The Wrigley Field Bleachers Are Out Of Control. Here's How To Fix The Problem.

Use uniformed officers like the Phillies and Yankees and have an on sight detention center that is operated operated by the Chicago Police Dept.. It’s a win-win, the problem gets taken care of, and the City can make a little money off of drunken morons.

Ideas #2 and #3 also sounds good, along with more of a “zero-tolerance policy” enforced.

I’m not sure about #4. If you do a good job with 1-3, #4 shouldn’t be necessary.

picked up on the post idea.

Anyone else want to share their bleacher stories from hell?

was in 08 and I wanted to sit in the bleachers, but after hearing some of the horror stories, I didnt want to subject my wife to it. It was her first time at Wrigley and didnt want it to be bad. Went to a few games and sat in left field, and paid more for those tickets, but didnt want to risk the possibilities. It sounds like its getting worse.

…………before many of these people enter the park. Day or night game, a large number of attendees are plowed before they cross the Wrigley gates. Security should do a better job of screening drunks BEFORE ENTRY.

And while I agree with the need to hire more security, the overall situation could be dramatically improved if the current group put some TEETH into their actions. People get pulled to the back for the infamous “stern lecture” and then return to their seats, always to the cheering and accolades of their drunken buddies. If a true “zero tolerance” policy was in place, these morons would be tossed IMMEDIATELY. Instead, security gets caught up in asking questions, smoothing feathers, etc. when they really need to DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM.

Based on my experience, if the screening at the gate improved, and if the existing security staff ran these idiots straight away, it would go a very long way to ensuring these absurd problems didn’t arise inside the bleachers.

After all this IS the root of the problem.

when I saw all those half to almost full beers left by fans leaving early….that wasn’t beer? I was thinking to myself “how can someone spend that much money on a beer and NOT drink it?” Guess, now I know.

I will say, however, that over the last few years of attending 10 or so games a year, about half in the bleachers, I haven’t seen the extreme behavior ballhawk described. I’ve never seen anyone lose their lunch, never seen a fight, and never seen anyone pee (thankfully). The last game I went to I decided to go at the last minute, and arrived late, so I didn’t try to sit with Al’s group. I just wove my way into about the seventh row of the LF bleachers and sat among strangers. The group to my left were not noticeable in any way. The group to my right was a set of 20-somethings, two of whom were pretty wasted by the 3rd inning, and who bragged of going off to the men’s room to smoke some weed. They were barely into the game, but they weren’t loud or obnoxious. The group in front of me was a few high school students from the suburbs. The boys sat raptly watching the game, and the girls texted and flirted with the drunk guys to their right (I know, I don’t get it either). Behind me were two businessmen taking a day off on their trip to Chicago. They were hammered by about the sixth, and couldn’t keep track of the game. But, again, they were basically just talking to each other or sitting in stoned silence. There were a few dudes within hearing distance who would stand up to yell something, but it was usually just “Right Field Sucks.” A few other people seemed to stand up just to have people up top yell down that they were “so hot” and such: guys taking off their shirts, girls stretching. In other words, a pretty typical bleacher day from my experience.

I know you’re not asking for everyone to post trivia, but maybe it is only certain days, like the college discount days, that are more of a problem.

The fans there for the most part are there for the game, although there are some idiot drunks. But the die hard fans dont tolerate the BS and will point them out to security. I know the stopping drinking thing wont stop it all together, but if they dont serve after like the third,inning, by the time the end is around, maybe the sobering effect will be taking place.

Disagreed with 1 and 4 though. Maybe it’s been a while since you were a student, Al, but budgets are stretched pretty slim for most college students. Any discount helps, and I really don’t see much of a difference in the level of drunkenness if you slap an extra $8 back on the ticket price.

Additionally, most fights I see in or around Wrigley involve men older than the typical ‘frat boy’. I was driving to get some dinner last night and was stopped at Clark and Addison. On the sidewalk was a group of 5 guys, none of which college-aged, pushing and shoving, continually being separated. These are the same idiots I see fighting at the Brewers/Cubs games I go to. The college kids might be the ones getting wasted and puking, but I think generally it’s the older crowd that’s getting into actual fights.

As far as limiting alcohol sales go, not only is it not going to happen, but it SHOULDN’T happen. If I want to drink 10 beers, who are you to tell me that I can’t? Now, if I start pissing on your leg, then yeah – I should be arrested. That’s why this issue, at its core, is running out of control because of a lack of security/enforcement. I know plenty of people who can drink a ton, hold their booze well, and have a good time while not really bothering anyone else.

I know you’re not going to change because you’ve been sitting there for years, but you’re in the bleachers… I think it’s widely known that they will be a little ‘rowdier’ than the rest of the ballpark. There’s no excuse for fighting, puking, urinating all over the place (it sounds like I’m describing a Miami University sorority formal). But I blame the Cubs as much as I blame the idiots doing these things. Cutting off beer sales in the 4th inning isn’t fair to the people who can drink responsibly. It’s time to up the security and just get the idiots out of the ballpark and into a bar across the street, where that type of behavior is commonplace.

You could show ID once, immediately upon entry, and get a wristband that would be valid for up to a certain number of beers (4?). Vendors would mark off the wristband with an indelible marker. You couldn’t just cut off the wristband and get a new one, because you can only get them when you first enter. Sure, you might bring a non-drinking friend and have them buy you more beers, but it would stop the groups where everyone is having eight drinks.

