Look, it appears to me that the competition is over as far as the starting rotation is concerned.
Randy Wells should be the 4th starter.
Andrew Cashner should be the 5th starter.
Carlos Silva should be given to some other team.
Cashner may not have proved he's up to the task yet, but as a team that is rebuilding (and don't let anyone fool you into thinking they are not), it makes virtually no sense not to let this kid at least try to starter for about 2 or 3 months.
Wells, from all reports, is zeroed in this spring and statistically is looking great.
********************
According to FedEx, my season tickets will be arriving tomorrow.
I've never been quite this indifferent about their arrival.
That might change when I have them in my hands, as I prepare for a great season of Cubs baseball. *cough...cough*
It does give me the chance to identify which games I absolutely must go to this year...um...opening day, the games against the Yankees...um...are there any others that really should interest me significantly? Ii guess I'd probably go see the Giants when then come to town (in two different series? How can we be so lucky?).
But it's baseball. It's the Cubs. It will be fun.
Showing posts with label season tickets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label season tickets. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Peace of mind before my final season as a season ticket holder.
Tim over at Tales from Aisle 424 has written a couple posts in relation to season ticket holder renewal rate this year over the last few days. His estimations were, quite frankly, pretty shocking. His numbers were based on the very few snippets of information that he has gathered from various reports over the last month or so.
Someone from the Cubs responded to his estimations to try to tell him that he was way off when he said that 10% of the season ticket holders didn't renew this season. I don't know, I think I believe Tim a bit more than someone from the Cubs ticket office.
Honestly, of all the season ticket holders that I know from last season, over half of them didn't renew this year. So in my book, the renewal rate must have been under 50%.
The truth is, if the Cubs wouldn't have rushed my decision this past fall, I wouldn't have renew this year either.
Yes, this is my final year as a season ticket holder. I suppose that I could change my mind, but this is the first time I've ever gone into a season thinking that. And for some reason, it gives me some peace of mind knowing this is my last season of doing this, especially with absolutely no expectations of this team being any good this year. I like the idea of going to the games for once last go around, with nothing at stake, to be outside watching my favorite sport and my favorite team and just maybe there won't be as many morons in the stands to ruin it all for me.
Yes, I'll still go to Cubs games after 2012...but I won't go to very many games and I won't get to sit in "my seats". In a way, I guess it is better this way that I did renew this season. I feel like I can get my house in order before the final day comes, so to speak.
I continue to wonder if there are some other alternatives to flatly giving up my season tickets...sell half my package to someone else who is currently on the waiting list...keep the entire package and put all the tickets up on StubHub...but that just doesn't seem right. The specter of knowing that I'll never have this opportunity again once made it difficult even consider doing this. I'm older, married, have a couple kids, and the realization that I'm not very likely to ever move back to Chicago have all made the decision very easy now.
I never got my package because I thought the Cubs were finally going to turn things around or were heading in the right direction. I got it because it was a dream of mine. It was strange...on a day in late January in 2003 I heard an advertisement on the radio for Cubs season ticket packages. Just for the hell of it, I sent an e-mail to the Cubs ticket office asking about different plans. They sent me the information. I responded back with my phone number after which a ticket agent called me almost immediately. I found a plan that I could afford at the time, and because my work obligations were so small during that period, I was able to buy a weekday afternoon package and go to most of the games.
And then there was the 2003 season. What a trip! It was supposed to be just a one year thing, but after 2003 I started feeling that I could never give up my tickets. The Cubs had ups and downs...I had ups and downs. There were a couple of years where I almost decided to give up my tickets...especially after the 2005 season. But I hung on until now.
I look forward to watching a lot of games this year. In fact, I'm thinking that I will probably go to more games this year than any of my previous 8 years as a season ticket holder. For the most part, this team is likable. There are a number of young players on it who, I think, will play hard. They may not be very good, but it's baseball. I will enjoy every pitch.
