3 reasons Cubs cut season ticket prices but can still spend big

The cost for Chicago Cubs season tickets is going to be decreasing by up to 5.1 percent for the 2023 season – an historically large drop. Being as the Cubs are about to step foot into what is projected to be a very expensive offseason, this has to be a great sign for the club financially.

We are just about two years separated from Tom Ricketts proclaiming the franchise was set to endure “biblical losses” do to the global pandemic that shortened the 2020 regular season to a mere 60 games. Part of this statement had to be a play to help Cubs fans mentally prepare to say goodbye to the World Series heroes of 2016 that are now almost completely gone from the roster (after this offseason, only Kyle Hendricks and former catcher – now manager David Ross will be the remaining pieces of that team).

After the 2021 season, fans were told financial flexibility was there to make a moves necessary to compete again, but president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer must not have seen what he wanted because minimal improvements were made to the roster outside of Seiya Suzuki and Marcus Stroman.

The Cubs have now had an additional full year of minimal spending to save up and make a move for 2023. Three key factors come to mind that have made the Cubs’ wallet as fat as ever and ready to reward fans for their patience and continued support.

The Marquee Sports Network is the exclusive regional home for Cubs baseball

At the end of the 2019 season, the organization bid farewell to NBC Sports Chicago, ABC 7, and our beloved WGN as broadcasting partners for Cubs games on television as they followed in the footsteps of the Dodgers and Yankees in creating their own network. Before the 2020 season began, Tom Ricketts very famously announced the beginning of Marquee Sports Network to fans at the Cubs Convention. It was not well received.

After two years, the network has expanded its content. Marquee is now home to more than just the big league ballgames. Cubs minor league affiliates have had their games aired on the network. Cubs-themed talk shows and game shows have also been created to fill time on-air. But it does not stop at baseball.

Chicago sports talk shows have been aired seasonally, as well as live and local college and WNBA Chicago Sky games. With all these things airing on the Cubs-owned network, this has to help contribute to the financial gain of the franchise – and lead to a consistently competitive team.

The Wrigley Field gameday experience is one of the most expensive in baseball

No team can sell out a random Wednesday afternoon game anywhere from April to September quite like the Chicago Cubs. Because of that Cubs fans are some of (if not) the best fans in baseball and beyond. But it is not cheap by any means to be a fan of the North Siders. A family of four is looking at a $300 afternoon of average, and that’s just inside the ballpark.

Honestly, I don’t know why cup snakes were so frowned upon by Wrigley Field staff and management. If I were them, all I would see is dollar signs. That one pictured above looks like $5,000 profit at a minimum – and let’s not forget the one valued in the tens of thousands of dollars we saw at one point. Add that to all the amenities and entertainment Wrigleyville has to offer outside the ballpark year-round, the Cubs have to be in the conversation for most profitable franchise on any given day.

Chicago is a top 3 market in sports. With all these new revenues, there is money everywhere you look on the North Side. It’s time for ownership to use that money to put a competitive team for on the field for many years to come and chase the rings this fan base has long paid-in-full for many times over. The times for excuses are long past. Cubs fans waited 108 years before 2016 came and there’s no reason such a drought should ever grip the team ever again.