The Cubs are planning postseason viewing parties at the Park at Wrigley

Can’t get to Washington for the division series games against the Nationals?

You can still join fellow Cubs fans for a viewing party on the big screen at the Park at Wrigley adjacent to the ballpark, according to Paul Skrbina in the Tribune:

Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney told the Tribune on Thursday the team plans to have watch parties for postseason away games at The Park, which opened at the beginning of this season.

Kenney said the team is working with the city and Chicago Police Department on details. Tickets will be required for entry, though it has not yet been determined whether there will be a charge. A team spokesman said there could be a Cubs Charities component attached to the tickets.

"We want to host these," Kenney said. "We think it would be really fun for the neighbors."

Kenney said exact plans for how people would be admitted still are being ironed out and should be finalized sometime next week before the Cubs open the National League Division Series against the Nationals next Friday in Washington.

This is an excellent idea. However, as noted by Skrbina, they will have to have this be a ticketed event. The Park at Wrigley can hold perhaps 2,000 or 3,000 people at most, and the Cubs and the neighborhood certainly don’t want to be overrun by many thousands more that they can’t handle crowd-wise.

The idea floated in that article that the ticket price would be a donation to Cubs Charities is also a good one.

As noted above, Game 1 of the division series against the Nats will be a week from today, Friday, October 6. Game times have not yet been set; there are some reports that times for at least the first couple of days of division series play could be announced as early as Monday. When I get information on game times I’ll post it here.

Lastly, it’s an interesting coincidence that the first such viewing party could be on a Friday night — a day the Cubs can’t play regular-season night games at Wrigley Field. Could this be a trial balloon for Friday night home games during the season? Stay tuned.