Among other rumors flying around, the big one that got everyone’s interest was this bit from Kaplan (and others): Whether you believe it is because the Cubs don’t want to deal with another season of losing/biblical losses, or that Papa Ricketts’ heart grew three sizes that day and Tom got an advance on his allowance, the consensus once again is …
Variations on a Cubs Theme: LOYALTY! PATIENCE! PROGRESS! COMMITTED!
I headed down to the first of four Season Ticket Holder events that the Cubs are putting on today and tomorrow at the Bank of America Theatre downtown. I met up with Ivy Chat Chuck (who I hope will also write his perspective) and we bumped into Tom Ricketts before the show started. As I shook his hand, I realized …
The Only Thing Tom Ricketts Threatened Was Some People’s Delicate Sensibilities
The Cubs released more renderings of what they would like Wrigley to look like after the renovations they've been planning for four years are complete. There was nothing earth-shattering. We already knew what a jumbo video board would theoretically look like thanks to amateur fans with Photoshop skills. This version had lights on the top of it. Neat. Of course, …
Tom Ricketts finally threatens to move Cubs away from Wrigley Field
Figured this was worthy of discussing. If we don't have the ability to generate revenue in our outfield, we will have to take a look at moving. There is no question. — Tom Ricketts Discuss By the way, I was going to add an image of Tom Ricketts, but it turns out we have never actually uploaded one. At least …
Cubs and Chicago Come to Agreement to Allow Wrigley to Be Less Shitty, More Expensive
When the Ricketts family first took over the Cubs, some of the first words out of their mouths were expressions of unbridled love of Wrigley Field. They were going to win and they were going to win in Wrigley Field. That was their story. Tom went around telling anybody who would listen that he once lived across the street from Wrigley. …
Joe Didn't Help Anything, But Tom Ricketts Has Screwed Himself
Joe Ricketts has had next to nothing to do with the Cubs since the Ricketts won the right to become the sole bidders on the team way back in 2009. He's the money guy. That's it. He has said as much publicly. He doesn't give a damn about the Cubs or baseball. He funded the purchase of the team because …
We Are Shocked…SHOCKED!… To Learn Tom Tunney is in the Rooftop Owners' Pockets
In today's edition of Obviously Obvious Item of the Day, the Sun-Times has come right out and quantified what everybody familiar with the Cubs' relationship with Chicago's 44th Ward has known all along: Alderman Tom Tunney gets a tremendous amount of financial backing from the good people who own the rooftops across from Wrigley. It is also no secret that …
Cubs Dynamic Pricing Probably Not As Dynamic As They’d Like
I've been keeping an eye on the Cubs' bleacher ticket prices for a little over a week now because I got curious about how their dynamic pricing model is actually working out for them. Previously, I had hypothesized that overall revenues would not be taking so much of a hit, because the Cubs would be selling some high profile games …
Looking Back on Opening Day
Yesterday was my 15th straight Opening Day, and if I recall correctly, the 15th straight year I have frozen my ass off at Wrigley Field for the first game of the year. To be fair, I'm sure there has been a somewhat warm Opening Day among those 15 years, but I sure as hell can't remember when they happened. Yesterday …
Daily Facepalm 3.1.12 – Expanded playoffs edition
Expanded playoffs have arrived I thought this had already been decided, but the extra wild card has been approved. I'm kind of surprised that MLB would do this so close to the start of the season. Given the glacial pace at which MLB moved, I figured they had just decided that they were going to do it at some point, …