I had a long night on Tuesday night. Long enough to cause me to doze off during the Cubs-Braves game last night. It was a mercy doze. I was awake for long enough to hear Len Kasper say, “You want to be careful here,” to John Grabow. Through half-closed eyes, I saw Chipper Jones hit a baseball what appeared to be approximately 600 feet to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. I dozed off and only woke up long enough to watch Billy Wagner make some Cubs look stupid, and then shake hands with some of his teammates. I assume the game was over at that point.
Incidentally, why the hell was I forced to watch the Cubs on CSN+, after having to watch them on WCIU Monday? The Cubs couldn’t find a better place to stick their Opening Day game than between a Moesha rerun and Tyler Perry’s How Is It Possible that I Still Exist?
No matter. I guess I should stop burying the lede, huh? Our good friend PAUL SULLIVAN reported yesterday that this year, you’re going to be paying good money to watch this amazing Cubs bullpen. In fact, you’re going to be paying more money than the fans of any other team in baseball. That includes the brand-new-ballparked 2000 and 2009 World Champion New York Yankees, the 2007 and 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox, and the 2005 (no, seriously) World Champion Chicago White Sox. Also, the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies, the 2006 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, the 2003 World Champion Florida Marlins, the 2002 World Champion Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees have SIXTEEN-HUNDRED-DOLLAR TICKETS in their park, yet the Cubs managed to out-average them. The Yankees also have bathrooms that don’t stink of urine, seats that don’t stink of Woo-Woo, and players that don’t stink of Theriot.
Oh, and the Cubs’ 10% increase in ticket prices was second only to the Minnesota Twins, whose boost only came because they moved from a car show venue to an actual, honest-to-goodness ballpark.
It’s two games into the season, and I’m angrier than a Cubs fan in July.
luckily I go to games in cincinnati where there are still $5 tickets… and since nobody goes to GABP you can move down to within a section of the dugout with a $5 ticket.
Ten bucks says we sign a bunch of bullpen guys next year.
Same guy as Derrick Rose Has No Thorns (This name is better). Anyway, that’s why I would prefer to go to Milwaukee, home of the buffalo butt bitches to watch a game if I wasn’t stationed here in Germany (It rules, BTW). It’s not that cheap to watch my Sox, either; that team has the 4th highest average ticket price in MLB and the parking ticket charges have to at least be top three. Finally in reference to Mohesha, Brandy’s brother allegedly pissed on Kim Kardashian. That almost makes that show hot shit by default.
PLUS, maybe Randall Simon will do a reprise of his sausage smacking trick!! Maybe he’s been watching the Sopranos and this time he’ll get the job done right!!!!!
The ticket thing is sort of a goofy statistic. Most ballparks have large numbers of the high-end tickets reserved for “premium seating”, so they don’t count in the ticket average that all the media outlets are referring to. So, a place like Yankee stadium, that has many tickets much more expensive than Wrigley, appears to have less expensive seats because they’re not including 16% of the tickets, which are the most expensive seats. Wrigley only has something like 1% of seats as “premium”, which is why we’re skewed to the top of the list.
The point being, people pay to see the games no matter what the price is, so they don’t have to have “premium” seats. If people hate the prices so much, don’t go. That is how you vote in capitalism…with your wallet.
I would mind the ripoff less if our team was really, really good.