This spring training season has been extremely quiet to this point. Outside of Zambrano declaring to the world that he has cured his anger, not much is happening. No one has gotten hurt. No one is making declarations that the Cubs will go all the way this year. No manager is coming in and giving ridiculous false hope to everyone.
This quiet spring gives me time to realize how much fun it has been to go to all these games during the last 8 years, but it is time to move on with other priorities. It will be a shame to not be able to take my son to games in "my seats", but my family never had season tickets when I was growing up and we still went to games. It was baseball. It was the Cubs. And I loved it. The same will be true with my son.
So I can't wait for this season to start. And I look forward to the end.
Someone from the Cubs responded to his estimations to try to tell him that he was way off when he said that 10% of the season ticket holders didn't renew this season. I don't know, I think I believe Tim a bit more than someone from the Cubs ticket office.
Honestly, of all the season ticket holders that I know from last season, over half of them didn't renew this year. So in my book, the renewal rate must have been under 50%.
The truth is, if the Cubs wouldn't have rushed my decision this past fall, I wouldn't have renew this year either.
Yes, this is my final year as a season ticket holder. I suppose that I could change my mind, but this is the first time I've ever gone into a season thinking that. And for some reason, it gives me some peace of mind knowing this is my last season of doing this, especially with absolutely no expectations of this team being any good this year. I like the idea of going to the games for once last go around, with nothing at stake, to be outside watching my favorite sport and my favorite team and just maybe there won't be as many morons in the stands to ruin it all for me.
Yes, I'll still go to Cubs games after 2012...but I won't go to very many games and I won't get to sit in "my seats". In a way, I guess it is better this way that I did renew this season. I feel like I can get my house in order before the final day comes, so to speak.
I continue to wonder if there are some other alternatives to flatly giving up my season tickets...sell half my package to someone else who is currently on the waiting list...keep the entire package and put all the tickets up on StubHub...but that just doesn't seem right. The specter of knowing that I'll never have this opportunity again once made it difficult even consider doing this. I'm older, married, have a couple kids, and the realization that I'm not very likely to ever move back to Chicago have all made the decision very easy now.
I never got my package because I thought the Cubs were finally going to turn things around or were heading in the right direction. I got it because it was a dream of mine. It was strange...on a day in late January in 2003 I heard an advertisement on the radio for Cubs season ticket packages. Just for the hell of it, I sent an e-mail to the Cubs ticket office asking about different plans. They sent me the information. I responded back with my phone number after which a ticket agent called me almost immediately. I found a plan that I could afford at the time, and because my work obligations were so small during that period, I was able to buy a weekday afternoon package and go to most of the games.
And then there was the 2003 season. What a trip! It was supposed to be just a one year thing, but after 2003 I started feeling that I could never give up my tickets. The Cubs had ups and downs...I had ups and downs. There were a couple of years where I almost decided to give up my tickets...especially after the 2005 season. But I hung on until now.
I look forward to watching a lot of games this year. In fact, I'm thinking that I will probably go to more games this year than any of my previous 8 years as a season ticket holder. For the most part, this team is likable. There are a number of young players on it who, I think, will play hard. They may not be very good, but it's baseball. I will enjoy every pitch.
This spring training season has been extremely quiet to this point. Outside of Zambrano declaring to the world that he has cured his anger, not much is happening. No one has gotten hurt. No one is making declarations that the Cubs will go all the way this year. No manager is coming in and giving ridiculous false hope to everyone.
This quiet spring gives me time to realize how much fun it has been to go to all these games during the last 8 years, but it is time to move on with other priorities. It will be a shame to not be able to take my son to games in "my seats", but my family never had season tickets when I was growing up and we still went to games. It was baseball. It was the Cubs. And I loved it. The same will be true with my son.
So I can't wait for this season to start. And I look forward to the end.
