There had not been a World Series crowd "so divided in loyalty" in at least 40 years as there was last night for Cubs-Indians Game 7, as a large number of Cubs fans "paid huge prices for tickets on the secondary market," according to Thomas Boswell of the WASHINGTON POST. Some Cubs fans, if they "risked buying from scalpers who might have bogus tickets, got 'bargains' as low as $1,200." But one pair of tickets behind the Cubs’ dugout for last night's Game 7 "was sold on StubHub for $23,000 -- apiece" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/3). In Chicago, Danny Ecker reported prior to the game that 60% of tickets purchased on StubHub came "from Illinois residents." SeatGeek saw 44% of buyers "coming from Illinois compared to 11 percent from Ohio." Chicago "accounted for 42% of traffic to the site's Game 7, compared with just 6 percent from Cleveland" (CHICAGOBUSINESS.com, 11/2). Cubs Senior VP/Scouting & Player Development Jason McLeod after the game said, "I expected a big contingent in Cleveland. I didn't expect them to get that many tickets into the ballpark. ... It looked like they took up a third of the ballpark if not more. It was phenomenal" (CSNCHICAGO.com, 11/3).
AS THE WIND BLOWS: In Chicago, Paul Sullivan writes the "sea of blue-and-white jerseys in the stands two hours before the first pitch made it apparent this was not going to be just another road game." The Cubs "received a raucous ovation as they walked off the field at the end of batting practice," while Progressive Field "erupted" after Cubs CF Dexter Fowler lead off home run in the first inning. Sullivan: "Occupation Cleveland was underway" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/3). USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes with "thousands of Cubs fans flooding northeast Ohio," Progressive Field "sounded more like" Wrigley Field. Only after the Indians tied the game in the third inning did it "begin to feel like a Cleveland home game" (USATODAY.com, 11/3). On Long Island, David Lennon notes the "roar inside Progressive Field was shocking at first, a stunning takeover by the Chicago invaders." The decibel-level "produced by the visiting Cubs’ faction was unlike anything we’ve heard from a traveling crowd at a playoff game" (NEWSDAY, 11/3). USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale notes "half the sellout crowd of 38,104 seemingly" were cheering for the Cubs (USA TODAY, 11/3).
THE AFTER PARTY: MLB.com's Alyson Footer writes Progressive Field "turned into a Cubs party" after the team's 8-7 victory. About 15,000 "adoring fans filled nearly the entire lower bowl to celebrate." The "familiar tune 'Go, Cubs, Go' cascaded down from the stands as Cubs players celebrated." Fans formed a line 25 rows deep behind the visitors' dugout and "all the way around, from foul pole to foul pole" (MLB.com, 11/3). In N.Y, Billy Witz notes thousands of fans "lingered for nearly an hour after the game, moving into the field level of the stadium, waving the ubiquitous W flags" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/3).
