Smallest Wrigley crowd since 2002

[Sammy Sofa]

Why wouldn't they if the team wasn't winning?

Since you need it spelled out for you, the theory has long been that Wrigley insulates the Cubs from the sort of performance-based attendance cycles you're describing. If that's not so true anymore, it's a story.

 

But that theory doesn't really hold up to close scrutiny. Again, look at long stretches of the 90's, the 80's and the 70's: when the team sucked they didn't sell nearly as many tickets as when they didn't suck.

You'd need to compare the impact of performance on attendance relative to every other club in MLB for this theory to hold any water.

 

How the hell did you come to that conclusion? You don't have to look at other teams to know that the Cubs aren't "insulated" from poorer ticket sales and attendance due sustained periods of mediocrity or worse. It's just common sense.

[davearm2]

Why wouldn't they if the team wasn't winning?

Since you need it spelled out for you, the theory has long been that Wrigley insulates the Cubs from the sort of performance-based attendance cycles you're describing. If that's not so true anymore, it's a story.

 

But that theory doesn't really hold up to close scrutiny. Again, look at long stretches of the 90's, the 80's and the 70's: when the team sucked they didn't sell nearly as many tickets as when they didn't suck.

You'd need to compare the impact of performance on attendance relative to every other club in MLB for this theory to hold any water.

 

How the hell did you come to that conclusion? You don't have to look at other teams to know that the Cubs aren't "insulated" from poorer ticket sales and attendance due sustained periods of mediocrity or worse. It's just common sense.

I'd be careful with the strong language. It's becoming clear you don't know what you're talking about.

 

Just to pull some random round numbers: if the Cubs' ticket sales go down 1% in a bad year, but the average team loses 10% in a bad year, then yes they're insulated.

 

Meanwhile you see that 1% and think your point is proven -- losing record = lower sales. It's not that simple.

[Guest]

Then why are we using "Smallest Wrigley crowd since 2002" as an indicator? What a pointless argument.

[Sammy Sofa]

I think we're talking about two different ideas. I'm just saying that when the Cubs suck for a sustained period of time their attendance and ticket sales go down. You're saying that they go down but they're still better off than most other teams. Both things are true.

[C.C.]

Speaking of record-low attendance, the New York Yankees set a new-stadium low for the third straight night when "only" 40,331 fans showed up to watch a solid 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins. Oh come on, who are we kidding? That figure is still several thousand more than Fenway Park even holds. Wake us when the Yankees start drawing, uh, Citi Field numbers.

[Sammy Sofa]

How about that opening series between the Indians and White Sox in Cleveland? Sellout opening day and then only about 9,000-10,000 each of the following games.

[C.C.]

I think it's going to be one of those years where attendance is down everywhere.

[J.R.]

Davis is right. The undesirable games had been selling on simple fan panic that isn't there this year. It isn't hard to understand why the panic dissolved.

 

This is being read as an end to the goodwill generated by 2003. I think it's more a dissolution of the excitement from 2008, which is a strong indictment of Piniella, Hendry and now Ricketts on the backside with the family's insane price hikes. To be fair, economics has something to do with it too.

 

People who thought the Cubs always sold out April and May must be pretty young.

[Sammy Sofa]

Davis is right. The undesirable games had been selling on simple fan panic that isn't there this year. It isn't hard to understand why the panic dissolved.

 

This is being read as an end to the goodwill generated by 2003. I think it's more a dissolution of the excitement from 2008, which is a strong indictment of Piniella, Hendry and now Ricketts on the backside with the family's insane price hikes. To be fair, economics has something to do with it too.

 

People who thought the Cubs always sold out April and May must be pretty young.

 

Right. Have another 2003 or 2007 or 2008 and it bounces back.

 

Here's the Cubs' average attendance numbers over their history:

 

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teams/cubsatte.shtml

 

Capacity changes at Wrigley:

 

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/stadium/wrigley_field.shtml

[SouthSideRyan]

Can somebody point me to the 5 dollar beer section next time I'm at Wrigley?

 

Thanks.

[bukie]

Can somebody point me to the 5 dollar beer section next time I'm at Wrigley?

 

Thanks.

Yeah, seriously. 7 dollars a beer now.