Friday, December 17, 2010
2010 Season Ticket Holder gift
Every year the Cubs send their season ticket holders a gift in December. For many years it was a Cubs calender, which was nice because I seem to always for get to buy a calender for the upcoming year. Last year, the Rickettses first as owner, they broke with this trend sent a baseball cap with "Season Ticket Holder" embroidered on the back of it.
I received my 2010 Holiday gift in the mail yesterday:
If you can't figure it out, it is a license plate holder with, again "Season Ticket Holder" labeled on the top.
I'm not sure what the idea here is, but the last two years the Cubs have given gifts, that if used, could be construed as "showing off" the fact that someone am in fact a season ticket holder like they're some special person and "Na-na-na-na boo-boo!! I have season tickets and you don't!!!"
I kinda miss the calenders.
I received my 2010 Holiday gift in the mail yesterday:
If you can't figure it out, it is a license plate holder with, again "Season Ticket Holder" labeled on the top.
I'm not sure what the idea here is, but the last two years the Cubs have given gifts, that if used, could be construed as "showing off" the fact that someone am in fact a season ticket holder like they're some special person and "Na-na-na-na boo-boo!! I have season tickets and you don't!!!"
I kinda miss the calenders.
Friday, October 29, 2010
The deed is done
So, now, does anyone have a few thousand dollars they could give me?
Oh Cubs...I can't quit you.
Decision day
Today I need to make a decision on whether or not I’ll renew my season ticket package.
Technically, I have until Monday, but the Cubs supposedly need the response by then, so in order to fax them the selection in time, I need to decide today before I leave work.
And I still don’t know what I’m going to do. For the most part, the people around me seem to be rather “pro-renewing”.
The reasons for renewing are simple…I like going to the games, it’s something that in the future I’ll be able to take my kids to, the possibility of getting playoff tickets. The reasons for not keeping them are almost entirely financial.
Some people think that this argument has more to do with whether or not the team is good. That isn’t really it at all. I love going to the ballpark. I love watching baseball. It’s not the social aspect that many people go. I go there not to interact with the fans. I go there to watch baseball. Wrigley is my sanctuary win or lose. It’s my way to get away from the stress of work.
But it’s expensive. It’s something I started doing before I had kids and before I got married. It might be something that a person with these responsibilities no longer has the luxury to do, not just financially, but because of the time cost as well (remember, I live in Wisconsin).
So, as the hours tick down, I have a decision to make.
Technically, I have until Monday, but the Cubs supposedly need the response by then, so in order to fax them the selection in time, I need to decide today before I leave work.
And I still don’t know what I’m going to do. For the most part, the people around me seem to be rather “pro-renewing”.
The reasons for renewing are simple…I like going to the games, it’s something that in the future I’ll be able to take my kids to, the possibility of getting playoff tickets. The reasons for not keeping them are almost entirely financial.
Some people think that this argument has more to do with whether or not the team is good. That isn’t really it at all. I love going to the ballpark. I love watching baseball. It’s not the social aspect that many people go. I go there not to interact with the fans. I go there to watch baseball. Wrigley is my sanctuary win or lose. It’s my way to get away from the stress of work.
But it’s expensive. It’s something I started doing before I had kids and before I got married. It might be something that a person with these responsibilities no longer has the luxury to do, not just financially, but because of the time cost as well (remember, I live in Wisconsin).
So, as the hours tick down, I have a decision to make.
Monday, October 18, 2010
The annual dilemma
Every year at this time I start having a debate in my head about whether or not to renew my season ticket package.
The usually send out renewal notices in early December, with the balance for the tickets becoming due in mid January.
That usually gives me a couple months after the season is over to reflect on things, and to begin to miss baseball to the point where it is a not much of an issue when pressed to renew the package.
I got my season ticket renewal notification on Friday…almost a month and a half earlier than usual. On top of that, the Cubs want to know if I’m going to renew my package by November 1st.
My annual dilemma has arrived a little early this year.
