The Cubs are getting tough on ticket brokers who buy season tickets, only to resell them at higher prices.
The Cubs sent out 45 nonrenewal letters to a select group of season-ticket holders Wednesday, noting that season tickets “are a revocable license granted on a yearly basis at the sole discretion of the team.”
They’re not intending to go after the normal fan who resells some of their tickets, or so they say.
“This move does not impact season-ticket holders who want to resell tickets because they can’t attend the game,” Cubs spokesman Julian Green said in a phone conversation. “This is about getting tickets in the hands of fans who want to enjoy Cubs baseball and experience Wrigley Field.”
(snip)
“We believe we have an opportunity to make sure our tickets are going to as many fans as possible,” Green said. “We understand this is tough news but frankly, we’re in our rights to do so. The Cubs are clear this is a revokable license granted on a yearly basis.”
MLB’s contract with StubHub ends after this season. They Cubs insist this has nothing to do with cracking down on them, but…
Also, the Cubs grabbed another pitcher off the scrap heap.
The Cubs claimed right-hander Carlos Gutierrez off waivers from the Twins on Wednesday, designating catcher Anthony Recker for assignment.
Gutierrez, 26, went 15-20 with a 4.11 ERA the last five seasons in the Twins’ Minor League system after being selected by the club in the first round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. He has made 136 Minor League appearances, 32 of which have been starts.
The 6-foot-3, 230-pound righty went 2-2 with a 5.06 ERA in 10 relief appearances last season with Triple-A Rochester, before a right shoulder injury ended his season in June. He had surgery in July and resumed throwing earlier this month.
Seems like a low risk-medium reward signing. No biggie.
I think the Cubs should just revoke all the season ticket holders licenses. From what I saw…most of them didn’t got to the park most of the time anyway. Newer season ticket holders tend to go to more games.
So the rumor flying around is Marlins wanna dump Buehrle off on someone. That contract is bad , really bad in the last 2 seasons of it. If they were to pick up a significant portion of it and only want a face saving prospect or 2, do we want?
1 thing Buehrle does do well is take the ball every 5th day and seemingly give the team a chance to win.
Only if they take Volstad and LaHair.
The Marlins ain’t going to take Volstad back.
Oh no. He’s the new gag gift that gets exchanged anytime the Cubs and Marlins want to swap pitching contracts that are not team friendly.
This whole ticket deal is nothing more than a money making move. Stop scalpers from selling tickets so fans can buy tickets at or close to face value. That away they have more money to spend when they get to the actual game.
That only works if the scalpers sell the tickets for a profit. The secondary market has been horrible for ticket brokers the last 3 years. I know…I was trying to sell tickets for 2 of those years.
The main idea is to get people into the ballpark…not to have ticket brokers sitting with tickets the couldn’t sell. Rejecting these ticket brokers, whose might have sold only 1/2 their tickets this past season and giving those seats to new, hungry, season ticket holders will result in fewer no-shows…at least that’s the hope.
Ticket brokers, with the exception of a few games each year, haven’t been able to sell tickets at face value for a while now. Once the team is good again, that will change, but for now, that’s the truth. For the most part, if you wanted to go to a Cubs game sometime over the last 3 years, if you paid full price, you are getting ripped off. Many games you can find tickets going for 1/2 at StubHub or similar type of secondary market places.
I give zero fucks about the team busting down on season ticket scalpers.
I’m stunned they didn’t try doing this early back when they were good.
That fan selling his/her tickets for $.99 was the last straw.
How dare a fan comment on the quality of the product the Cub management is offering.
I’m still hungover from last nights Panda Show. Thank goodness there is another game on tonight.
The best way to get rid of that hangover is to start drinking immediately.
In fact, I probably wouldn’t stop drinking until about 2 weeks after this series is over.
I haven’t stopped drinking.
I really hope that the game doesn’t start before 5:00 p.m. so I can see the start. It was great listening to the sportsfools whine about Verlander,since they were the ones who said he was untouchable…
When did they start playing games before there scheduled start time? Did I miss something? I’m going back to my vodka.
They started yesterday’s game a bit earlier than I expected. I missed the first 10 minutes or so.
Ahhh yes I started watching in the middle of the first.
“Japanese high school sensation” drafted by Nippon Ham Fighters. Apparently he asked that no Japanese teams draft him because he wants and plans to play in the USA. He can still sign with MLB but cannot return to the NPB for 3 years if he returns to Japan. The 3 teams that visited him are the Dodgers(gag), Rangers, and Red Sox. The Dodgers(gag) are supposedly his favorite. He has thrown 99 mph.
I guess the Cubs weren’t interested.
Even though I’m a National Leaguer I would mind too much if Leyland won this series. I’ve always liked the dude.
Dammit!,I meant ‘wouldn’t’ mind too much…
Mark Grace indicted on 4 felony counts of DUI:
http://fxn.ws/SASKFt
He should let me drive for him.
He needs a google car….
I’m pretty sure if he got into the Google car, his breath would intoxicate the car too.
Then he needs a chauffer..
He needs rehab.
Barney picks up fielding award.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/14033/darwin-barney-scoops-up-fielding-award
Doug Glanville was on the panel that voted for him.