Chicago Cubs Tone Deaf on Season Ticket Holders Deadline

The 2011 Cubs season has drawn to a close: fifth place in the NL Central. 

Only four teams in Major League Baseball had records worse than the Cubs’ 71 wins and 91 loses.  One might expect a moment of pause from the organization. 

A pause to let fans move on from the previous season, and begin to anticipate a whole list of exciting upcoming events. 

The hiring of a new general manager, the new general manager's probable hiring of a new manager, and the excitement of potential trades and signings that will begin in a month.

Cubs’ season ticket holders received no such pause. 

Instead, they received a letter on Friday informing them that their deposit was due.  The Cubs, which usually collect the season ticket holders deposit in January, announced that the money is now due on November 16. 

Cubs’ attendance is down. 

It’s down by approximately 300,000 people over the last three years.  Tickets for a majority of games last season were available on Stub Hub for half of the face value price. 

In fact, 500 level seats for many games were selling for three to six dollars per ticket. 

They had to offer $3 beer and $1 hot dogs to sell weekday bleacher tickets for the first time in history. 

It seems a little untimely that before a new general manager is chosen, before a decision is made on the skipper, and before we get a real sense of direction from the organization, that the Cubs are ready to collect.