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The Cubs held a news conference Wednesday afternoon to formally introduce the Cubs-themed Illinois license plates that you can buy via the Illinois Secretary of State's Cyberdrive Illinois website.
In addition to the information in this FanShot from yesterday, there's more that was provided by Secretary of State Jesse White at the news conference:
- More than 200 people bought the plates in the first day, when the website was opened for business this morning, before the official news conference. If you ordered online, the plates will be shipped beginning March 1.
- $25 from every set of plates purchased goes directly to the Professional Sports Teams Educational Fund, for the benefit of the Common School Fund which supports public schools throughout the state.
- If you go to the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place starting on Feb. 10, you can buy a random number Cubs plate right there and get them immediately.
- There are varying fees which you can find at the Cyberdrive Illinois website, but essentially, if you are replacing another plate, it will cost you $69 extra for a random-number plate (and then $27 extra for annual renewals), beyond the normal $99 fee; $163 extra (and $40 for annual renewals) for a vanity plate beyond the normal $99 plate fee, and $116 extra (and $34 for annual renewals) for a personalized plate beyond the normal $99 fee. For an explanation of the somewhat arcane difference between a "vanity" and "personalized" plate, see the Cyberdrive Illinois website. There are additional fees if you do not already have plates.
- If you don't live in Illinois and would like one of these plates as a souvenir (that won't be legal for on-road use), they are going to make a souvenir version of it available. Check the website for details.