Milwaukee, WI
New stadium features, broadcast deal on tap for Milwaukee Brewers 2025 season
Under a new stadium lease agreement that includes $500 million in public funding, the Milwaukee Brewers will kick off the 2025 season next week with some new and ongoing infrastructure improvements at American Family Field.
Projects that have been completed since the Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District approved the new 25-year lease agreement with the Brewers in December 2024 include the installation of new broadcast cabling, the full renovation of the club-level kitchen area and bathrooms, and replacement of all freezer and refrigeration equipment throughout the ballpark. Those projects targeted spaces and equipment that were original to the ballpark, which was built in 2001.
“It’s something the fans may not notice directly, but as infrastructure gets old and deteriorates and becomes antiquated, it needs to be replaced, and these were three projects that were definitely in need of replacement,” said Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger during a press conference Monday as part of the team’s preview week leading up to the season home opener, set for Monday, March 31, against the Kansas City Royals.
Work to winterize the stadium — the costliest and most involved project planned under the new lease — won’t begin until after the 2025 baseball season and will likely take “more than one off season to complete,” said Schlesinger. The purpose of the winterization project is to be able to host large-scale events at American Family Field all year round.
One infrastructure project that will be ongoing throughout the season is the buildout of the baseball operations offices on the terrace level overlooking right field. About 1,600 seats were removed to make way for the project, reducing total seating capacity to 40,100, which Schlesinger said is “still comfortably above the average” for MLB stadiums. He said the Brewers are considering ways to add some of that capacity back to other parts of the stadium over the next few years.
“The ballpark is evolving, it’s ever-changing,” said Schlesinger. “One of the things great about this facility is that it allows and enables us to do different things. So while we’re taking some seats away up in right field on the terrace level, we can add seats elsewhere, we can add more spaces elsewhere, more premium spaces, more fan-friendly areas.”
Other new features fans can expect to see at American Family Field this season is a new food truck park, called The Alley, located on the left field Loge level of the stadium, and a new facial-authentication ticketing system fans 18 and older can use to enter the stadium.
MLB Go-Ahead technology uses a camera that will authenticate fans faces, automatically scanning tickets once identified. The voluntary system will be available at the home plate west and third base gates. The Brewers are one of 10 MLB teams so far to implement the technology, and it’s one way the franchise is working to make the arrival and entry easier and more efficient for fans, said Schlesinger, pointing also to the automated parking payment system the franchise rolled out last season.
“One of the things we’re trying to do with parking and ingress is to make it a much more seamless experience, faster,” he said. “People want to get here, they don’t want to wait in lines, they want come to the ballpark, and we have a lot of cool things we’re showcasing this year for fans to explore in the ballpark. If you can get here faster, that’s a good thing.”
New broadcast deal
Fans who are not watching the Brew Crew from the stadium’s seats this season can catch games live on the FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports), thanks to a broadcast partnership the Brewers struck late last year with network owner Diamond Sports Group.
As was the case under the Bally Sports brand, Brewers games will be available on all major cable networks and satellite. They will also be available to stream on either the FanDuel Sports Network app or Amazon Prime throughout the state, in addition to other markets where Brewers games were not previously available including parts of Iowa, Minnesota, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Illinois, according to Schlesinger.
“We’re excited about the high quality they’re gonna bring, and again, for the fan who was used to watching 145 live Brewer games on Bally’s, they’ll have the same experience in 2025,” said Schlesinger.
Remembering Uecker
Schlesinger acknowledged early in his remarks the void that legendary Brewers radio announcer Bob Uecker left in his passing earlier this year. Uecker, who was the primary broadcaster for the Brewers for 54 seasons, died on Jan. 16 at the age of 90 after battling small cell lung cancer since early 2023.
“We’re still sort of dealing with the fact that the legend, the icon, the epitome of Brewers baseball is no longer with us,” said Schlesinger.
The team will honor Uecker in various ways on opening day and throughout the season and plans are still in the works for a public celebration of life event at the ballpark this summer. Details on the event are expected to be announced early next month.
The Brewers on Monday released a new limited line of apparel and merchandise honoring “Mr. Baseball.” The items are now on sale at the Brewers Team Store, with net proceeds benefitting charitable causes supported by Uecker and his family.
MILWAUKEE — It has been a decade since Isaiah Taylor was apprehended by Milwaukee police, yet the emotional toll of that night remains vivid for him.
“When I was in the back of that car, I was terrified. I didn’t know if I was going to be taken away or what my end was going to look like,” Taylor recalled.
Related content: 1-on-1 with Isaiah Taylor, detained by MPD while delivering frozen turkey in 2016
At just 16 years old, Taylor was crossing busy Capitol Drive to deliver a frozen turkey to a neighbor just days before Christmas when he was stopped, frisked and detained by Officers Justin Schwarzhuber and Jasen Rydzewski.
Body camera footage revealed that the officers approached Taylor and continued to question him after discovering the frozen bird inside a brown paper bag.
“All I could do was look back at my house across the street with my porch light still on, knowing my mom didn’t know what was going on,” Taylor said.
His mother, former State Senator Lena Taylor, said she remembers that night as if it were yesterday.
“I remember being in the foyer of the house,” she said. “I remember just holding him for a long time. We just cried together.”
Watch: Milwaukee man’s legal battle over unlawful detention continues after decade
Isaiah Taylor granted new trial
In 2021, Isaiah Taylor sued the City of Milwaukee and the officers for violating his constitutional rights. A jury found the officers not liable, leading Taylor to appeal the decision in 2023.
