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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Cubs installing 70-foot digital scoreboard at Wrigley Field

Pitch count of 3,665? Dusty is back??

From CSNChicago.com’s Jake Flannigan comes the below mockup of a 70-foot LED scoreboard that will be installed in right field at baseball’s second-oldest stadium. Construction will be completed this spring.

Above the new scoreboard you’ll see something called the “Budweiser Patio.” It will contain 150 all-inclusive seats (not bleachers), and is also going in before the start of the season.

The District Attorney Posted: January 15, 2012 at 01:52 PM | 68 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. Transmission Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:10 PM (#4037395)

The longer version of this article on the cubs mlb.com site included several quotations from Crane Kenney about how this will be a fine opportunity for those who want to bring clients to a game.

#### clients.

Comments on that article from fans were almost uniformly negative.

2. Walt Davis Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:21 PM (#4037399)

I hate this.

This is a Garvey-esque level of evil.

But at least we know where the payroll savings are going. :-)

3. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:22 PM (#4037400)

They might as well show movies or cartoons on the damn thing, since it'll beat whatever's playing on the field. What a pitiful franchise.

4. Roger Cedeno's Spleen Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:31 PM (#4037403)

Have two teams in the same division ever lost 100 games?
It looks like the NL Central will be in the running with the Astros and Cubs in 2012... but the 2013 AL West will be truly epic with the A's, Astros and Mariners chasing triple digits...

5. Roger Cedeno's Spleen Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:36 PM (#4037406)

...and shouldn't the Cubs worry about refurbishing the existing (run-down) stadium before adding new parts?

6. Eddo Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:40 PM (#4037409)

I'm not a Cubs fan, but I tend to go to a few Cubs games each year. This is unobtrusive (doesn't eliminate the old-school hand-operated scoreboard), and frankly, much needed. It's frustrating to not get any replays during the game, at all.

7. Brian

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 02:50 PM (#4037415)

Maybe the Budweiser Patio will start a new trend of people drinking beer at Cubs games. Who knows how this could turn out?

8. Andere Richtingen

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 03:19 PM (#4037433)

This is horrible. The Captain ######### Club is at least outside.

And unless I'm a bail bondsman, I'm not bringing my "clients" to the freaking "Budweiser Patio."

9. Transmission Posted: January 15, 2012 at 03:21 PM (#4037435)

10. Transmission Posted: January 15, 2012 at 03:23 PM (#4037437)

# 6 - bad news for you then, Eddo - it won't even have replays.

mlb.com scoreboard article

11. I Am Not a Number Posted: January 15, 2012 at 03:59 PM (#4037455)

Budweiser Patio, eh? What's next? Clydesdales? Red uniforms?

12. McCoy Posted: January 15, 2012 at 04:17 PM (#4037470)

Where is the "and I'm fine with this"?

13. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 04:32 PM (#4037478)

Apparently Theo has a gameplan that includes working to enhance the original site versus overhauling.

14. cardsfanboy

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 04:32 PM (#4037479)

It's about time Wrigley field joined the 1970's.

15. Mike Webber Posted: January 15, 2012 at 05:35 PM (#4037508)

It's frustrating to not get any replays during the game, at all.

That pretty much sums up KC too, despite having a replay board as big as an aircraft hangar.

16. Pops Freshenmeyer Posted: January 15, 2012 at 05:47 PM (#4037515)

Uh, maybe they should save the change-the-basic-character-of-the-stadium-in-the-hope-of-soaking-our-fans-for-more-money stuff for some offseason when they don't slash $60-$70 million from the payroll.

And unless I'm a bail bondsman, I'm not bringing my "clients" to the freaking "Budweiser Patio."

I enjoyed this.

Perhaps they are keeping Kenney around to be the FO scapegoat for their future lead balloons like this idea.

17. UCCF Posted: January 15, 2012 at 06:05 PM (#4037525)

Maybe the Budweiser Patio will start a new trend of people drinking beer at Cubs games. Who knows how this could turn out?

Shouldn't it be the Old Style patio?

18. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: January 15, 2012 at 06:28 PM (#4037535)

To honor the Cubs' tradition of being a cut above the rest of the NL Central, the Budweiser Patio will be joined by a Miller Pavilion, a giant Heinz ketchup bottle that lights up when the Cubs hit a home run, and "Craig Biggio's Skyline Chili Shack".

19. Bhaakon Posted: January 15, 2012 at 07:05 PM (#4037561)

It's about time Wrigley field joined the 1970's.

If I had a choice between 1970's stadia and 1910's stadia, well, I'm not taking the 70's.

