More Seats and Ads coming to Wrigley

by kaseyi on Jan 4, 2008 7:06 AM CST

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/725540,CST-NWS-wrig04.article

The Cubs got the go-ahead Thursday to add 70 premium-priced "bullpen box seats" along the third base line at Wrigley Field -- and install additional signage -- to wring more revenue out of the 93-year-old ballpark. "We're adding 70 additional bullpen box seats on the third base side, much as we did previously on the first-base side. These will be great seats and, just like the seats behind home plate, will blend in with the architecture and history of Wrigley Field," said Mike Lufrano, the Cubs' vice president of community relations. "We're also extending digital signage on the sides of the grandstands by adding fixed advertising panels on either side."

Kasey

See the Cubs 2008 schedule (now with game times) at http://ignarski.tripod.com/sched2008.html

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I wondered

if the new seats would be lawn chairs carefully positioned on top of the tarp. Just kidding, but if new seats are added, where does the tarp go? It's not like Wrigley has much foul room to begin with. Maybe with the new drainage system we don't need a tarp anymore. Maybe we could cover it in artificial ivy and put it on the warning track so it would blend in or better yet get a big hoist and hoist it up under the new ads on the sides of the grandstands or best yet just put it in the dugout and the players could sit on it. I'm sure we'll figure out something.

This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).

by mrcubsfan on Jan 4, 2008 8:19 AM CST reply actions

maybe the tarp goes in the Bullpen

We need a new Bullpen guard anyway, Turk Wendell has been gone what - 10 years now?? The tarp could sit right on the foul line - that way, no one ever gets to another Bartman ball again........

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Jan 4, 2008 8:29 AM CST up reply actions

Not sure how that would work

I can't see the tarp being moved any further away from the infield. That tarp is obviously pretty heavy and if it was down toward the warning track, it would take too long to drag it over the infield.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. ` Adam Savage Mythbusters

by lemon20pie on Jan 4, 2008 8:47 AM CST up reply actions

I think the Tarp itself...

may be the first victim...

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 4, 2008 10:52 AM CST up reply actions

I would imagine

the Cubs would have numerous sponsers, rather than having Under Armor all over the stadium.

PIE!!!

by LilLPLancer23 on Jan 4, 2008 11:31 AM CST up reply actions

With the acquisition...

... of Kosuke Fukudome, I'd expect at least one, maybe more, Japanese company to advertise, especially on the rolling ad board behind the plate, since that one can be seen on TV and I'd expect that all Cubs games will be televised back to Japan this year.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 12:01 PM CST up reply actions

UA's new slogan...

"Under Armor All Over"

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 4, 2008 12:02 PM CST up reply actions

The tarp...

got victimized last season. It had an ad for some financial services company.

"Dad gum right this games gonna be played under protest. . . I guarantee this is gonna be one protest that's upheld." --Hawk Harrelson, 6/24/07

by RynoHoF on Jan 4, 2008 9:40 PM CST up reply actions

I'll read a little further next time

already mentioned below.

"Dad gum right this games gonna be played under protest. . . I guarantee this is gonna be one protest that's upheld." --Hawk Harrelson, 6/24/07

by RynoHoF on Jan 4, 2008 9:41 PM CST up reply actions

I have no idea how this is going to work

but I'm assuming someone put thought into it. At least I'd like to believe that they did. I've been looking at an overhead view of Wrigley on Google Map and it just isn't making sense to me.

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Jan 4, 2008 8:34 AM CST reply actions

There's a photographer's box...

... next to the Cubs dugout. This is where the seats are likely to go.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 9:31 AM CST reply actions

Didn't the tarp already

Have ads on it this year, both when rolled up and when rolled out?

There is no place like Nebraska - Go Huskers!

by sanantonecub on Jan 4, 2008 11:03 AM CST reply actions

Yes.

And here's how much impact that had, even though I was there every day: I can't remember who the sponsor was.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 11:10 AM CST up reply actions

A stab

IIRC it was a financial company...maybe Van Kampen Investments.

DmL

by dmlichte on Jan 4, 2008 11:26 AM CST up reply actions

Yes

And thier ads on the tarps were much worse than the under armor ads.

"Harlem Furniture......You'll like our style!"

by Imtrejo on Jan 4, 2008 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

Worse in what way?

I saw 81 games at Wrigley Field (including the playoff game) and I couldn't even remember the name of the company.

Seriously, if you don't want to be bothered by an ad, don't look at it!

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 1:18 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah, but Al

from your vantage point at the park, you were looking at the ad upside down. The name of the company is facing home plate, and the TV camera in the booth. If you see a rain delay on TV, it's impossible not to notice it.

by markleonette on Jan 4, 2008 7:51 PM CST up reply actions

Point taken.

But you don't have to watch the rain delay, do you?

;)

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 9:22 PM CST up reply actions

I don't,

however, "Rain Delay Theatre" can be pretty entertaining, especially if they interview Hendry, or one of the beat writers.

