This is really a love story, a boy meets a girl, boy falls in love with a girl, and boy wins over the girl. Ever since the day I learned season tickets were a thing, I wanted Chicago Cubs season tickets. Only problem, I was eight had no money, and passing Mrs. Mills class was much higher on my parent’s priority list than season tickets.
We will have to fast-forward a bit before we get to the meat and potatoes of the story, but essentially, I grew up in a baseball household and the only team there was, was the Cubs. This fandom was passed down from my dad, my dad’s dad, and his dad before him. On my mom’s side, an aunt owned a souvenir stand outside Wrigley, and I can still remember the collection of Cubs pins she had stuck on her old Cubbie blue jacket. I would come home from school late in the year, or when the school year just started and would watch the end of almost every game on WGN.
As I got a little older, sometime around middle school, I would find a reason to call in sick for every Cubs’ Opening Day. This would become like a holiday for me, a day I would circle on the calendar and look forward to with so much anticipation. I’d have conversations with friends and family discussing the Cubs roster, and project what kind of stats we could expect from everyone. I remember thinking, “if Mark Grace would just sell out a little, he could hit 25 homers and still hit over .300!” Alas, he never hit more than 17 in a season…
My Opening Day obsession continued to when I was in the military. Somehow, someway I was able to finagle my way to be able to watch the Cubs Opening Day all the way in California. Luckily, the Cubs were on WGN America. Also, at that time, I was able to watch the San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Anaheim Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Oakland A’s in California – plus the Cubs. It was a baseball lover’s paradise really. But I digress…
When I came home, and eventually started a family, I continued my Opening Day streak. I brought my wife and kids into this obsession. In fact, my wife, God bless her heart, buys Vienna Hot Dogs and all the fixings (real Chicago Style fixings – NO KETCHUP!) for the game.
Around the time my youngest son started to play baseball is when I added my name to the Cubs season ticket list. It very well might have been done on the first iPhone I ever owned.
Around the 2012 season, one of my friends from high school was set to buy season tickets. He called to see if I would be interested in going in on them with him. I just couldn’t swing it at the time, and it hurt to say that out loud. Before the 2015 season, it was my brother’s time on the season ticket list. He couldn’t do it by himself, and I couldn’t do it either. I had just started a new job three months before and while I was making good money, this was just so new I didn’t feel comfortable going in just yet.
A few years later, not believing my number would ever come up, I was approached by a friend I worked with about potentially buying someone else’s tickets. This person was a fairly prominent Cubs Twitter personality, who I am sure you will know. After talking and some pondering, I just didn’t think I was in the right spot to pull the trigger. Also, I wouldn’t have gotten dibs on playoff tickets and at this time we all believed the Cubs would be in the playoffs in each of the next 10 years.
Of course, that didn’t happen, and this past summer the Cubs decided to move on from the trio of stars that made us believe they would be perennial playoff contenders.
Right now, it feels like 2014. I believe that with some prospects in the organization and the others received for trading Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, and Kris Bryant that this team is nearing another run of playoff contention. A run that would make owning Cubs season tickets a lot of fun.
Then in happened
In late December, I received an email from someone with the Cubs suggesting that sometime, in early 2022, my turn in line for tickets will come up. Now, at the time, it didn’t seem like the greatest idea. There was a new boss at work and someone that has been pushing everyone on his team possibly a bit too much. Everything from a work perspective seemed to be on shaky ground.
Back in 2018, we bought a new house. However, our old house had been on the market for some time and we really fell in love with the house we now live in. Without any real leads on selling the home, we decided to rent our old house out. We had real steady tenants from 2018 till late 2020, when the young couple that was renting bought a home of their own. Then we brought in a new tenant, who promptly left after his girlfriend bought a home of her own. The family that replaced him also moved out early, and that was last October. So, for three months we were carrying two mortgages, some minor repairs, and prepping to the old house to get back out there.
As soon as the new year hit, work issues cleared up and the old house situation is fixed as well. We were now able and ready to seriously pursue this. But not on our own.
I began reaching out to friends and family to see if anyone was open to going in with me. I found several others, who are able to pick up about half the games. We. Were. Golden.
The Cubs ticket salesmen do a great job of communicating through the process. You can literally ask them anything and they help. Over the past two weeks, we were texting back and forth. Oh, if you’re on the fence but leaning towards not buying – don’t watch the video on the site that preps you for your appointment date. If you’re on the fence and are looking for that final push – watch it.
So you know, there’s a website the Cubs have set up that helps you understand the process, understand what comes with tickets, the pricing, everything. Well, everything except what section/tickets are available.
