Cubs thought of the day 6-20-12: Unpopular rivalry

The Cubs are concluding their 3 game series at the Cell against the White Sox tonight...and for the third straight game, the attendance has been less than impressive.  

In fact, all 6 games against the White Sox this year have had rather unimpressive attendance numbers.  

So as Major League Baseball looks to make adjustments to the schedule in 2013 to accommodate the Astros' move to the AL West, I have to ask, why protect the rivalry games?  A similar attendance drop in the New York rivalry series has occurred.  Either these rivalries have become way too noncompetitive or fans are tired of the same thing every year.  

I vote for the latter, but either way, it's time to mix things up a bit and move these rivalry games to be held only once every 3 years.