I’ve said previously that I had every intension of renewing next season. That has changed a bit. I’m not sure what I’m going to do at this point. And there are so many other factors I have to consider this year.
The Cubs “flat” ticket price policy once again is a bunch of smoke and mirrors…I paid $6592.32 for my package last year…this year that price is up almost $200…a 3% increase (much less substantial than last year’s 20% jump).
If you want a detailed outline of the ticket price “rearrangement”, then you can go over to Aisle 424 and Tim will give you a nice outline of the convoluted arrangement.
So, this is where it stands…I have 2 weeks to decide if I’m going to re-up. Unfortunately for me, I have several new factors to take into account this year including a depleted savings due to my purchase of a new house, my second child who is due in 3 months, and a shaky job situation. Taking these things into consideration, along with the fact that, without a reduction in ticket prices, and a reduced team payroll, I believe the secondary market for tickets (for which I use for games I am unable to attend) will be bad again this season (perhaps worse), I am having a hard time convincing myself that I should renew.
The dilemma is always the idea that once I give up the package, I’ll never get it back. The waiting list, as the Cubs remarked in their letter on Friday, is at 116,000. They have every right to demand decisions be made earlier than usual. And then there is also the never ending dilemma of playoff tickets. For some of the seasons, I only renewed my package for the express reason of being ensured playoff tickets. That won’t be a draw this time.
So…that’s that. I’ve got 2 weeks to make a decision. I start to wonder things like, “If I were to drop the package, could I still effectively write this blog?”, “Is there someone I could split the package with?” and “Even if I do by the tickets…what is the added cost of going to the games going to be next year?”
In this time, with so many people out of work and struggling, I feel selfish that I even have the opportunity to make this decision. But it’s there none-the-less. Having the season ticket package and working two jobs to be able to financially deal with that while at the same time trying to find time to spend with my expanding family and to continue to support this blog is a lot.
I have two weeks to decide…
Tick
Tock
The usually send out renewal notices in early December, with the balance for the tickets becoming due in mid January.
That usually gives me a couple months after the season is over to reflect on things, and to begin to miss baseball to the point where it is a not much of an issue when pressed to renew the package.
I got my season ticket renewal notification on Friday…almost a month and a half earlier than usual. On top of that, the Cubs want to know if I’m going to renew my package by November 1st.
My annual dilemma has arrived a little early this year.
I’ve said previously that I had every intension of renewing next season. That has changed a bit. I’m not sure what I’m going to do at this point. And there are so many other factors I have to consider this year.
The Cubs “flat” ticket price policy once again is a bunch of smoke and mirrors…I paid $6592.32 for my package last year…this year that price is up almost $200…a 3% increase (much less substantial than last year’s 20% jump).
If you want a detailed outline of the ticket price “rearrangement”, then you can go over to Aisle 424 and Tim will give you a nice outline of the convoluted arrangement.
So, this is where it stands…I have 2 weeks to decide if I’m going to re-up. Unfortunately for me, I have several new factors to take into account this year including a depleted savings due to my purchase of a new house, my second child who is due in 3 months, and a shaky job situation. Taking these things into consideration, along with the fact that, without a reduction in ticket prices, and a reduced team payroll, I believe the secondary market for tickets (for which I use for games I am unable to attend) will be bad again this season (perhaps worse), I am having a hard time convincing myself that I should renew.
The dilemma is always the idea that once I give up the package, I’ll never get it back. The waiting list, as the Cubs remarked in their letter on Friday, is at 116,000. They have every right to demand decisions be made earlier than usual. And then there is also the never ending dilemma of playoff tickets. For some of the seasons, I only renewed my package for the express reason of being ensured playoff tickets. That won’t be a draw this time.
So…that’s that. I’ve got 2 weeks to make a decision. I start to wonder things like, “If I were to drop the package, could I still effectively write this blog?”, “Is there someone I could split the package with?” and “Even if I do by the tickets…what is the added cost of going to the games going to be next year?”
