Latest Wrigley Field attendance numbers proves Cubs fans have different expectations

The Chicago Cubs drew 2,909,755 fans to Wrigley Field in 2024, just shy of the 3 million mark. This was the highest attendance since the COVID-19 pandemic and a 134,606 increase from 2023. To little surprise, the Cubs were in the top 10 in MLB attendance (6th), averaging 35,922 fans per game.

Drawing between 2.8 and 2.9 million seemed like a reasonable prediction going into 2024. The team did not land Shohei Ohtani or trade for Juan Soto, but there was enough hope among the fans to think the Cubs could be in the October mix. Compare this to 2022 when the Cubs were at full capacity for all home games for the first time in two years, and they drew 2,616,780, which was the lowest in the 21st century (non-pandemic years). Fans knew that was a transition year after the teardown.

As usual, there were some lesser crowds in early bad-weather games. The games later in the season had a handful of empties as well. Certain matchups definitely had fans coming out, especially when Anthony Rizzo and the Yankees came to town. Overall though they still drew among the best in baseball and had some loud lively crowds even when the team was out of it.

Chicago Cubs have different expectations now.

As mentioned earlier, they did not hit the 3 million mark which was once the norm. It started in 2004 and went through 2011 and then from 2016-2019. It is safe to assume they would have had they either landed Ohtani (which was never in the cards) or got off to a really hot start and maintained first place through much of the season. Since the World Series, fans standards have changed and the price of the experience has gone up. It is funny to think they could once draw 3 million fans in a 90+ loss season (2006, 2011).

Can they hit that 3 million mark next year? Some fans are not thrilled with season ticket prices going up. This offseason can help determine if that mark is reached.