Thursday 11/15 Headlines and Wrigley Resodding Project Update
Before I post photos from this morning, a couple of things of interest on an otherwise slow day:
- The photo editor at the Daily Herald emailed me (thanks, Bruce Miles, for the plug!) and asked if they could post a couple of the photos I took yesterday on the DH website. I gave my permission (no, they didn't pay me anything) and you can see those photos here.
- Also at the Herald, Barry Rozner confirms the reports made here and elsewhere that a huge ticket price increase -- on the order of 20-25% -- is coming for 2008, with a letter on the way to season ticket holders (if it comes today, I'll post on it later), and also mentions that PSL's could be in Wrigley Field's future. Right now, that's just speculation. I know many NFL teams, including the Bears, have personal seat licenses, but I do not know if any baseball teams have yet gone this route.

Closeup view of work along the 3B/LF line:

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Thanks...
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 9:51 AM CST
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They did it to raise money
Fees ranged from $1500 to $7500. They quickly sold for more on the secondary market.
One thing that PSLs do is allow the season ticket holders to scalp their tickets without fear of punishment by the team. The PSL owner also typically has right of first refusal for any other events that are held at the stadium.
by Porfi on
Nov 15, 2007 10:02 AM CST
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The Giants Charter License program...
Click through on the current asking prices to see the crazy range CSL holders expect to get at resale. Giants
It's best to consider PSLs like a timeshare--if you bought in Hawaii (club boxes) ten years ago, you probably have some appreciation in value. Even though the annual maintenance fees (tickets) keep getting more expensive, you can find someone to take it off your hands or rent it out for a year. But if you bought in Arizona in July--you may never get out of it what you put in initially, and the fees (tickets) still have to be paid for every year. The asset becomes a liability.
The Bears PSL program has had similar results--the best non-club seats are sky-high in the aftermarket, while club level seats with tickets costing 3-4 times as much per game) were often sold at a discount until the recent stretch of Bears success. I've happily watched the price of seats near mine skyrocket, though I have no plans to sell.
Note that the Bears PSLs do not give you the right to scalp individual game tickets, I have seen letters sent by the Bears to those suspected of scalping on ebay. Even though they take money from StubHub, they still officially prohibit scalping.
There is some precedent (sort-of) for asking fans to pay up fees for existing season tickets. When the Packers renovated Lambeau Field, STH had to pay the equivalent of $2000 per season ticket as a one-time fee to keep them. (Most paid either $1400 or $600, as they have two season ticket lists after they stopped playing in Milwaukee). This didn't give them any license rights, transfer capabilities or equity, it was just a mandatory contribution to the stadium fund.
Also, the Bears offered some STH the ability to convert non-PSL seats to PSL seats last year. In exchange for the PSL fee (all profit for the Bears) they give up nothing but the transfer rights to an already-sold seat in an already-built stadium that has a waiting list of people willing to buy that seat. Easy money.
Would Wrigley STH squawk at a $1000-$2000 one-time fee per ticket, if used towards a building fund? What if they wanted $3000 or more, but you had the right to re-sell the STH rights to that seat?
by bison on
Nov 15, 2007 12:23 PM CST
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Depending on the price...
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 3:30 PM CST
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Of course...
by bison on
Nov 15, 2007 3:54 PM CST
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Don't be so sure about that.
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 6:02 PM CST
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As do the Cardinals...
by stadiumguru on
Nov 15, 2007 9:58 AM CST
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re: As do the Cardinals...
by seang03 on
Nov 15, 2007 10:15 AM CST
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More Teams
- Arizona Diamondbacks Legacy Club Seat Licenses
- San Diego Padres Founders Club Memberships
- San Francisco Giants CSL Charter Seat Licenses
- St. Louis Cardinals Ballpark Founders Club Seat Licenses
by McCarron on
Nov 15, 2007 10:11 AM CST
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Currently...
by jolietconvict on
Nov 15, 2007 10:29 AM CST
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Further...
You can also leave it to anyone you want after you die.
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 10:49 AM CST
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I would be very, very
by TheEman on
Nov 15, 2007 4:00 PM CST
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luv the pix
A question on PSL's- would that apply to a ceratin number of seats (like all seaon ticket holders, or could it possibly take up a high % of the park? Not really that familiar with them- I avoid the NFL if at all possible.
by tommy veryzer on Nov 15, 2007 9:46 AM CST 0 recs
yikes
by tommy veryzer on Nov 15, 2007 9:47 AM CST 0 recs
Sod, sod, glorious sod!
by dat cubfan daver on Nov 15, 2007 9:49 AM CST 0 recs
LOL
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 9:52 AM CST
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Rest easy, Al...
by ballhawk on
Nov 15, 2007 11:30 AM CST
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PSL??
by tucsoncubsfan on Nov 15, 2007 9:56 AM CST 0 recs
A PSL...
by jolietconvict on
Nov 15, 2007 10:07 AM CST
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Not necessarily
by Porfi on
Nov 15, 2007 10:12 AM CST
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Renovations
by raisin on
Nov 15, 2007 10:16 AM CST
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You're right
by jolietconvict on
Nov 15, 2007 10:27 AM CST
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I love Chicago...
by HIGGY on Nov 15, 2007 9:57 AM CST 0 recs
DANG
by BigZ 4 Cy on
Nov 15, 2007 9:59 AM CST
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LOL!
by HIGGY on
Nov 15, 2007 10:15 AM CST
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Yeah, and maybe it there'd
by TR on
Nov 15, 2007 9:54 PM CST
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They must be using UNION LABOR!
JK!!! They are moving at a tremendous rate, Bossard and his crew are doing a fabulous job!!
by BigZ 4 Cy on Nov 15, 2007 9:58 AM CST 0 recs
I deal...
I am almost positive all of those guys are union, if they wernt there would be strikers out there.
by HIGGY on
Nov 15, 2007 10:14 AM CST
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Pertinent Tribune article
by dat cubfan daver on Nov 15, 2007 10:00 AM CST 0 recs
SORIANO'S HUMMER
http://www.foulballs.net/2007/07/alfonso-soriano-knows-how-to-pimp-his.html
At least I can still watch the next Soto here in Iowa for $8 a game!
by IowaCubs- on Nov 15, 2007 10:27 AM CST 0 recs
Next Soto Answer...
It's fun to watch the prospects develop into full fledged Cubbies, that's all, and I can do it relatively cheaply in Des Moines.
I've seen Mark Prior, Ryan Dempster, Greg Maddux (80s -- I was 10 at the time), Zambrano, Prior and Wood pitch, D-Lee (rehab stint), Mark Grace, etc... It's fun to watch guys just before they "make it."
by IowaCubs- on
Nov 16, 2007 9:32 AM CST
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Not to be a hater...
by Schwa on
Nov 15, 2007 7:12 PM CST
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Ive seen
Just hit homers and steal some bases when needed
by Hammer on Nov 15, 2007 10:37 AM CST 0 recs
I suppose...
by IowaCubs- on
Nov 15, 2007 11:39 AM CST
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Can't wait...
I loved it when Mike Lowell was presented with a hybrid SUV and car for winning the World Series MVP... he clearly didn't seem that excited about driving around in a hybrid Malibu.
DmL
by dmlichte on
Nov 15, 2007 1:27 PM CST
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PSL's
Kasey
by kaseyi on Nov 15, 2007 11:28 AM CST 0 recs
i think you are talking about me
by mike on
Nov 15, 2007 11:53 AM CST
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Yes I did scoff at the idea
by jessica on
Nov 15, 2007 12:04 PM CST
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This is...
I'm really curious to see how the price increase is done. We're in section 508 so we're the first section of the UDR "Outfield". I first got the tickets in '04 and we've only had 1 price increase since then. I'm wondering if they're going to continue to keep these tickets relatively low so that they can say they have a a "bargain" option or if they're finally going to pile on the increases that we've avoided.
by jolietconvict on
Nov 15, 2007 2:03 PM CST
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Herald link is broken
by Tim Dierkes on Nov 15, 2007 12:29 PM CST 0 recs
They still work for me, too.
by dat cubfan daver on
Nov 15, 2007 12:47 PM CST
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Yep.
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 3:29 PM CST
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Sod now in left field!