20. McCoy Posted: January 15, 2012 at 07:14 PM (#4037572)

I don't know what this actually adds to the Wrigley Field experience. Wrigley alreadys has electronic scoreboards that display all of the information that this scoreboard will display except displaying a photo of the player that is batting. Other than additional revenue going into Rickett's pocket I don't see what this adds.

21. Swedish Chef Posted: January 15, 2012 at 07:24 PM (#4037585)

Shouldn't it be the Old Style patio?

That one is outside the park, over by the dumpsters.

22. McCoy Posted: January 15, 2012 at 07:39 PM (#4037600)

Well, they used to have it over by the men's trough.

23. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 15, 2012 at 07:49 PM (#4037614)

# 6 - bad news for you then, Eddo - it won't even have replays.

Why in the world would you want replays? So you can see Alfonso Soriano strike out from every angle?

24. People like Zonk and Chris Truby Posted: January 15, 2012 at 08:01 PM (#4037628)

It's frustrating to not get any replays during the game, at all.

For Cubs fans, we prefer to think of it as a blessing.

25. Andere Richtingen

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 09:27 PM (#4037692)

Being one of the (I'm guessing) majority of people at a game with a smartphone, I'm not seeing the need for a giant screen to give me information about what's going on, or even replays.

Of course, at Wrigley I am often overcome with a serious case of AEDS (Advertising Exploitation Deficiency Syndrome), and I'm sure the new scoreboard will take take care of that.

This also opens up an opportunity to improve the real thing people come to the ballpark to see: the between-innings scoreboard race.

26. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 10:00 PM (#4037706)

It's frustrating to not get any replays during the game, at all.

Here's the only replay that Cubs fans ever need.

27. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: January 15, 2012 at 10:18 PM (#4037709)

No, a majority of people at a game do not have smartphones, and among those with smartphones, a small minority are in any way following the game on the smartphone.

Replays are available immediately on a website? Like, before the end of the game? I never imagined that.

28. Eddo Posted: January 15, 2012 at 10:27 PM (#4037715)

To add to the smartphone point: when you're in a location with tens of thousands of other people, your service isn't exactly reliable.

29. Infinite Yost (Voxter)

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 10:31 PM (#4037719)

I don't know how it is at Wrigley, but at the last couple of parks I can remember being in (Citifield and Dodger Stadium), I got no reception whatsoever.

30. vortex of dissipation Posted: January 15, 2012 at 11:26 PM (#4037740)

I don't know how it is at Wrigley, but at the last couple of parks I can remember being in (Citifield and Dodger Stadium), I got no reception whatsoever.

Tim Tebow's receivers had the same problem at Gillette Stadiun yesterday.

31. Andere Richtingen

Posted: January 15, 2012 at 11:41 PM (#4037742)

In my experience, reception in Wrigley is just fine and getting scores is easy. I was unclear about replays -- yeah, I wouldn't expect to view them at the game.

32. Brian C Posted: January 15, 2012 at 11:48 PM (#4037743)

In my continuing quest to not be a reactionary #######, I'm going to see how this turns out before I decide whether I like it or not. If it provides more statistical info for hitters besides avg/HR/RBI, for example, that will be good news as far as I'm concerned. Lineups would be nice, too. Stuff like that.

Also, I don't really care about replays, since MLB AFAIK doesn't allow replays of any close plays, i.e., the ones I most would want to see.

33. Lujack Posted: January 16, 2012 at 09:44 AM (#4037834)

Right field sucks. Right field sucks.

34. Dag Nabbit: Sockless Psychopath Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:04 AM (#4037844)

And unless I'm a bail bondsman, I'm not bringing my "clients" to the freaking "Budweiser Patio."

The thing is, these are some of the worst seats in the house. For all the mythos of the "Bleacher Bums" these are seats far from the action w/out any backs. And if its an afternoon game, you're getting the sun right in your face.

35. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:13 AM (#4037847)

I'm kind of with 32 on this, though it is almost to the point where anything new related to the scoreboard would be an improvement. With the current Wrigley scoreboard display, I might be able to see what the score of a handful of other NL and AL games are (including the full blown line score), but I've never been able to know who is in the lineup of the game I am attending at that very moment (without a smartphone of course). Seriously, you can't just list event the guys by #, yet they show you each half inning of score from Rangers v Blue Jays.

36. BDC

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:26 AM (#4037852)

I make an effort not to watch replays – it's the puritan in me. Going to a Cowboys game earlier this fall, that was very hard to keep up with, as the TV in Cowboys Stadium occupies about 115% of your visual field.