This month, the Seventh Circuit Court ruled that the officers were not entitled to qualified immunity regarding Isaiah’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.
“If you don’t have reasonable suspicion that someone has committed a crime, you can’t hold them for even a second,” attorney Mark Thomsen, who represents Taylor, said. “They ran for the warrant check after they both knew it was a turkey. They were just hoping to fish for something so they could arrest another young man.”
The Seventh Circuit Court has ordered a new trial. Taylor emphasized that the lawsuit is not about financial gain but rather about having his voice heard in a courtroom of his peers.
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“To see if the justice system will work for me and not against me—I’m just happy I get to share my story and tell my truth,” he said.
As Isaiah Taylor continues to seek justice, he hopes his experience will resonate with others facing similar challenges, ultimately fostering a system that protects rather than persecutes.
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2025 store closures: Joann and JCPenney join Macy’s, Kohl’s
JCPenney and Joann will shutter stores this year. They are joining Macy’s and Kohl’s which have announced plans to close stores in recent months.
- Kohl’s will close 27 “underperforming” stores across 15 states by the end of March 2025.
- The closures come as the company struggles with declining sales and adapting to changing shopping trends.
- Kohl’s has also eliminated positions at its headquarters and other locations in recent years.
Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s is set to close 27 “underperforming” stores by the end of the month.
In January, Kohl’s announced it was closing the stores, located across 15 states, along with its e-commerce distribution center in San Bernardino, California. According to USA TODAY, the 27 stores are closing on Saturday, March 29, per the stores’ webpages. The e-commerce center is slated to close in May.
Here’s what to know about the closures and if they’re affecting stores in Wisconsin:
Why is Kohl’s closing stores?
Recently, the company has struggled to maintain a customer base and adapt to changing shopping trends. Throughout 2024, Kohl’s reported decreasing sales each quarter.
The retailer’s sales declined 9.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024 and 7.2% for the year. For 2025, the company expects a net decrease in sales for the year between 5% to 7% compared to last year.
A few weeks after announcing it would close the 27 stores, Kohl’s said it was eliminating roughly 10% of the positions at its headquarters. Additional layoffs took place in 2024 and 2023.
Amid the challenges, Kohl’s has worked to build partnerships with other brands like Sephora and Babies ‘R’ Us. It has also been experimenting with store layouts to drive sales.
Is Kohl’s closing stores in Wisconsin?
No Wisconsin stores are included on the list of Kohl’s locations closing Saturday.
Which Kohl’s stores are closing in March 2025?
The following Kohl’s stores are closing by the end of the month, according to USA TODAY:
Alabama
- Spanish Fort: 21000 Town Center Ave.
Arkansas
- Little Rock West: 13909 Chenal Pkwy.
California
- Balboa (San Diego): 5505 Balboa Ave.
- Encinitas: 134 N. El Camino Real
- Fremont: 43782 Christy St.
- Mountain View: 350 Showers Drive
- Napa: 1116 1st St.
- Pleasanton: 4525 Rosewood Drive
- Point West (Sacramento): 1896 Arden Way
- San Rafael: 5010 Northgate Drive
- San Luis Obispo: 205 Madonna Road
- Westchester: 8739 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Colorado
- Arapahoe Crossing (Aurora): 6584 S. Parker Road
Georgia
- Duluth: 2050 W. Liddell Road
Idaho
- Boise: 400 N. Milwaukee St.
Illinois
- Plainfield: 11860 S. Route 59
- Spring Hill (West Dundee): 3000 Spring Hill Ring Road
Massachusetts
- Stoughton: 501 Technology Center Drive
New Jersey
- East Windsor: 72 Princeton Hightstown Road
Ohio
- Blue Ash: 4150 Hunt Road
- Forest Park (Cincinnati): 100 Cincinnati Mills Drive
Oregon
- Portland Gateway: 10010 NE Halsey St.
Pennsylvania
- Pottstown: 351 W. Schuylkill Road
Texas
- North Dallas: 18224 Preston Road
Utah
- Riverton: 13319 S. 3600 W Ste 13LOT
Virginia
- Herndon: 2100 Centreville Road
- Williamsburg: 100 Gristmill Plz
Where are Kohl’s stores in Milwaukee?
Kohl’s operates more than 1,100 stores nationwide, including 42 stores in Wisconsin, according to the company’s online store locator.
Kohl’s has two stores in Milwaukee, at 3737 S. 27th St. and 331 W. Wisconsin Ave. Its other Milwaukee-area locations are in Brookfield, Delafield, Glendale, Grafton, Greenfield, Menomonee Falls, Muskego, Oak Creek, Sussex, West Allis, West Bend and two in Waukesha.
Journal Sentinel reporter Ricardo Torres contributed to this report.
Officials are investigating a death at the old Milwaukee Mall location at West Fond du Lac and North avenues.
The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office says it responded to the location for a death but was unable to release more information Tuesday night.
The site was once Milwaukee’s first Sears store in the 1920s and this intersection was part of a booming retail center on the north side. Sears would close the store in 1981 and soon the Fondy Mall opened there for less than a year. The location was then marketed as Milwaukee Mall, but it was more of a indoor flea market that eventually closed over a decade ago.
In recent years, developer Kalan Haywood Sr. has been pursing plans to create a mix of uses, including a craft brewery, events venue, art gallery, office space and housing on a 7-acre site. He borrowed $3.79 million from the City of Milwaukee for a stalled hotel project and received more time to repay the loan. The deadline was this month, according to prior media coverage.
The Milwaukee Police Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for information Tuesday night about the death investigation.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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