by Al on Nov 15, 2007 3:33 PM CST 0 recs
Thanks Al!
by Hugest Canadian Cubs Fan on
Nov 15, 2007 5:42 PM CST
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Big Z got 5th in Cy Young Voting
Jake Peavy joins Roger Clemens as the only starting pitchers to win a Cy Young Award without tossing a complete game.
NL voting Pitcher 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Peavy, S.D. 32 -- -- 160
Webb, Ari. -- 31 1 94
Penny, L.A. -- -- 14 14
Others receiving votes: Aaron Harang, 10; Carlos Zambrano, 3; Cole Hamels, 2; John Smoltz, 2; Jose Valverde, 2; Jeff Francis, 1.
by Mordecai on Nov 15, 2007 4:31 PM CST 0 recs
field
by calvin12 on Nov 15, 2007 4:37 PM CST 0 recs
So the "Human Bobblehead" is
by LAcarl519 on Nov 15, 2007 5:18 PM CST 0 recs
If convicted
He'll say he's being unfairly targeted, blah blah blah...he lied to a grand jury. That's just not something you do, no matter who you are!
So long HOF for Barroid!
by Hugest Canadian Cubs Fan on
Nov 15, 2007 5:41 PM CST
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On ticket prices...
They went up around 5%-7% in 2007
by TheEman on Nov 15, 2007 6:10 PM CST 0 recs
Strictly as a guess...
This would likely mean a single-game bleacher ticket would go for $50 -- and maybe $46 or so for season tickets.
This is pure speculation, until I get the letter. When I get it I'll post about it.
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 8:25 PM CST
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Al, I was wondering
by TR on Nov 15, 2007 9:58 PM CST 0 recs
I don't know...
But whether or not other teams do so, I really don't know.
by Al on
Nov 15, 2007 10:02 PM CST
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