It's not a ballgame-it's a happening

I like the Cell. I like the food, and I love being able to watch the game while I’m getting food. I like walking around there, and being able to park is a definate plus.
But Wrigley, despite all its detractors saying its old, small, etc, feels like the way game experience should be. The game is the focus. And I will never, ever, ever say anything bad about the scoreboard. If they knock Wrigley down (heaven forbid) whatever goes up in its place, wheverever the Cubs play, need to keep that scoreboard.

fans need to have non-stop entertainment. That’s just the way it is in ‘modern’ baseball.
The new parks have bells and whistles that are now …required. But once you start this, though, you cannot go back. The technology must stay current.

For example, Petco Park’s monochromatic RF wall scoreboard is already dated. Every new park has now updated color LED technology for secondary scoreboards. Thankfully, some who have — and want — the throwback look with hand-operated boards.

If a stadium’s video board isn’t in HD….it’d already dated.

I’ll take the simple look of Wrigley. The new smaller boards on the 1B and 3B grandstand facing give me enough stats. I’ll pay attention to the game. I don’t need video replays.

are some cubs fans who just want something new for the sake of something new. Without exception — those who live elsewhere, and are not Cubs fans (that I have talked with, anyway) have treated their visit to Wrigley as an experience to treasure.

Al, where else would you place such signage? There isn’t any location that I can think of…

I enjoy both experiences. Although I feel completely indifferent watching a Sox game, whereas I genuinely care at a Cubs game. I like baseball.

And both the ‘modern’ baseball experience and the Wrigley experience have their own appeals. I really couldn’t care less about the t-shirt guns or the dancing on top of the dugout stuff. It certainly isn’t anything that specifically appeals to me, but it also doesn’t really take anything away from the game itself.

But I really don’t enjoy the ‘Everybody clap your hands!’ garbage during the game, that stuff can get on my nerves. It just doesn’t feel right at a baseball game.

The fancier, and more edible, food on the south side is really nice, but I wouldn’t otherwise expect to have more than some hotdogs at a baseball game regardless of where I am.

but i cant wait until the Cubs get a new stadium. Or at least Wrigley gets a major upgrade.

it’s a singles club.

At the Cell for the Tuesday game for the first time and by the 3rd inning, I said to my buddies, “Guys, how do you take this, it feels like we are at an arena football game??” Wrigley is a day and night away from the atmosphere of a big hunk of metal that blasts hip hop in front of 22,000 foul mouthed fans. Thank God for the North side of the city. But seriously besides the great food, the atmosphere just felt like an Arena Football game.

Wrigley, Fenway, Comiskey, Busch, and Miller.

Busch and Miller especially did a lot of the same things with the ribbon board. I don’t mind most of the stuff with ribbon boards, but I HATE the “MAKE SOME NOISE” messages and stuff like that.

Comiskey doesn’t do as much as Bush and Miller but they still do more than I think they need to.

Even though fenway has a video replay board, I don’t recall them using it for a lot of stupid stuff like newer parks do. being there makes me believe that Wrigley could do a video replay board. Where they put it I don’t know, but that’s not for me to figure out.

This debate may not have been heard by some of our newer members of the blog. But seriously, the whole Wrigley – should it stay or should it go, is a tired worn out debate. I appreciate the poster talking about clear entertainment differences between modern parks and places like Wrigley (and Fenway), but the discussion about Wrigley Field’s fate is lame.

Why you ask? Because first of all why would any business person tear down an asset that continues to bring in revenues, even though it is 50 years past its depreciable value? You’d be a fool to “tear it down” why take on the added burden of debt (in this economic climate), when as Al and others have suggested, you could make some serious renovations to the current structure, at a much lower cost. All the while, retaining one the things that brings in revenue – this historical significance of the place.

Now look, I’m not suggesting that I am into this syrupy love affair with “old places and things” but most Americans are. They eat that stuff for breakfast – whether its visiting Wrigley, or here in my home state, checking out the streets of Santa Fe (which are dusty, old, and dammit just old). This is mans facination with the past, so once again, any owner would be a fool to not let a little goldmine like Wrigley go to waste. I agree with the consensus on BCB, renovations are in order and will likely happen, advertising will likely increase, and people will flock to Wrigley – while the Nationals Park continues to hear crickets.

There’s a lot more stimulation going on in between innings at Wrigley Field than there was even five years ago. The music has been turned up and there’s constant chatter on the PA in between innings. It’s really unfortunate because it hampers the ability to communicate with the people around you, which for me decreases my enjoyment of the game.

It loses my endorsement the first time the play the “Which Hat Is the Ball In Game?”

