The Wrigley Field name will remain if the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority purchases the park. The state agency has been in negotiations with the Tribune company for months.

For over a century, the Wrigley Field name has adorned the park where the Chicago Cubs play. Now that the park’s up for sale, former Governor Jim Thompson says he wants the name to stay as is. Thompson is chairman for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority, which has been negotiating with the Tribune Company. He says there are no deals linking the Wrigley name to other corporate sponsorship, but it isn’t out of the question.

THOMPSON: There are people out there who think so highly of Wrigley Field that they would want to be associated with it. And therefore would want to be willing to pay for that privilege, but I have no deals.

Thompson says the agency’s plan is to acquire and renovate the ballpark without using tax dollars. He couldn’t say when a deal might be reached.