The Rangers made two improvements in scoreboard display in 2011 that should be commended somewhere. They got a much bigger scoreboard, which of course they use for ads, but (along the lines of Tulo's complaint about Wrigley) they devote the two sides of it to the current lineups when there aren't ads playing: very helpful. And the out-of-town scoreboard in LF, which has been digital for several years, now emulates a fixed manual scoreboard: IOW it gives you the score, inning, and pitcher of every out-of-town game. For a few years previous, it had shown a diamond-like display of the exact game situation of out-of-town games, which kept changing because they could only show two or three at a time. So you'd be treated to some spellbinding situation in a Yankees-Angels game, and then it would disappear in favor of the Brewers at San Diego, and then switch to Dodgers-Braves or something and you'd never know how the previous games turned out. Much better to have a little information about everything than too much about too few things.

37. Shredder Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:29 AM (#4037856)

Being one of the (I'm guessing) majority of people at a game with a smartphone, I'm not seeing the need for a giant screen to give me information about what's going on, or even replays.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that at a Cubs v. Sox game last year, I actually had to check on my phone to see who was pitching. Of course, it's two teams I don't care about, and I was there because a friend had an extra ticket and I live ten minutes away, but still.

As to reception, I seem to recall it being pretty poor for both that game and the Cubs v. Cards game I went to last year. AT&T gets really washed out in any big crowd, which can make it really difficult to meet up with people at the Pitchfork Festival.

38. McCoy Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:30 AM (#4037858)

The thing is, these are some of the worst seats in the house. For all the mythos of the "Bleacher Bums" these are seats far from the action w/out any backs. And if its an afternoon game, you're getting the sun right in your face.

The patio isn't going to be a bleacher section.

This thing might not even be able to display a full lineup listing in a large enough font for all to read.

39. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 10:35 AM (#4037861)

In my continuing quest to not be a reactionary #######

Know whatcha mean. This DH thing, interleague play, batting gloves. But I'm not a total reactionary -- I was all in favor of the FOX glowing hockey puck. I found that most beneficial.

40. Moses Taylor loves a good maim Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:07 AM (#4037888)

I'm fine with this.

There you go, McCoy.

41. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:07 AM (#4037889)

The patio isn't going to be a bleacher section.

Which doesn't alter his main point: the seats (whether bleacher or not) aren't the greatest.

42. McCoy Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:12 AM (#4037893)

Which doesn't alter his main point: the seats (whether bleacher or not) aren't the greatest.

Greatest for what? Almost all of the new stadiums have something like this and people enjoy those areas despite the fact that they are usually in areas that many would consider to be the worst place to sit and watch the game in.

43. Chicago Joe

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:18 AM (#4037898)

Greatest for what? Almost all of the new stadiums have something like this and people enjoy those areas despite the fact that they are usually in areas that many would consider to be the worst place to sit and watch the game in.

Seems pointless, though, considering that those seats are already in demand already. Methinks they're trying to get all this in before Wrigley turns 100, much like the Red Sox did with Fenway.

44. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:19 AM (#4037900)

I'm not doing this with you. His point was fairly simple and self-evident. I know you really, really like that Douglas Fir you're admiring, but there's a whole bunch more all around you.

45. Brian C Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:23 AM (#4037904)

Which doesn't alter his main point: the seats (whether bleacher or not) aren't the greatest.

Which is fine by me - if Crane Kenney is going to devote some of the worst seats in the house to "clients" who aren't watching the games anyway instead of some of the best, like most teams, then I'd say that's a point in his favor.

46. McCoy Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:31 AM (#4037911)

His point was fairly simple and self-evident.

And wrong or at least misguided. I mean the guy in describing the section answered why they are doing this. They are taking the "worst seats" and making them better. My first post was simply saying that the new area wouldn't have bleacher seats. At which time you felt the need to say basically "so what". Kudos.

Seems pointless, though, considering that those seats are already in demand already

And now they'll be in demand at a higher price and Wrigley will be offering more services.

47. Andere Richtingen

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:38 AM (#4037921)

I'm fine with this.

There you go, McCoy.

And to be honest, I really don't care that much. It's going to be an eyesore, and perhaps the most prominent example of the unrelenting progress of ############# in Wrigley Field, but resistance is futile.

48. Crispix Attacksel Rios Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:42 AM (#4037929)

A smart organization like the Yankees knows that you want to take the best seats in the house for game-watching purposes, and make them even better so people can go back into their clubhouse and not sit in them at all.

