The Cubs right now "are the epicenter of Chicago sports," as they "have the third-best record in baseball and could clinch a wild-card spot by this weekend," according to Nancy Armour of USA TODAY. With the Bears off to "such an ugly start they can pretty much begin their draft prep now, everyone is rushing to climb onto the Cubs bandwagon." Even with kids back in school, the Cubs "are drawing 30,000-plus during the week and 40,000 on weekends." Stores that "used to make way for Bears and Blackhawks jerseys now have Cubs apparel almost wall-to-wall." Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein said, "You start to see more Cubs shirts and hats around town. You just get the sense from the way people are interacting with you that they're watching the games more and certainly filling the ballpark up more." He added, "It enhances the whole experience when you start to get that feeling that the whole city is behind you." Armour notes as the team's losses "mounted in recent years, the Cubbie appeal wore thin," with attendance dropping from a franchise-record 3.3 million in '08 to 2.64 million in '13. Epstein: "I saw footage of the '03 run and 30,000 people outside the ballpark, so I've always had that image in the back of my mind. The first few years I was here, you had to fight for 30,000 inside the ballpark" (USA TODAY, 9/23).
YOU'VE BEEN THUNDERSTRUCK: In Chicago, Paul Sullivan writes the Wrigley Field concert era "should end now that the team is competitive and several other revenue-enhancers have been added, including the video boards and giant ads." Cubs manager Joe Maddon and SS Starlin Castro on Monday said last week's AC/DC concert resulted in damage to both the infield and outfield grass, though Maddon yesterday "flip-flopped" somewhat from those comments. The Cubs have had "many memorable shows over the years, including the moment Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder brought Ernie Banks onstage." However, if the Cubs "are serious about this championship thing, they have to put the baseball department’s needs ahead of the business operations department’s objectives." Sullivan: "I’m all for making money hand over fist, but not when it comes at the expense of your primary objective, which should be winning a World Series" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/23).
