Pope Leo was aware that Ishbia was representing the Sox as the future owner, though Ishbia doesn’t like that word.
“You won’t hear me say I’m the future owner of the White Sox,” he said. “The word I use is ‘steward.’ This team belongs to the city of Chicago, and I’m a temporary steward. Jerry today is the steward. Hopefully, one day I will hopefully have the good fortune of being the next steward of this franchise.
“I think one of the steward’s jobs is to hopefully bring a vision and raise the profile of an organization. We have a unique opportunity as White Sox fans to have an individual who is (associated with) the brand to billions of people across the earth. Obviously the White Sox are meaningful to Pope Leo, and he demonstrated that.
“So I wanted to show my respect and come here in person. He welcomed me and it was a wonderful opportunity to hopefully engage and further the relationship between the White Sox and the pope.”
Andrea Burns, left, and Martina Maggiore find the recently installed mural of Pope Leo XIV in Section 140 before a White Sox-Rangers game May 23, 2025, at Rate Field. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
The White Sox already have made some inroads with their most important fan, who in May became the first American pope. They held a special celebration Mass at The Rate in June and installed a mural on the concourse that includes his trip to the park during the 2005 World Series.
Ishbia wants to further develop the relationship, starting with Wednesday’s meeting.
“This is how I hope to be a leader and the steward of this franchise,” he said. “Build a relationship today that hopefully will have benefits for the entire White Sox organization for decades, raising the profile of the White Sox brand across the world. … If I have fans in Peru and Brazil and the Philippines that want to be White Sox fans because the pope is, let’s get them on our team.”
Unfortunately, Ishbia can’t move up the date for the handoff from Reinsdorf, who will decide when he wants to give up control. Reinsdorf has the option to sell controlling interest to Ishbia from 2029 to 2033, and Ishbia then has the option to become majority owner after 2034.
“That’s Jerry’s decision,” Ishbia said. “I wish it was yesterday. I’d love to be the steward of a wonderful franchise. But Jerry and I have the agreement, and he’s the steward until he’s not. Then I’ll have a chance. I’m very grateful he’s giving me the opportunity to be the steward of a franchise in the sport that I love. I’m the biggest baseball fan you’ll find.”
Ishbia said he and his father have been to every major-league park together and to 40 opening days as well. He called it a “nerdy father-son” baseball relationship, which includes texting baseball trivia questions back and forth.
White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf attends a ceremony to unveil a bronze statue of team great Mark Buehrle on July 11, 2025, at Rate Field. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Sox fans are hoping Ishbia will be the type of owner who invests heavily in the free-agent market instead of rebuilding twice a decade, as they’ve done twice since 2016. That means lower payrolls and less winning. The team has lost 100 games or more the last three seasons.
The agreement between Reinsdorf said Ishbia can make capital infusions starting next summer. He said he is not involved in any payroll decisions.
“How that’s done, honestly, I have zero to do with that,” he said. “Baseball has rules. There is only one decision-maker, and Jerry is that decision-maker until it’s my turn, so I have nothing to do with how baseball operations are run in the short and medium term. I will have my turn, but it’s not my turn today.”
Can Ishbia, a billionaire who founded and is managing partner of the Chicago-based private equity firm Shore Capital Partners, promise to make the Sox competitive in free agency when he does take over?
“My goal is to win,” he said before repeating he’s just a “passive” owner under Reinsdorf.
So he couldn’t say whether the Sox would be in the mix to sign Pete Crow-Armstrong when the Cubs star becomes a free agent after 2030, or how much he’d spend to try to make the Sox a winner.
“I’ll do my very best to create more wonderful memories for Chicago White Sox fans,” he said.
Those were encouraging words for fans patiently waiting for change.
The new era at least has a timestamp. And it officially began Wednesday in Rome, which sources say was not built in a day.