Cubs make it official: Four more night games in 2004

February 11, 2004

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter

The Cubs likely will accommodate manager Dusty Baker's request for fewer day games -- particularly after returning late from road trips -- by adding four more night games to the 2004 schedule, team officials said Tuesday.

Basking in the glow of a hard-earned victory, Cubs president Andy MacPhail acknowledged that it was not too late for the team to take advantage of the 12 additional night games a City Council committee has authorized the team to phase in over the next three years.

Although schedules have been printed and season tickets sold, single-game seats won't go on sale until Feb. 27. That gives the Cubs plenty of time to make a schedule adjustment that both Baker and Sammy Sosa contend will help the team win more games during the dog days of summer.

"Our field manager has been very explicit and adamant about the fact that he'd like more sprinkle to the schedule, so we'll see what we can do to accommodate him,'' said MacPhail, who refused to pinpoint when the additional night games would be played.

Noting that the full Council still has to approve the deal, MacPhail said: "I don't like to count my chickens before they hatch. This has been a process that has gone on for 2-1/2 years, and I'm not taking anything for granted.''

The Sun-Times reported Saturday that Mayor Daley finally had taken the brick off the Cubs' request to add 12 night games -- for a total of 30 per season by 2006 -- after convincing the team to make the deal even better for Wrigleyville residents.

The agreement cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday before a joint meeting of the City Council's License and Budget committees. There were only two serious voices of dissent.

A representative of East Lakeview Neighbors said the Cubs can afford to contribute far more than $83,333 a year toward a $1 million neighborhood fund, especially after convincing rooftop owners to fork over 17 percent of their gross revenue (about $1.7 million a year) and getting the green light to build 200 seats behind home plate that will generate another $3.2 million a year.

The other dissenter was Charlotte Newfeld, the longtime chair of Citizens United for Baseball in Sunshine who did battle with the Cubs before lights were installed in 1988.

"I'm going to rain on this parade,'' Newfeld said. "Thirty night games is just too much. The citizens of Lakeview are inconvenienced every time there is a night game, and one-third of the schedule is just too much.''

MacPhail took the criticism in stride. He was just happy to check off another item on a to-do list that still includes building 2,000 more bleacher seats and building a restaurant, parking garage and Cubs Hall of Fame on land adjacent to Wrigley Field.

"When I said the neighborhood participated, they understood and helped shape the ordinance,'' he said. ''That has a lot to do with muting those who would prefer that you play all your games in the day.''