[Sammy Sofa]

I haven't been to a game yet this season, but before it was $5 for most beers if you went and got them yourself. Well, at least at those little cart dealies. They were more expensive if you bought the ones that the vendors were selling in the stands.

[SouthSideRyan]

I haven't been to a game yet this season, but before it was $5 for most beers if you went and got them yourself. Well, at least at those little cart dealies. They were more expensive if you bought the ones that the vendors were selling in the stands.

 

By this season do you mean the last 5? I honestly cannot remember ever buying a $5 beer at Wrigley.

[Sammy Sofa]

I haven't been to a game yet this season, but before it was $5 for most beers if you went and got them yourself. Well, at least at those little cart dealies. They were more expensive if you bought the ones that the vendors were selling in the stands.

 

By this season do you mean the last 5? I honestly cannot remember ever buying a $5 beer at Wrigley.

 

Definitely. The beer from the carts in the main concourse were only like $5 or $6. I'd specifically buy from them instead of the vendors because it was that much cheaper.

[lumafia]

Historically, the crowds are always smaller on the 4th regular season game played on the first Monday of the regular season after a major earthquake in Japan.

[Northside Blues]

Yeah but this earthquake was off the coast of Japan in International waters!

[Soul]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

[StarlinOnYou]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

 

+1.

 

+ the decrease* in payroll, overall bad team.

 

Not to mention, I didn't like how Ricketts said he was going to spend $ on the draft and then didn't.

Edited April 8, 2011 by StarlinOnYou

[Sammy Sofa]

Rabblerabblerabble!

[javy knows my name]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

 

+1.

 

+ the increase in payroll, overall bad team.

 

Not to mention, I didn't like how Ricketts said he was going to spend $ on the draft and then didn't.

 

Yeah, you can't be mad about that anymore. It's well-known now that he is literally building for the future in Latin America. A huge presence there is probably more important than spending big every year in the draft (with the exception of this year and 2001).

[StarlinOnYou]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

 

+1.

 

+ the increase in payroll, overall bad team.

 

Not to mention, I didn't like how Ricketts said he was going to spend $ on the draft and then didn't.

 

Yeah, you can't be mad about that anymore. It's well-known now that he is literally building for the future in Latin America. A huge presence there is probably more important than spending big every year in the draft (with the exception of this year and 2001).

 

I didn't read about the Cubs signing any big name Latin players, mostly just smaller slot guys.

 

Ricketts better spend this June.

[javy knows my name]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

 

+1.

 

+ the increase in payroll, overall bad team.

 

Not to mention, I didn't like how Ricketts said he was going to spend $ on the draft and then didn't.

 

Yeah, you can't be mad about that anymore. It's well-known now that he is literally building for the future in Latin America. A huge presence there is probably more important than spending big every year in the draft (with the exception of this year and 2001).

 

I didn't read about the Cubs signing any big name Latin players, mostly just smaller slot guys.

 

Ricketts better spend this June.

 

That would be figuratively building. He's upgrading our training facilities down there to the tune of 4 mil, iirc

[Sammy Sofa]

I haven't purchased tickets, and may not.

 

I found the price hike distasteful in this economic climate. But the truth is, I'm just not very excited about this team.

 

+1.

 

+ the increase in payroll, overall bad team.

 

Not to mention, I didn't like how Ricketts said he was going to spend $ on the draft and then didn't.

 

Yeah, you can't be mad about that anymore. It's well-known now that he is literally building for the future in Latin America. A huge presence there is probably more important than spending big every year in the draft (with the exception of this year and 2001).

 

I didn't read about the Cubs signing any big name Latin players, mostly just smaller slot guys.

 

Ricketts better spend this June.

 

...

 

He's talking about the Cubs' plans for a baseball academy in the Dominican Republican.

 

And are you expecting the Ricketts to force Wilken to spend money?

[A New Era]

Attendance is going to continue to be bad as the wealthy grab a higher and higher percentage of the nation's wealth. You can only give so much free money (subsidies, and yes this includes the 100 or so million Rickett's wants to take from taxpayers to pay for HIS ballpark) to the super rich and squeeze the middle class so much, until you have hardly anyone left to sell your product to.

[Sammy Sofa]

State money wouldn't be "taking" money from taxpayers. You'd be paying the same taxes regardless.