Gameday
Renovating Wrigley
April 06, 2010

Updating our historic ballpark is already in the works, but what will be the price?

by McCamie Cole

Like almost all Cubs fans, I take extreme delight in giving my White Sox fan friends an enormous amount of shit throughout the baseball season.  I recall talking to him a few years ago about why he hated the Cubs so much and he replied, “The Cubs will never win a World Series because they don’t have to.  Wrigley Field almost always sells out, so why waste money on a thing like a good team when you don’t have to?  There’s no point.  Wrigley Field makes all their money.”  I had to admit, he had me.

When the Rickett’s family finally closed on the sale of the Cubs and Wrigley, it was clear changes were coming to Wrigley Field. Much needed changes.  But the biggest concerns for your average bleacher creature seem to echo a concern with most baseball parks around the country.  Namely, will executive and corporate style “improvements” designed to cater to the wealthy force the blue collar fan base out?

So far, a lot of the improvements being showcased are pointing in that exact direction.  Take for example the new PNC club down the third base line in the mezzanine level.  Season tickets can be purchased in packets of two, four, and six and can be renewed annually for…wait for it…. over $24,000 a year or $300 a game.  $300 a game??!?  For a team that couldn’t make the playoffs last year? W. T. F? 

The Rickett’s have already shown a huge effort at rehabbing Wrigley, which is sorely needed.  Almost immediately after their purchase, the family announced repairing Wrigley field was one of their priorities, with a large number of profits staying in the park and the organization.    As I write this article, scaffoldings are up on the Clark and Addison entrance and the back of the scoreboard with crews re-facing and repairing the crumbling edifices and the neon signs.  The Cubs front office showcased a number of changes being made that mimic the rehabbing of Boston’s aging Fenway Park which includes a number of fan friendly improvements such as updated bathrooms with more space (thank God!) more flat screens throughout the park, opening up the Sheffield Grill in the right field corner to fans rather than private events.  They’re also removing more exterior brick walls for city views from the ball park and a new bullpen underneath the bleachers with glass windows allowing fans to watch pitchers warming up.

Then there’s the advertising spree.  Plans for a billboard blocking the old Budweiser-now-Horseshoe-Casino-house sound as if they’re going to be a reality.  When taking press reps on a tour in early Feb., marketing chief Wally Hayward was quoted in the Tribune saying , "We're looking at options there, and on the on-deck circle as well, which is a high-visibility television shot, with various clients.”  Also up for potential ad space are parts of the scoreboard and various other spots inside and outside the park.   

At every opportunity, the Rickett’s shoved the word “Family” to every media lackey who would listen.  So is this the “family” that you love inviting over to backyard BBQ during the summer or the family that hit you up for money every chance they get?   Right now, it’s looking as if it might be the latter. With plans for increased ticket prices for almost half of the park and with bleacher tickets already averaging $40-$50 a game, it seems as if the majority of repairs are going to be financed by the fans.  Case-in-point: “Limited” pre-sale ticket opportunities in February of this year with a 25% price increase.  Hell, even the Yankees have $12 bleacher seats.

Admit it: Wrigley Field is a gem of a ballpark; perhaps the greatest ballpark in America today if not the entire history of baseball. It is a cathedral of baseball and stands alone in the annals of American history. The only thing showcased at Wrigley Field is baseball. Not wildlife in the outfield, putt putt courses, hot tubs, or other gimmicks designed to increase ticket revenue.  But “improvements” to Wrigley Field come at a price.  I’m not just talking about ticket prices.  During the home playoff games two years ago, one thing stood out the most.  Half the people there considered their ticket as a status symbol rather than a privilege.  The seats were filled with jamokes more interested in their cell phones than the next pitch.   And that fan base can only last for so long.

McCamie Cole

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