In this time, with so many people out of work and struggling, I feel selfish that I even have the opportunity to make this decision. But it’s there none-the-less. Having the season ticket package and working two jobs to be able to financially deal with that while at the same time trying to find time to spend with my expanding family and to continue to support this blog is a lot.
I have two weeks to decide…
Tick
Tock
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Cubs' Ticket office comes through for the Doc!!!!
This will be the eighth year I have had a season ticket package with the Chicago Cubs...
I first purchased my season tickets in 2003. It was intended to be a bit of therapy for me as I was going through a rough stretch in my life.
Not much was expected out of the 2003 season as the Cubs were considered in a rebuilding process. Even with that, there was renewed optimism with Dusty Baker and his toothpick just being hired...one of the biggest names for a manager that the Cubs had hired in my lifetime.
In 2003 I could only afford to get the Cubs Double-Play season ticket package. This consisted of all the Wednesday and Friday afternoon games. It amounted to about 24 games. This was nice since it was relatively affordable and it gave me a chance to see what it would be like to go to a lot of games during the course of a season.
When I first got the season ticket package, I asked the ticket office if I would be able to upgrade my package in following years. They replied that yes I so be able to, but probably not in the same seats...but, yes, upgrading wouldn't be much of a problem. This was important for me because I was at a transition point in my job and might not be able to use the ticket package I had signed up for in future seasons.
It was truly exciting for me...especially early in the year. I loved going to those April games in the cold with only 20,000 people in the stands (if even that!). Very relaxing...able to focus on the game without any distractions. And it was exciting later in the year as the Cubs got better and took the division title. Being able to experience so much of that special season, having been a life long Cub fan, was great.
Well, we all know what happened in 2003....the Cubs had an unbelievably great 2nd half of the season, and they ultimately worked their way to 5 outs from the World Series.
Time came for me to renew my tickets for the 2004 season. Well, I knew I was going be much busier at work and that going to weekday afternoon games would be difficult for me. But after the 2003 season I decided I could never give up my season tickets...it was just too much fun. I just needed different games from the ones in my package.
With the success of the 2003 season, a new wave of popularity hit the Cubs, and in 2004 the Cubs sold out all of their season tickets for the first time.
This produced a problem for me. Why? The Cubs announced that they were not going to allow any upgrades or changes on existing season ticket packages.
Well shit!
I was suck with my Double-Play plan.
So for the next 6 years I had to pick and choose to go to only a handful of games each year, and try to sell the rest of my tickets for games I couldn't go to. I didn't mind too much, really. I actually felt lucky that I got in on season tickets before the Cubs ran out of seats. One other unfortunate thing was as the Cubs added night games during that stretch, the number of tickets in the Double-Play plan got fewer each year (since night games where not included in that package), giving me less flexibility in the games I could attend.
Now 2010 comes and the season ticket waiting list is over 120,000 people long. Something happened, though...the Cubs announced that due to various factors including stadium expansion and the fact the Tribune Co. didn't need a number of tickets anymore, they would be opening up a number of new season ticket packages and also opening up the ability for existing season ticket holders to upgrade their seats. The upgrades were only said to be within the season ticket packages that the person held currently and the availability of the upgrades were based on seniority.
I sent a note to my ticket rep and asked her if they would be upgrading any packages and that I have wanted to move to the Combination Plan for a number of years. That plan includes tickets for all the night and weekend games, which would allow me to attend more games without interfering with other parts of my life as much. The response I got was that they didn't expect to be able to do that this year, but to make the request on my renewal form anyway just in case.
I did just that.
That was back in the middle of December.
Over a month passed and all this had escaped my mind.
Then Tuesday I received an e-mail from my ticket rep offering me a chance to upgrade to the Combination Plan....the seats weren't as good...one section further down the baseline from where I currently was and a few rows further back...but it was what I had been wanting for a long time.