Having said all of this, ads on the tarp bother me a lot less than ads in other places at the park (behind home plate, on the walls, etc).

by markleonette on Jan 4, 2008 9:25 PM CST up reply actions

Ads at the park...

... don't bother me at all. I can ignore them every single day, and do.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 9:27 PM CST up reply actions

More ads

Too bad. Slowly but surely Wrigley is becoming unrecognizable behind all the advertising. If the Cubs want Wrigley to have all the ambience and visual appeal of a Single-A ballpark in Ottumwa, Iowa, they're going in the right direction.

"Have Keith Moreland drop a routine fly. Give everybody two bags of peanuts and a frosty malt, And I'll be ready to die." -Steve Goodman

by danimal15 on Jan 4, 2008 12:12 PM CST reply actions

That's a little over the top...

... don't you think?

Here's the Iowa Cubs' park, festooned with ads:

There's no way Wrigley Field is ever going to look like that. Seriously, what's the point of this outrage? If you don't like the ads, don't look at them! You're at the ballpark to see baseball, right? Look at the field and watch the game.

The outrage over these ads, and the potential sale of naming rights, is misplaced, in my opinion.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al Yellon on Jan 4, 2008 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

Still one of the best

minor league parks though. If fairness to the AAA Cubs, most minor league parks have a bunch of ads. Here in Omaha, Rosenblatt has tons of ads - but they are covered when the College World Series comes to town. When it's the AAA Royals, there are ads everywhere.

Cubs Win!! Cubs Win!

by Ihatethecards on Jan 4, 2008 12:47 PM CST up reply actions

Iowa park

I'm not outraged. Just disappointed. And yes, Wrigley will never look like that, but it sure looks a lot more like that now than it did 10 years ago.

I understand the economics of it. I also understand that if we want the Cubs to stay in Wrigley, this type of thing has to happen. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

"Have Keith Moreland drop a routine fly. Give everybody two bags of peanuts and a frosty malt, And I'll be ready to die." -Steve Goodman

by danimal15 on Jan 4, 2008 1:21 PM CST up reply actions

.....I guess their

.....just following the traffic of the other teams, thats the way it goes.

I was annoyed when the scroll on the big scoreboard changed and when Sears acguired the radar guns, but I am over it. Dont you remember when the scoreboard use to show really odd stats....avg. in day game or other peculiar things. It was great, but I dont think about it that often.

The Cubs need to keep up, the stadium will remain very similiar unless you need to be really picky. I go to the game for the game.

"Hey.....Cubs win!!!" ---Harry "I strongly dislike Steve Stone." ---Hammer

by Hammer on Jan 4, 2008 12:17 PM CST reply actions

I think logos

and other branding will be silk-screened on the ivy.

OR - each individual leaf could be sold as space!

HA! Whaddya think of that?! LOL.

Wait 'til next year. And the next. And the Next. And the next after that too.

by TheEman on Jan 4, 2008 2:43 PM CST reply actions

I'll get to work

on creating genetically engineered ivy that features corporate logos on it's leaves

AC 00 00 00 - BELIEVE

by mike @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Jan 4, 2008 3:04 PM CST up reply actions

Right On

Mike! I know there is a big market for that!

Wait 'til next year. And the next. And the Next. And the next after that too.

by TheEman on Jan 4, 2008 3:10 PM CST up reply actions

With the popularity of DVR and TVIO

and people now have the ability to fast forward through commercials, it's just a matter of time when products will pay to just have the logo's of their products on a corner of the tv screen, during programs. I'm surprised it hasn't happened yet.
If Bill Hicks was alive today here's what he'd have to say about the current situation with Wrigley Field

I reject your reality and substitute my own. ` Adam Savage Mythbusters

by lemon20pie on Jan 4, 2008 3:09 PM CST up reply actions

Learn To Swim, I'll See You Down In Arizona Bay

You gotta love Bill Hicks.

by markleonette on Jan 4, 2008 6:47 PM CST up reply actions

Great song.

You've gotta love Tool.

I was going to post the Hicks piece about what he thought would be a good marketing idea for a Coke commercial and thought better of it.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. ` Adam Savage Mythbusters

by lemon20pie on Jan 4, 2008 7:16 PM CST up reply actions

I was a little disappointed in 10,000 Days

but Lateralus might be my favorite album by anybody. Pure beauty. And the spoken word part by Hicks before Third Eye on Aenima is classic. I saw them in Indianapolis in 2001, and it was unbelievable. Nice to see another Tool fan here.

by markleonette on Jan 4, 2008 7:25 PM CST up reply actions

I love 10,000 days

But I can see how some might not get into it. It's out there. It's definitely best listened to by yourself, in your room with the lights down and you have to be in a certain "mood" ;)~

Aenima ofcourse is amazing and a classic, but it's hard to say I have a favorite, but I agree with you on "Lateralus". I can listen to "Lateralus" over and over. One of the tightest CD's I've ever heard. They were on top of their game when they recorded that bad boy.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. ` Adam Savage Mythbusters

by lemon20pie on Jan 4, 2008 7:37 PM CST up reply actions