In the fall of 1987, Chicago mayor Harold Washington proposed a compromise ordinance to the Chicago City Council providing for the Cubs to install lights but play a limited night schedule. Washington died a week after the compromise was proposed, but the city eventually approved a compromise in February 1988 under interim mayor Eugene Sawyer.
Major League Baseball responded by awarding the Cubs the 1990 All-Star Game.
Starting with their first full season with lights, in 1989, as part of the compromise with the city, the Cubs were limited to 18 night games within their 81-game regular season schedule, plus any post-season games that might have to be played at night for TV scheduling reasons.
In recent years, the Cubs have successfully lobbied for additional regular-season night games (up to a potential 30 per year, as of 2007).
However, per their agreement with the city, they still play most of their games during the day. Due to the limited night schedule, night games at Wrigley Field are considered an "event" and are almost always sold out well in advance.
wil.
Major League Baseball responded by awarding the Cubs the 1990 All-Star Game.
Starting with their first full season with lights, in 1989, as part of the compromise with the city, the Cubs were limited to 18 night games within their 81-game regular season schedule, plus any post-season games that might have to be played at night for TV scheduling reasons.
In recent years, the Cubs have successfully lobbied for additional regular-season night games (up to a potential 30 per year, as of 2007).
However, per their agreement with the city, they still play most of their games during the day. Due to the limited night schedule, night games at Wrigley Field are considered an "event" and are almost always sold out well in advance.
wil.
:sadbb:
Cubs want weekend night game ban lifted
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 5, 2008
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<!-- Article By Line -->BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->The Cubs want the City Council to lift the ban on Friday and Saturday night games at Wrigley Field to minimize player fatigue during the dog days of summer, but it'll be a tough sell in Wrigleyville.
The 1988 agreement that paved the way for lights and up to 18 night games at Wrigley -- and the 2004 deal that phased in 12 more -- forbids weekend night games to minimize sanitation, parking, crime and congestion problems associated with night baseball.
Now, the Cubs want to lift that weekend ban starting next season and use it a few times-a-year -- whenever the team has a late flight to Chicago after a Thursday or Friday night road game and players could use a few extra hours' sleep.
"It might benefit the Cubs, but I don't think it would benefit the community. The challenge of bringing 40,000 people into the neighborhood is a burden on the community," said Ald. Tom Tunney (44th).
"We're at capacity on Friday and Saturday evenings. There's enough activity with the neighborhood restaurants and bars without the Cubs having night games. There might be unneeded extra activity at a time when those businesses are pretty full."
David Winner, former president of the LakeView Citizens Council, said Clark Street has turned into the "the new Rush Street" for 20- and 30-somethings on Friday and Saturday night.
"To add another 40,000 people to that just doesn't make sense. The neighborhood just can't handle that influx of people. There's not enough room. Each bar will end up being over-capacity.Traffic will get out of hand. I don't know if the transportation system can handle it," Winner said.
During failed negotiations aimed at convincing the state to buy and renovate Wrigley, Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney raised the possibility of adding more night games to get the Cubs closer to the league average of 54.
But, Kenney insisted Monday that, for now at least, the Cubs are prepared to live with the 30-night game limit. They simply need the "flexibility" to play a few of those night games on Friday or Saturday to combat travel fatigue that can sink a team during the home stretch.
On Thursday night June 19, the Cubs flew in late after a night game in Tampa Bay and had to play the White Sox at 1:20 p.m. at Wrigley the following day.
"It's not that we won or lost that day. [They beat the Sox 4-3]. It's the toll it takes on you. It's about measuring our schedule up against weather and the time of year and giving ourselves the best chance to win," Kenney said.
"When I hear from the players, manager and training staff, 'Why can't we play Friday night games. It would be helpful,' I'm reacting to what I hear in the clubhouse."
Kenney denied that weekend night games would pose a burden Wrigleyville can't handle.
"Initially, the thought from residents was, 'We don't need night games clogging up our streets on Friday and Saturday.' But, given the build-up of the bar and restaurant district, Friday and Saturday nights are already pretty crazy. The crowd arrives at noon and leaves in the wee hours. If it's a night game,the crowd would show up a little later," he said.
Cubs want weekend night game ban lifted
<!-- Article Publish Date -->August 5, 2008
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<!-- Article By Line -->BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com
<!-- Article's First Paragraph --><!-- BlogBurst ContentStart -->The Cubs want the City Council to lift the ban on Friday and Saturday night games at Wrigley Field to minimize player fatigue during the dog days of summer, but it'll be a tough sell in Wrigleyville.
The 1988 agreement that paved the way for lights and up to 18 night games at Wrigley -- and the 2004 deal that phased in 12 more -- forbids weekend night games to minimize sanitation, parking, crime and congestion problems associated with night baseball.
Now, the Cubs want to lift that weekend ban starting next season and use it a few times-a-year -- whenever the team has a late flight to Chicago after a Thursday or Friday night road game and players could use a few extra hours' sleep.
"It might benefit the Cubs, but I don't think it would benefit the community. The challenge of bringing 40,000 people into the neighborhood is a burden on the community," said Ald. Tom Tunney (44th).
"We're at capacity on Friday and Saturday evenings. There's enough activity with the neighborhood restaurants and bars without the Cubs having night games. There might be unneeded extra activity at a time when those businesses are pretty full."
David Winner, former president of the LakeView Citizens Council, said Clark Street has turned into the "the new Rush Street" for 20- and 30-somethings on Friday and Saturday night.
"To add another 40,000 people to that just doesn't make sense. The neighborhood just can't handle that influx of people. There's not enough room. Each bar will end up being over-capacity.Traffic will get out of hand. I don't know if the transportation system can handle it," Winner said.
During failed negotiations aimed at convincing the state to buy and renovate Wrigley, Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney raised the possibility of adding more night games to get the Cubs closer to the league average of 54.
But, Kenney insisted Monday that, for now at least, the Cubs are prepared to live with the 30-night game limit. They simply need the "flexibility" to play a few of those night games on Friday or Saturday to combat travel fatigue that can sink a team during the home stretch.
On Thursday night June 19, the Cubs flew in late after a night game in Tampa Bay and had to play the White Sox at 1:20 p.m. at Wrigley the following day.
"It's not that we won or lost that day. [They beat the Sox 4-3]. It's the toll it takes on you. It's about measuring our schedule up against weather and the time of year and giving ourselves the best chance to win," Kenney said.
"When I hear from the players, manager and training staff, 'Why can't we play Friday night games. It would be helpful,' I'm reacting to what I hear in the clubhouse."
Kenney denied that weekend night games would pose a burden Wrigleyville can't handle.
"Initially, the thought from residents was, 'We don't need night games clogging up our streets on Friday and Saturday.' But, given the build-up of the bar and restaurant district, Friday and Saturday nights are already pretty crazy. The crowd arrives at noon and leaves in the wee hours. If it's a night game,the crowd would show up a little later," he said.