It's a lot more money, and I basically need my wife to get a new job, and I'll have to sell my house...but it's all worth it. (and before you have to ask, yes, I'm sure I'll be selling some of the tickets...so if anyone ever needs any...)
Thank you Cubs!!!
I first purchased my season tickets in 2003. It was intended to be a bit of therapy for me as I was going through a rough stretch in my life.
Not much was expected out of the 2003 season as the Cubs were considered in a rebuilding process. Even with that, there was renewed optimism with Dusty Baker and his toothpick just being hired...one of the biggest names for a manager that the Cubs had hired in my lifetime.
In 2003 I could only afford to get the Cubs Double-Play season ticket package. This consisted of all the Wednesday and Friday afternoon games. It amounted to about 24 games. This was nice since it was relatively affordable and it gave me a chance to see what it would be like to go to a lot of games during the course of a season.
When I first got the season ticket package, I asked the ticket office if I would be able to upgrade my package in following years. They replied that yes I so be able to, but probably not in the same seats...but, yes, upgrading wouldn't be much of a problem. This was important for me because I was at a transition point in my job and might not be able to use the ticket package I had signed up for in future seasons.
It was truly exciting for me...especially early in the year. I loved going to those April games in the cold with only 20,000 people in the stands (if even that!). Very relaxing...able to focus on the game without any distractions. And it was exciting later in the year as the Cubs got better and took the division title. Being able to experience so much of that special season, having been a life long Cub fan, was great.
Well, we all know what happened in 2003....the Cubs had an unbelievably great 2nd half of the season, and they ultimately worked their way to 5 outs from the World Series.
Time came for me to renew my tickets for the 2004 season. Well, I knew I was going be much busier at work and that going to weekday afternoon games would be difficult for me. But after the 2003 season I decided I could never give up my season tickets...it was just too much fun. I just needed different games from the ones in my package.
With the success of the 2003 season, a new wave of popularity hit the Cubs, and in 2004 the Cubs sold out all of their season tickets for the first time.
This produced a problem for me. Why? The Cubs announced that they were not going to allow any upgrades or changes on existing season ticket packages.
Well shit!
I was suck with my Double-Play plan.
So for the next 6 years I had to pick and choose to go to only a handful of games each year, and try to sell the rest of my tickets for games I couldn't go to. I didn't mind too much, really. I actually felt lucky that I got in on season tickets before the Cubs ran out of seats. One other unfortunate thing was as the Cubs added night games during that stretch, the number of tickets in the Double-Play plan got fewer each year (since night games where not included in that package), giving me less flexibility in the games I could attend.
Now 2010 comes and the season ticket waiting list is over 120,000 people long. Something happened, though...the Cubs announced that due to various factors including stadium expansion and the fact the Tribune Co. didn't need a number of tickets anymore, they would be opening up a number of new season ticket packages and also opening up the ability for existing season ticket holders to upgrade their seats. The upgrades were only said to be within the season ticket packages that the person held currently and the availability of the upgrades were based on seniority.
I sent a note to my ticket rep and asked her if they would be upgrading any packages and that I have wanted to move to the Combination Plan for a number of years. That plan includes tickets for all the night and weekend games, which would allow me to attend more games without interfering with other parts of my life as much. The response I got was that they didn't expect to be able to do that this year, but to make the request on my renewal form anyway just in case.
I did just that.
That was back in the middle of December.
Over a month passed and all this had escaped my mind.
Then Tuesday I received an e-mail from my ticket rep offering me a chance to upgrade to the Combination Plan....the seats weren't as good...one section further down the baseline from where I currently was and a few rows further back...but it was what I had been wanting for a long time.
It's a lot more money, and I basically need my wife to get a new job, and I'll have to sell my house...but it's all worth it. (and before you have to ask, yes, I'm sure I'll be selling some of the tickets...so if anyone ever needs any...)
Thank you Cubs!!!
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