Avoiding the VWR

You know that feeling you get when you know you are supposed to be doing something. Something that you always do, year after year after year. But, this year you aren't doing it. That's the feeling that absorbed me over the past few days. Something is missing in the latter days of my February this year.

For the first time in over a decade I will not spend the "Friday ticket-day" in line at Wrigley Field or on my computer in the Virtual Waiting Room(in recent years). For Full Disclosure: I am not going on a boycott or anything like that. I still share a partial season ticket plan with a large group of people so I will get tickets for about 5 games this season. I'll go to a few of those and give the rest to customers or a 1060west reader or two. Basically, I'm not buying any additional seats this coming season.

Over the past few weeks I have e-mailed and talked tickets with friends. Nobody is making any special plans for Friday. Nobody is taking the day off, nothing. That's not how it used to be. Years ago, a few of us were young and dumb enough to wait in line overnite for tix. Since the start of online ticketing we have spent a ton of time scheming up ways to get into the system early and often. Not this year though. None of it.

I get the feeling that I am not the only one taking this approach with the Cubs this year. Ticket sales are down in Mesa and Al over BCB(UPDATE: for those interested you should click here to goto BCB if you want to know the winning wristband number) is reporting that the lines for wristbands are actually easy to get through quickly this year. And here were some comments posted earlier this week on my favorite "crappy/unpopular" blog:

...i am only 1 man; i am keeping my cash in my pockets this friday, for the first time in several years. that decision was made some time ago; not sure how prior's presence or absence could influence prospective buyers....

dc
dc60123

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I'm tired of this mess. I don't have any particular interest in going to the North Side Mall. Perhaps I'll sell all my tickets this year. F-em all.

Who needs two?

marino

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Excellent post. This is why I'm not giving away my money to this franchise this season. I've been fooled way too many times over the years. They are taking us for complete fools.

Scott LaRock

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Something is in the air folks. I am not sure what it is. Maybe the hangover from 2003 & 2004 has set in. Maybe it was a 79 win season in '05. Maybe the Sox championship has sent all the fair-weather fans south. Maybe the PR nightmare's --McGuire's flip-flop a few weeks ago or lying about fragile right arms -- are coming home to roost. I don't know kids, something isn't so warm and fuzzy in Cubland.

I am not here to tell you fans not to buy tickets or anything crazy like that. I still happen to think an afternoon at the ballpark is one of the best excuses there is to take a day off. It's good clean all-american fun. All of you are at different points in your lives than me. Many of you younger readers enjoy Wrigley Field for the extracurricular activities both in and around the ballpark. You should. Lord knows most of the dysfunctionals on this page spent large amounts of time and money in and around the park in their 20's. Those of you with children probably love taking your kids to the ballpark. What is better than watching baseball with your child over hot dogs and peanuts at a ballpark? Enjoy these times. I am not saying don't buy tickets. I am just observing that something is different.

Over this weekend the Cubs will sell a ton of individual game tickets. I'm sure on Monday, John McDonough will take bows in the Tribune. Scalpers will probably buy up most of the big dates in the summer. Still, something feels different this time through. I have to wonder if a worm is turning. From where I sit, this ticket thing seems to be losing a little luster.

Anyhow, I'm wondering what your plans are for Friday. Are you gonna spend time in the VWR? Do you have a wristband? or are you just gonna blow the whole thing off? I will say this, I won't miss the VWR.