Chicago Cubs: Tom Ricketts speaks to season ticket holders

Chicago Cubs: Can players, owners reach a deal on money for 2020?

According to the AP, the MLBPA submitted a request for a bevy of financial documents from the league – comparable to what they might ask for during collective bargaining talks, which are also rapidly approaching – due to begin at the conclusion of the 2021 campaign. This will give the players a much clearer picture of what the sport is looking at in terms of finances as the two sides spar over a proposed revenue-sharing deal put forth by the owners.

Back to Ricketts’ chat with Cubs season ticket holders. The big comment that raised a lot of eyebrows from social media related to the organization’s revenue percentages that supposedly come from game day – a la tickets, parking, concessions, souvenirs and everything else that goes with 40,000 fans flocking to the Friendly Confines. According to Ricketts, that equates to roughly 70 percent of the team’s revenue – a figure that doesn’t paint Crane Kenney, the team’s president of business operations, in even a remotely flattering light.

Obviously, the team is working on countless plans and contingencies. As you’re all aware, we’re in uncharted waters when it comes to the current landscape as we’ve never quite seen anything like COVID-19 in our lifetimes. This includes plans for no fans at Wrigley Field, some fans (at some point) – and an eventual ‘normal’ game day experience. Right now, the Cubs have to plan for every possible outcome – because every day, the situation shifts and the target they’re aiming for moves.