# Holy Cow! Chicago Cubs = EVIL!!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 23, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074 "2003-05-23T17:49:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/1 "2003-05-23T17:49:31Z")
[From Baseball Prospectus](http://premium.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1924)
I believe it’s non-premium.
From the article it appears that, to get around MLB revenue sharing rules they’ve been selling premium (and non) tickets to Wrigley Field to a ticket broker. The broker then ups the ante (the article quotes a $45 ticket going for $1500)
The kicker…
Ready?
The broker, Wrigley Field Premium, is **owned and operated** by the Cubs!
AHH!!!
This is worse that Microsoft!
So they get a face value price for the tickets. That’s reported to MLB for revenue purposes. Then, since they sold to themselves, they get to pocket the profit as a seperate entity not affiliated with MLB.
AHH!!!
Look, I love the Cubs. I was born and raised near Lincoln Square (Ravenswood El) right across the street from Grossinger Pontiac.
But this is EVIL!!!
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/2 "2003-05-23T18:09:17Z")
Pretty sick, eh? The Tribune Corp. (which owns the Cubs, the Chicago Tribune, etc.) apparently thought the usual ticket scalpers had a good deal going and wanted in on the action. The Chicago Sun-Times had a field day with that.
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### Author:  [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/3 "2003-05-23T18:11:37Z")
I dunno. I think the Cubs are a little too incompetent to be _evil_. They’re more like…mean-spirited bumblers. Like the bad guys in Scooby Doo.
(Yeah, the scheme seems pretty unethical.)
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/4 "2003-05-23T18:16:33Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \*
> **(the article quotes a $45 ticket going for $1500)**
Cripes, I know the Cubbies are in first place (for the moment), but who in their right mind is paying $1500 for a regular-season game???
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/5 "2003-05-23T18:32:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kyla \*
> \*\*I dunno. I think the Cubs are a little too incompetent to be _evil_. They’re more like…mean-spirited bumblers. Like the bad guys in Scooby Doo.
>
> (Yeah, the scheme seems pretty unethical.) \*\*
You’re only seeing the _team_.
The business office has **always** been one of the most efficient wallet-vaccuums ever produced.
EVIL, I tell you!
_ **EVILLLLLLLLLLL!!!** _
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### Author:  [@TaxGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TaxGuy)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/6 "2003-05-23T18:52:39Z")
Jesus Christ Almight.
I was going to call you people idiots, but since this is the Pit I’ll call you all fucking idiots. Take a fucking economics course or something and stop acting like children. I don’t have the time it would take to explain to you why what the Cubs did is not “evil.”
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### Author:  [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/7 "2003-05-23T18:53:06Z")
Yeah, what dimwit is buying Cubs tickets for $1500? Even if they are in the bleachers.
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### Author:  [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/8 "2003-05-23T18:54:52Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Kyla \*
> \*\*(Yeah, the scheme seems pretty unethical.) \*\*
Pretty unethical?
How much more unethical could it possibly get?
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### Author:  [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/9 "2003-05-23T18:56:07Z")
It not evil, TaxGuy, but it’s perilously close to cheating, regardless of its legality or illegality. And it’s pretty lame.
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/10 "2003-05-23T18:58:10Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TaxGuy \*
> \*\*Jesus Christ Almight.
>
> I was going to call you people idiots, but since this is the Pit I’ll call you all fucking idiots. Take a fucking economics course or something and stop acting like children. I don’t have the time it would take to explain to you why what the Cubs did is not “evil.” \*\*
Fuck you, dimwit. It’s called ‘hyperbole’. $10 says I piss more business econ in the morning than you ever knew.
And it’s clearly violating the collective bargaining agreement AND the revenue-sharing agreement between teams.
Toss in the ham-handed approach to covering it up and we’re looking at evil **and** stupid.
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### Author:  [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/11 "2003-05-23T19:00:04Z")
If they can get people to spend 1500 bucks to see the Cubbies, we need these guys negoitiating for us in government, dammit!
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### Author:  [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/12 "2003-05-23T19:07:54Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TaxGuy \*
> \*\*I don’t have the time it would take to explain to you why what the Cubs did is not “evil.” \*\*
But you had time to do this drive-by post.:rolleyes: :rolleyes:
AssHat.
Sure you have the time, you just can’t back it up.
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### Author:  [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/13 "2003-05-23T19:12:50Z")
I read this, and my only thought is: Does this help the Cubs reach the World Series? If yes, I see no problem with it. If no, then how can it be manipulated to get them to the World Series.
I am a simple man with simple desires. Unfortunately, I have 95 years of history conspiring against me.
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### Author:  [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/14 "2003-05-23T19:54:17Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I piss more business econ in the morning than you ever knew.
You should see a doctor about that.
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### Author:  [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/15 "2003-05-23T20:05:05Z")
Yet another reason there shouldn’t be a Pit: People making statements like “since this is the Pit I’ll call you all fucking idiots.” And then not backing up their own statements. Ignorance wins again, even here as the road team.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/16 "2003-05-23T20:09:51Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Colibri \*
> \*\*Cripes, I know the Cubbies are in first place (for the moment), but who in their right mind is paying $1500 for a regular-season game??? \*\*
Well, the Reds are selling tickets in their Laughably Overpriced Section of the Great American Ripoff for $225 each (regular price).
And they’re not even leading the division.
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/17 "2003-05-23T20:48:08Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jackmannii \*
> \*\*Well, the Reds are selling tickets in their Laughably Overpriced Section of the Great American Ripoff for $225 each (regular price).
>
> And they’re not even leading the division. \*\*
What are those, sky boxes or something? Theire website gives their maximum ticket price as $65.
The maximum ticket price for the Yankees, BTW, is $80.
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### Author:  [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/18 "2003-05-23T22:35:01Z")
I went to the Reds website recently and looked for tickets for a couple of games. The $225 seats came up under the default “best available” seat option. They’re behind home plate, but other than that I don’t know what fabulous amenities would make that price worthwhile.
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### Author:  [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/19 "2003-05-23T22:42:56Z")
Hey the Cubs are doing something smart for once- bully for them. Let the market set the price.
Heck they would have got away with it too, if it weren’t for those meddling kids!!
😉
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### Author:  [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-cow-chicago-cubs-evil/177074/20 "2003-05-23T23:34:12Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by elf6c \*
> \*\*Hey the Cubs are doing something smart for once- bully for them. Let the market set the price.
> \*\*
Your missing the point. They could let the market set the price all they want to by getting rid of “Wrigley Field Premium” and just chargeing the fans whatever they will pay.
However, by using themselves as their own ticket broker they can reduce their revenue sharing payment to MLB. The fans end up paying the same price regardless, but this way the Cubbies steal from the coffers of Major League Baseball. They are a drain on the system.
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