After a decade of standing behind the Chicago Cubs, the Nuveen Investments [profile] team is renewing their support, just in time for opening day.

On Thursday the Major League Baseball team revealed that the nearby mutual fund shop (now a TIAA-CREF subsidiary) has become the Cubs' eighth "Legacy Partner" (and its first asset manager Legacy Partner) alongside American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch, ATI Physical Therapy, Sloan Valve Company, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Under Armour and Wintrust.

The Chicago Business Journal and Crain's Chicago Business both reported on the deal.

Cubs executive chairman Tom Ricketts and Nuveen chairman and CEO John Amboian did not reveal how much Nuveen is paying for its legacy partnership. Nuveen has already been sponsoring the Cubs since 2005, and the deal keeps the "Nuveen Investments Suite Level" naming rights in Nuveen's hands. And Nuveen will have "prominent in-park signage," including "behind the visitors' on-deck area" and "on the new left field video board."

"We look forward to sharing an exciting future with the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field and importantly, a loyal fan base unlike any other in sports," Amboian states.

Ricketts put the partnership in the context of the Cubs embarking "on the greatest journey in sports," which the business journal's Lewis Lazare interprets as "the quest to win the World Series" for the first time in more than 100 years.

MLB's opening day is today, yet the Cubs faced off last night against the St. Louis Cardinals in a special early opening day game, at the Cubs' own Wrigley Field. It was a disappointing start to the season for the Cubs, and for Nuveen and the other legacy partners: the Cardinals won 3-0. 

Edited by: Neil Anderson, Managing Editor


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