…and I’ve never sat in the bleachers. It’s honestly an experience I’ve kind of avoided because of stuff like this. I’ve sat front row (as evidenced by my profile picture on here) as well as up in the “nose bleeds” and it’s always been an EXTREMELY positive and controlled experience. The ushers are always cordial and anytime there is even the hint of a situation, security has been all over it. When we sat front row (the year those bullpen boxes opened) I was bantering with one of the photographers about trading cameras (I had my little point and shoot and he had a Nikon SLR with a very expensive lens) after about 30 seconds of chatting a security guard came down and actually threatened to remove me from the park if I kept “harassing” the photographer… we both kind of laughed about it, but it’s that type of pro-active security they need out there. Uniformed officers would be a great deterrent, but then you’ll get stuff like in Philly where they act too soon and then the club gets sued. It’s far too fine of a line to have uniformed officers all over, but the idea above about the detention center, and maybe 3 or 4 officers at the back of the bleachers is a good idea. Hell, maybe even stick a few plain clothes guys throughout, kind of like they do with Air Marshalls now. You never who they are, or where they are, but you know if you act up, they’ll be the guy right next to you and you’ll be in a sleeper hold before you can even drop the beer you were about to throw on a player.

Those of us that treat a trip to Wrigley as a mini vacation with friends that have a few beers and enjoy the game and the company of friends are not the problem, but we (insert old guys) don’t want to be punished from our very expensive trip (hotel, meals, tickets, travel).

The problem lies in those who cannot hold a few drinks and are over served. I’ve sat in the bleachers many years and sat around some wonderful fun loving people. Yes, a drink gets kicked or you get bumped and somebody gets upset sometimes, but that’s what apologizes are for!

If you can’t handle standard rules of behavior, kick them out. Warn them at first sight of anything close to bad behavior. If they are that dumb to not follow the warning, they should be removed.

Lastly, I believe many who sit near the field are in large groups and tend to go overboard. More security on their feet walking the aisles in these middle sections would help.

And now, we’re going into the “Too much drinking in the bleachers” posts.

Oy… we need to start winning games, so this stuff will go away.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve made the switch from infield terrace reserve to the bleachers. There are just as many drunk idiots in the grandstands, as there are in the bleachers. Get over it.

Cubs fans are just embarassing sometimes.

Hire ex-military guys to be security, give them guns and tell them you will cover their legal fees no matter what they do out there.

Yes, it is extreme, but since I stay home, I am perfectly safe, and that is all that matters.

I am sitting in the bleachers for the first time for the June 19th game vs the Angels…. not looking forward to it now – I’m too old for this crap!

If you don’t want to sit around people who are drinking then go sit in the family section.

I am not advocating people getting shitfaced and puking on themselves, but they paid the money to be there too. if they want to walk around covered in shit, then just point and laugh. Obviously there is something wrong with them but it shouldn’t affect you… OTOH, if they puke on you, then i can see the gripe.

For the most part, everyone is well behaved. I think this is a case of a few ruining it for the many. I agree with the idea of added security, but not with the limits on alcohol. If people are going to act like idiots, make them pay. But don’t ruin the fun for everyone else that can control themselves.

It has nothing to do with drinking! Oh wait, not a Philly fan – never mind….

…and it doesn’t seem any worse than in year’s past. I can, however, tell you that if the Cubs are getting drilled in the middle innings (and that seems to be a daily occurrence) people quickly lose interest in the game itself and THAT’S when the bad behavior begins. But all in all, doesn’t seem any different than in year’s past. Just my take. I always have a good time in the bleachers.

is the only thing that makes watching this team bearable.

As many remember, the Cubs Home Opener was a great day this season. Warmer than normal weather and a Cubs win too. At some point late in the game, I looked to the Centerfield scoreboard and saw two guys lying in the center stairway and fighting. I think they had started fighting, rolled down the stairs, and continued fighting. I only saw the end result of this Bleacher fight, but it still looked really stupid. It’s Opening Day…

I am sure an excessive amount of alcohol was involved here. And there is a very good chance that some of that alcohol was consumed outside of Wrigley Field. I walked past Murphy’s Bleachers and saw 4 guys sitting at a table outside. It was 11AM and there was a case of empty beers on the table.

Are some of the spiteful comments directed at other BCB members simply a direct result of misplaced frustration or are they angry individuals waiting to jump on any post they read and misinterpret??

…..they’re going to recognize and respect uniformed CPD. I agree completely, Al – the security guys are outnumbered and ill-equipped to deal with the threat of violence. They aren’t paid enough to risk getting punched in the face by some drunk college kid.

A few CPD will calm the idiots down immediately. It won’t take long for word to get out that people are being arrested and cited for public intox, underage drinking, public urination and disorderly conduct, and the time has come for this sort of change.

At my son’s school in the west loop, there was a problem with car break-ins…. until the school started hiring off-duty uniformed CPD for a couple of hours each night. Problem solved, day 1.

Among the advertising that’s on the message board and announced before the game is the naming of one fan as the “Old Style Drinker of the Game”.

Excuse me? You’re glorifying a fan as a DRINKER? More glorification of the drinking culture. I could see making this the “Old Style Fan of the Game” — that would still get the sponsor’s message out.

Naming someone the “Drinker of the Game” says — hey, we’re out to name the best drunk at the ballpark. Mindnumbingly stupid.