I’m shamed by the human race EVERYTIME I go to a game at Busch (or elsewhere) and they play the lets move the object around in one of three items and have everyone follow it! game.

It cracks me up to hear/see 40,000 people all shout out 3!!!!! THREE!!!! THREE!!!!! and then cheer as if it was the best moment of their week when they get it right

I definitely agree with what they said-you don’t have any of the in between innings tshirt tosses, hula dances (yes, there was a hula dance), and loud rock and roll music.

It’s one reason why I like Wrigley so much: IT’S THE BALLGAME and that’s about it. If I want other entertainment, I can go in search of it; outside – far outside – the confines of the ballyard.

I like to call most stadiums and arenas today, the ADHD generation stadiums. If there isn’t something flashing in your face or blaring in your ears, you’re getting cheated.

Once again it’s time to envoke my favourite Jim Caple article on the old North Side ballyard:

http://espn.go.com/page2/s/ballparks/wrigley.html

It’s a couple years dated for a few of the sub-topics but like I’ve said countless times; Jim nails this dead-on.

1. Renovate the remaining Addison and Clark Street structures, including the seating, aisles, lower concourses, restrooms, outer building facade (but in keeping with the historical aspect of the building), and especially air conditioning/heating and/or providing adequate ventilation/fans in the lower concourse food concession areas where the workers toil in virtual “sweatshop” working conditions -especially on hot and humid days.

I expect this to be a “given” as top priority with new, dedicated local ownership, whenever, if ever that happens!

2. Add permanently visible modern statistical data displays, including cumulative pitch counts (for starting and long relief pitchers) for the duration of the entire game (not occasionally displayed at seemingly random times), plus cumulative walks, strikeouts, and runners LOB; etc.

Since the scoreboard cannot and should not accommodate this modern data, add this as electronic displays strategically around the ballpark as unobtrusively placed as possible. I despise the intrusion of “jumbotron” screens with replays, and distracting, trivial, and value-diminishing non-traditional aspects beyond the game itself!

As Ron Santo aptly characterized it, ‘Wrigley Field IS the REAL Baseball Hall of Fame’ where his #10 Flag is gloriously and deservedly enshrined forever in THE living legacy of baseball!

Cooperstown is a mere hollow dimly-lit shadow of a rural hamlet compared to the unparalleled historical grandeur and authenticity of “The Friendly Confines”! For me, watching a game or visiting at Wrigley Field for one day is more valuable than spending a lifetime in the Cooperstown anti-HOF!

And I continue to pledge to NEVER attend the “Coop” which claims to be a real HOF, UNTIL Ron’s election in his lifetime brings the soul and essence of his Wrigley Field HOF to that hollow building in upper state NY, whose voters have disgraced and dishonored one of the greatest third baseman in the history of baseball!

Ron Santo truly belongs in Wrigley Field – Baseball’s genuine HOF!

Baseball games at Wrigley Field emanate the soothing, pleasurable, traditional sounds of the game as it has been played in the time-honored days going back to the historical roots of the greatest sport ever devised!

(See exceptions and damaging intrusions to this traditional atmosphere in upgrade #3 below.)

3. Promote more extensive “policing” of rude, obnoxious, profanity-obsessed “attendees” who only spoil the enjoyment of the game and the rich tradition of Wrigley Field baseball as “The Friendly Confines”!

Notice I can at best refer to these people as “attendees”, because they do not come to Wrigley to enjoy or participate knowledgeably in the game, nor to support the Cubs or their opponent. They primarily engage in non-baseball related behavior – including getting or continuing to be intoxicated, engaging in loud obnoxious profanity-laden language, talking incessantly on cell phones, and “hanging out” at Wrigley to socialize and “be seen”.

The game to these immature, misplaced watering-hole residents is merely a distraction, and at best a social backdrop for their juvenile antics.

Many games that I attended at Wrigley in the last five years, I would have preferred to be at home watching on TV or listening to Pat and Ron on the radio, versus having to contend with this non-baseball “crowd” – who truly denigrate the game and Wrigley Field’s traditions.

The insensitive, irresponsible harm which young and older fans alike must contend with from these rude, self-centered troglodytes is a disgrace to those of us who are at the game to enjoy baseball, the Cubs, the opposing team, and “The Friendly Confines” of Mr. Cub’s legacy!

4.OK, I have to admit that a WS flag or two being added to the two existing flags would be a most welcome upgrade to the solitary “W” flags, that will only be truly remembered, rejoiced, revered, and relished permanently with the “S” added at Season’s end!

Someday…