Cubs Ask Residents About Friday, Saturday Night Games

Wrigley Field is undoubtedly one of the largest attractions in Chicago, but to some Lake View residents, the noisy stadium can be more of an annoyance than a fun destination.

That’s why the Chicago Cubs are surveying neighborhood residents about what times the will Cubs play at Wrigley next year. A few weeks ago, the Cubs said they said they might reintroduce Friday games starting at 3:05 p.m., as well as adding more games on Saturday.

Neighborhood organizations have already begun asking their members how they feel about the potential schedule change in schedule in 2013, but the Cubs say it’s important that they survey the entire community to make a decision.

And according to some, bringing back afternoon games on Fridays might not be a bad idea.

"I love the idea of starting Friday games later than the standard 1:20 p.m. day game start," wrote Mike Sanders on EveryBlock. "Traditionally, the Cubs started Friday games at 2:20 p.m., but these were eliminated several years ago... The 2:20 p.m. games usually saw a spike in attendance and per (capita) spending both at the ball park and in the neighborhood..."

However, to others, the parking and traffic issues far outweigh the potential spike in local spending.

"Traffic on any given Friday at rush hour is outrageous," wrote Naprapath on EveryBlock. "What will happen when an additional 30,000 people try to jam themselves into the neighborhood? Saturday may be a little different, but Friday night? It already takes 45 mins to drive one mile around here!"

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The following are explanations given by the Cubs regarding the schedule changes on Fridays and Saturdays. Residents are asked to read the proposals and then vote in their two-question survey.

Friday Games Starting at 3:05 p.m.

“As we prepare for next season, we have an opportunity to return fan-favorite 3:05 p.m. Friday starts to the Friendly Confines. Many fans have indicated a desire to start games later to allow more fans coming from work to attend. This also provides the team additional time to adjust and prepare for Friday games when they return late on Thursday night from a road trip.”

Saturday Night Games

“In addition, the Cubs are currently prohibited from playing games on Saturday nights. As a result, the team often plays at noon on Saturday and fans arrive in the neighborhood as early as 10 a.m. Many community residents have suggested the team be allowed to play on Saturday evenings so fans would not arrive until later in the day to free up neighborhood streets during the morning and afternoon. There were two Saturday night games in 2010 and 2011. Each was well-received and provided an exciting evening of entertainment.”

• Take the survey here.

Have anything you think residents should know about the proposed changes? Let others know in the comments below.