Not knowing what you are potentially buying is the hardest part of the whole process, especially if you partner up with others. The first question is, and I’m sure you can already imagine, “where are the seats and how much?” Heck, it was the biggest question I had (and I asked that poor ticket rep at least five times since December).
If anyone is going through the process this year, I can tell you there’s plenty of tickets and sections available. I would look for two or three sections, just to be safe. I looked at bleacher seats as my top choice, then two other spots in a similar price range. When it was my turn, and when I was able see my ticket offers, there were plenty of open seats.
As mentioned, I do suggest going into your appointment window with a few options. Of the seats I was interested in, the bleachers were the most expensive of the lot. Ultimately, I decided to go with bleachers since if I needed to sell any of the open seats bleachers are the easiest to offload, for the best prices.
Value
As for the value of the tickets, I think this is a personal question that each individual needs to answer for themselves. There’s a lot of moving parts and questions needing to be answered – and it has to sit well with you. So, here are some of the questions you will likely need to answer for yourself.
The Cubs traded away so many players and won’t be good for a long time.
I have had several people tell me they wouldn’t be interested in tickets because of this. In fact, after I became a season ticket holder several people felt the need to piss in my Wheaties by mentioning this (and another comment sure to come up in a bit).
Honestly, you have to look at this from a few perspectives. First, if you pass on the tickets you’re pushed to the end of the line. That probably means another six or more years before the opportunity comes up again. I also looked at it as an investment in future entertainment, and there’s also the idea that in the NL Central (and possibly with another signing or two) the Cubs could compete sooner, rather than later. Also, this is a new opportunity to bond with my kids, with my family. It’s also a great chance to reach out to my old buddies and hang out with them – something you don’t have too many more opportunities to do as you grow older, have families, and responsibilities of our own.
What if the lockout cancels games, or even the entire season?
Again, this is a question you have to answer for yourself. I again looked at this from the standpoint of, I came up now and if I turn them down I might not see the chance for a long time. Also, if the lockout cancels games, which is looking like a realistic outcome, you’re credited back for those games.
This has been the biggest response others have felt the overwhelming need to say to me on social media. Yes, I hope there’s games and we don’t miss any of them. No, you don’t have to tell me things like this:
https://twitter.com/kevin_lidey/status/1490009044018417668?s=21Like, why are people this way? You can’t just be happy for someone else? Or if you aren’t, couldn’t you just scroll along and not say anything at all? Anyways, thanks for your concern Kevin, but yes, they’ll refund me if games aren’t played.
Won’t be able to sell them, or won’t be anywhere near breaking even.
I can see how this is a real issue for some out there, heck, for most out there. I’ll admit that I do expect to sell some tickets online. I also know that I’ll take a loss when doing so. This isn’t a profitable endeavor, and it’s difficult to consider it an “investment” when it very likely isn’t going to pay you back. But, for me, this isn’t an issue. As I mentioned, I’m buying because this has been a lifelong dream of mine. Sure, I’m paying a premium for the fraction of the games I’ll attend. But that doesn’t register as an issue in my case. I have wanted this for a long time and whatever loss I might have is worthwhile to me.
But also, don’t be this guy.
https://twitter.com/therealslybri/status/1490104593648431114?s=21I’m sure he’s either jealous or not understanding he’s talking to a person on the other end.
How will you feel eating tickets?
Again, this is something everyone has to answer for themselves. After tickets are passed out among the others, I’ll have about 40 games for myself. We will likely make about 20-25 of those games. I’m already mentally preparing to eat half of the remaining tickets, 25% will be well under face value, and the other 25% will be around face. But I’m different than most others and I’m not in this thing for that reason. But others are, and that’s ok.
How does it feel lining the pockets of owners, while players are fighting for their equal share?
I think I have been very open about my support for the players. This was a factor when I thought about buying. I understand that we might lose games, and I understand that if we lose games there might be a lack of interest when things are settled (not to the extent of the ’94 strike). I have had the pleasure of meeting or talking to players or close members of their team or even family throughout the years. I don’t love the concept of rewarding ownership while potentially harming the guys I know or root for. I just lean into this being an emotional and personal decision. Like, I have never blamed a player for getting more money elsewhere and leaving the Cubs, as it was the decision that was best for him and his family, likewise, this was a great opportunity for my family.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what you value and what you want. This has been a dream come true. An opportunity of a lifetime type of thing. I know everyone doesn’t place the same value or think of this the same way. I feel incredibly lucky to even be in a position to do this and I can’t wait to enter Wrigley as a season ticket holder. Here’s to hoping to see you at the ballpark, maybe we’ll buy each other a beer.
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