The Cubs have begun "cracking down" on season-ticket holders who resold their tickets last year, according to Patrick O'Connell of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. When the Cubs told fan Michael Wester his season tickets "were not being renewed, he was upset but not surprised." He had "made a bundle of money selling seats to coveted postseason games at Wrigley Field." Wester "readily admits" he sold more than 85% of his tickets, in upper deck sections 506 and 514, last season. The Cubs said that cracking down on fans like Wester is a way to "keep tickets in the hands of people who actually plan on attending the games." It is also a way for them to "try to maximize revenues." The Cubs "did not disclose how many other season ticket holders have received nonrenewal notices." Wester "attended about a half-dozen games in person." He called the Cubs "'hypocritical' for saying they cater to the average fan, then canceling his plan when he made money selling his sought-after tickets." Wester: "Where were they during the three or four years that I was doing this when I was losing money? They did absolutely nothing." O'Connell notes the Cubs' move is "hardly unprecedented, both in the team's recent history and among other MLB teams." After a 101-loss season in '12, the Cubs "revoked nearly 1,000 season tickets from about 40 customers suspected of scalping." The Cubs said that '16 regular-season tickets resold on StubHub.com for an average of 96% "above their face value." Postseason tickets went for 670% "above face value," including a 1,206% increase "for the three World Series games at Wrigley Field." Cubs Senior VP/Sales & Marketing Colin Faulkner said that they had a record 98% ticket renewal last year and a "waiting list of around 109,000" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 12/20).
