Cubs, Neighbors Spar Over More Night Games
By Chuck Sudo in News on Jun 4, 2013 7:45PM
A proposal to increase the number of night games at Wrigley Field took center stage during City Council License Committee hearings Tuesday, with the ballpark’s neighbors claiming expanding number of night games, late Friday afternoon starts and other nighttime events at the Friendly Confines would hamper their quality of life.
The legislation, which passed the License Committee this afternoon, would increase the number of night games at Wrigley Field to 40 starting next season, with five games held back to satisfy any national television commitments. The amendment to the ordinance also authorizes another six night games that would not count against the night game limit if they’re required to meet national broadcast commitments, and six 3:05 p.m. Friday starts. All these changes are components of the Cubs’ Wrigley Field plan to fund renovations to Wrigley Field.
The Lake View Citizens Council, which represents 10 neighborhood organizations, expressed their opposition to the ordinance in a May letter to Emanuel and countered with 33 night games and no late Friday afternoon starts. LVCC President Will DeMille wrote in the letter to Emanuel:
“We believe that an increase to 33 night games is a fair resolution for all…However, if the proposed 46 night game proposal is to be in the final approved revision, we demand that each night game beyond 40 in a season serve to reduce — on-a-one-to-one basis, the total number of night or 3:05 p.m. games in the immediately following season.”
The Cubs had their own problems with the ordinance. Team vice president Mike Lufrano criticized limiting Saturday night games to two, as well as a portion of the proposal that would count any “non-baseball events” toward the total number of night games the Cubs would be allowed the following season.
The ordinance goes before a full City Council vote Wednesday.