49. Andere Richtingen

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 11:45 AM (#4037934)

Seems pointless, though, considering that those seats are already in demand already.

This story suggests that those seats were not selling so well.

50. bobm Posted: January 16, 2012 at 12:20 PM (#4037991)

[49] The story you linked to also mentioned this IMO interesting tidbit:

In the meantime, the Ricketts family recently purchased the McDonald’s lot opposite the Wrigley Field marquee for a reported $20 million.

“We just decided that property in Wrigleyville doesn’t come up for sale that often,” Ricketts said. “I think one of the things the previous ownership (Tribune Co.) maybe missed on was making sure they bought some of the land around Wrigley to better control the environment.”

The restaurant will remain there for the time being. Long term, Ricketts said he won’t know what his family’s developers will do with the land on Clark Street until the stadium renovation plans are finalized.

“It could be everything from parking, shopping, dining, hotel use,” Kenney said, “all the things that we think (are probably) a gap in the Cubs ecosystem for new amenities.”

51. People like Zonk and Chris Truby Posted: January 16, 2012 at 12:33 PM (#4038011)

Seems pointless, though, considering that those seats are already in demand already.

This story suggests that those seats were not selling so well.

I don't know - sounds more like they're trying to get some control over the secondary market, which is basically a big craps table, but often a lucrative one for scalpers.

BTW - I'm not at all happy about the Ricketts McD's lot acquisition... mainly because "parking" is the most likely outcome and I'm anti-more parking. It's a ballpark in an urban setting. This isn't a friggin' suburb -- park remotely and take one of the many, many shuttle options or take the Metra/then El in.

Dining, Hotel, Shopping -- fine, whatever... but I'll be among the neighborhood residents that will help shoot down a big parking megalot.

52. North Side Chicago Expatriate Giants Fan Posted: January 16, 2012 at 12:33 PM (#4038012)

As to reception, I seem to recall it being pretty poor for both that game and the Cubs v. Cards game I went to last year. AT&T gets really washed out in any big crowd, which can make it really difficult to meet up with people at the Pitchfork Festival.

I have the same problem with AT&T (Cubs games and Pitchfork!). The worst part is that reception appears to be fine, but then it just doesn't work because the system is overloaded.

53. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 01:14 PM (#4038078)

but I'll be among the neighborhood residents that will help shoot down a big parking megalot.

That McD space isn't that big (not sure a megalot is possible on just that spot), and it basically piles in cars every gameday right now anyways. I suppose they'd fit in 15 more cars, maybe. I think it is a lot easier to come up with a more creative and lucrative plan for that lot in the future, though I think something other than that McDonald's would be better. I'm not asking for more parking, I'm with you on that, I just think you are overreacting to the lot acq.

54. People like Zonk and Chris Truby Posted: January 16, 2012 at 01:19 PM (#4038094)

That McD space isn't that big (not sure a megalot is possible on just that spot), and it basically piles in cars every gameday right now anyways. I suppose they'd fit in 15 more cars, maybe. I think it is a lot easier to come up with a more creative and lucrative plan for that lot in the future, though I think something other than that McDonald's would be better. I'm not asking for more parking, I'm with you on that, I just think you are overreacting to the lot acq.

It's not that big -- but excavate to add a few below ground levels and ~10-15 stories above on the other hand...

55. Walt Davis Posted: January 16, 2012 at 01:27 PM (#4038105)

ecosystem for new amenities

Too much for a band but it's a great album title.

New Amenities wouldn't be a bad band name except amenities is kind hard to pronounce.

Ecosystem for New Manatees also has possibilities.

I think it is a lot easier to come up with a more creative and lucrative plan for that lot in the future

I vote for an A&W Drive-In

56. Mellow Mouse, Benevolent Space Tyrant Posted: January 16, 2012 at 01:35 PM (#4038115)

Other than additional revenue going into Rickett's pocket I don't see what this adds.

I just wanted to repeat this from earlier. Asked and answered in one line.

The fun thing about Fenway and Wrigley is that they are so old that the ownership is forced to becreative with them which is cool, or at least better than the sports default of Tear it down and build me a new tax payer funded mallpark, or ELSE.

57. Shredder Posted: January 16, 2012 at 02:25 PM (#4038171)

I don't think they're planning on building a parking structure there, though I could be wrong. One of the conditions of the sale of the property was that a McDonald's be located in whatever they decided to build. I suppose they could do some sort of mix of parking and retail. Not to mention the fact traffic around that corner is already atrocious on game days. I don't even think I'd want to park there if I was coming in from the suburbs.

58. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 02:52 PM (#4038181)

After further inspection, it (the McD lot) is a little bigger than I thought. I'm thinking they will open a giant Cubs Shop, and crush 'SportsWorld'* just down the street/across from the McD.

*One of the much lesser known, yet amusing things about the Wrigley experience is to walk into Sports World (usually after a game) next to Wrigley and see the number of 'employees' under the age of 14 behind the counters yelling 'Step up!', 'who needs help?', as they try to move their wares amongst a mob of people.

59. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 03:15 PM (#4038189)

I don't even think I'd want to park there if I was coming in from the suburbs.

Yeah, speaking as someone coming from the far north suburbs, no way in hell would I ever drive to Wrigley.

Drive to Wilmette, park at the Linden L stop, get on the L, done.

60. Tulo's Fishy Mullet (mrams) Posted: January 16, 2012 at 03:23 PM (#4038196)

Coming from WI most of my trips to Wrigley, I either do what #59 has done, or I do drive(usually for a good post game dining reason elsewhere), but no further south than Irving Park Road, there are places to park w/o cost in that area north of Irving Park, provided you are not pulling up 20 minutes before 1st pitch. I wouldn't know, but driving to Wrigley from the South or even west has got to suck balls.

61. Mark Edward Posted: January 16, 2012 at 04:07 PM (#4038241)

My dad's a Cubs' fan living in the south suburbs- he'll usually park near at Lane Tech & take the shuttle or Addison bus to Wrigley.

As for the development near McDonald's, like others have said I doubt they'll use the lot for more parking. I guess there's an outside chance of some underground spaces, but more likely I see some sort of commercial development (maybe like a Cubs' team store; maybe they'll make the Rink at Wrigley into a year-long thing, it's popular enough) being built. Plus, the Cubs are always talking about expanding their offices outside of Wrigley Field, so they may use the McD's lot for that.

62. Chicago Joe

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 04:35 PM (#4038264)

That McD space isn't that big

As city lots go, that's enormous. $20 million seems awfully steep, though. What would be interesting is if you found a way to bury Clark Street for that stretch....

63. Chicago Joe

Posted: January 16, 2012 at 04:44 PM (#4038273)

Not to mention the fact traffic around that corner is already atrocious on game days.

You'd have no hope of getting in or out....

64. Fred Garvin is dead to Mug Posted: January 16, 2012 at 06:32 PM (#4038307)

I don't want to say I hate it. My natural inclination with all things Wrigley is to oppose any changes whatsoever, and I've found that the bleacher expansions and other changes over the past few years have been (a) far less of a big deal than feared and (b) often meaningful improvements. So I'm willing to give this a wait.

Here's my question, though: The drawing makes it appear that the scoreboard will go above the existing wall (with the patio above it). If that's so, why will the basket continue to be in place at the top of the wall (below the proposed scoreboard)? Shouldn't the basket be moved to the top of the scoreboard instead (at the edge of the patio)?

Also, I presume that a HR would have to go over the scoreboard and that a ball that is over the ivy and hits the scoreboard is still in play. That will definitely make the park more pitcher-friendly.

65. McCoy Posted: January 16, 2012 at 06:43 PM (#4038315)

This is gonna screw the rooftop owners a little bit since the bleachers are going to get raised for this. Personally, I think they should add a second deck to left field and make it a beer garden/patio type place.

66. Spahn Insane Posted: January 16, 2012 at 06:45 PM (#4038318)

Also, I don't really care about replays, since MLB AFAIK doesn't allow replays of any close plays, i.e., the ones I most would want to see.

God forbid we allow anything that might the crappy umps look crappy.

67. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: January 16, 2012 at 07:35 PM (#4038345)

Here's my question, though: The drawing makes it appear that the scoreboard will go above the existing wall (with the patio above it). If that's so, why will the basket continue to be in place at the top of the wall (below the proposed scoreboard)? Shouldn't the basket be moved to the top of the scoreboard instead (at the edge of the patio)?

Also, I presume that a HR would have to go over the scoreboard and that a ball that is over the ivy and hits the scoreboard is still in play. That will definitely make the park more pitcher-friendly.

I've got to think it's just a mistake with the drawing, extending the basket without realizing that it serves no purpose below the board. Otherwise, a ball off the scoreboard would either be a HR or, frequently, an automatic double when an in-play ball lands in the basket.

68. McCoy Posted: January 16, 2012 at 07:47 PM (#4038351)

Are the baskets part of the historical landmark features of Wrigley? I read they weren't touching the walls because they would have to go through a whole process to get that approved.

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