Chicago Cubs: Could They Sell Out Every Game This Year?

Anticipation of Chicago Cubs’ fans for 2016 is at a feverish high. Could the team sell out every home date?

Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago wrote an interesting piece today on the possibility of the Chicago Cubs selling out every game of the 2016 season. This is no easy task as the unpredictable weather and early season games in April and May, make it difficult to sell out those games. With kids in school, parents at work, and the weather being unpredictable, fans might want to wait til the warm summer months to catch a Cubs game at the Friendly Confines.

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In 2015, the Cubs averaged 36,540 fans per game for a total of 2.95 million fans. That number would have likely been over 3 million fans if it wasn’t for the bleacher closures in the first two months of the season. Factor in the 4 playoff games the Cubs had at Wrigley, and they drew over 3 million fans.

2008 was the closest the Cubs have ever come to a season sellout, average over 40,000 fans per game and drawing over 3.3 million in attendance.  Seeing as Wrigley Field holds over 42,000 with standing room only tickets, the Cubs could surpass their all-time high in attendance set in 2008.

According to Tom Ricketts, tickets are already selling a stronger pace than last offseason, and sources indicate the Cubs have already sold 2 million tickets for games in 2016. Keep in mind that single game tickets are not yet on sale, which tickets will be hard to come by once they go on sale but Ricketts stated that most bleacher tickets will open for sale on daily basis.

The Cubs season ticket waiting list has already reached a franchise record 100,000 people and the Giants, who have won 3 championships in 6 years currently, have more than 400 straight sellouts. They are in a much warmer year round climate, though.

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Do you think the Cubs can sell out all 81 regular season home games? There is no question that they will draw 3 million fans, but how far beyond that can they go?