Crowd behavior

[Crazyk1294]

I was not at the game last night, but I was in the parking lot after the game to pick up drunken sister and friends. Half of these friends were native Chicagoan Cub fans and were essentially embarrassed by the way the "typical" Cub fan behaves in *OUR* stadium. The rowdy ones (the unfortunate majority) aren't baseball fans, their drinking fans who sort of like the Cubs because it's the thing to do.

[Blancofan1]

TooLiveBrew wrote:

EDIT (for clarity): If you can afford season tickets, but an extra $100-200 bucks to sell your seat to a rival fan is worth more than the game experience itself, I wonder how much you actually care about the Brewers. Yes, there are extenuating circumstances like not being able to make the game, but in general I wonder about that kind of move. I suppose there are season-ticket holders that budget them into a tight budget where an extra $100 bucks might mean a lot... I just don't think there are 15,000 or so of these cases.

On the other hand, if you can't afford season tickets, but selling 3 games worth against the Cubs allows you to have a 20 game ticket package and you get to see the Brewers play 17 other times doesn't that actually make you a bigger fan? Either you see 0 games or you get to go to 17, which would show more fan-dom?

Admittedly, I have absolutely no problem with fans selling their tickets when they can get as much as they can from selling to Cubs fans. I also have no issues with buying tickets from season ticket holders when I travel to other stadiums. We went to 2 games in St Louis last week and I bought both sets of tickets from Cardinals season ticket holders. Does that make me a horrible Brewer and baseball fan, or a better one?

I was only able to attend one of the Cubs games, and yes it was hard to deal with all of the Cubs fans, but I still got to watch and cheer for the Brewers. I think some of the people on here that are really having an issue with who was at the game the last few days need to just relax and either try to buy more tickets themselves or try attending Brewer games in other cities. It's tough to be the minority for a change, but just like in baseball--you can't win them all!!!

 

[JenksFan5]

I am a season ticket holder and sold my tickets. I have 4 seats as part of a full season Terrace treat package and 2 seats for a quarter season in the loge diamond box. I drive from Oshkosh for the games that I go to so it is a pretty expensive trip and I try to recoup a little bit of money by selling tickets. My family splits a lot of the games up, but I probably make it to about 30-40 games a year. The reason I sell my Cubs tickets is because of a lot of reasons already stated in this thread. The games bring out the worst in both fanbases. I can make a little money back and avoid punching someone in the face. I try to sell my tickets to Brewer fans, but can't control that if I list them on Ebay. Fortunately, I sold most of my tickets to Brewer fans this year, but to the people calling season ticket holders out for selling their tickets have no right to do so. You would probably do the same if you had over $4,000 invested in season tickets and were expecting to drop at least that on playoff tickets. My wife and I don't make a ton of money either and sacrifice a lot so we can buy the Brewer tickets because we are diehard fans and enjoy going to the games so much.

[hawing]

It's tough to be the minority for a change, but just like in baseball--you can't win them all!

 

If I attend Brewer games in other cities, I expect to be in the minority. The problem with series like the one just completed is that Brewer fans wind up being the minority in Miller Park.

[BCZF]

I agree with Hawing..

 

It has gotten so ugly now..

 

Not that I dont WANT to go, I just can't take my kid there, being pushed out of line at the concessions, the nasty language (yeah my son is a teenager, but it doesnt make it better)..

 

You here the same old yarn "well winning will fix that" oh really? How has that been fixed this season?

 

But I fear that the powers that be don't really care who occupies the seats, just as long as someone does.

 

Write Rick Slessenger, it may not do any good, but it'll make you feel as if your doing something..

[bsglorydays]

Brewers fans weren't the minority at MP the last 4 days, it only seemed that way because the Cubs took it to us big time. It was probably 60/40 Brewers fans, but you wouldn't know it, because we sat on our hands for 4 days. If you were watching on TV, it also gets skewed because Cubs fans snatch up the expensive tickets behind home plate (in a way, we should be thanking them for that). I'm tired of listening to people say that they don't go to Cubs/ Brewers games because Cubs fans are "obnoxious" or whatever word you want to use. The bottom line is this... if the Brewers play well, you will not hear the Cubs fans. Cubs fans think we're obnoxious, too, when the Brewers win. Its perception.

 

There are no better games to be at than Brewers/Cubs or Brewers/Cardinals...rivalry games... no matter what ballpark they are played in. If your team wins, you have no problems. If the other team wins, you're gonna hear about it.

 

When 2 teams are so geographically close together, the crowd is going to be split. If you are going to complain about the number of Cubs fans at games, do something about it - come out of hiding and buy tickets.

[holybannana]

I agree with bsglorydays. The majority was Brewers fans. And if you noticed in the last couple the fans left by the 7th or 8th innings. A lot of empty seats. But, if the Brewers would actually win these games and make it not fun to see games up there, Cubs fans would stop showing up in droves. It would be the typical 10-20% you see of Brewers fans in Chicago. I always make it a note to go to a game or 2 down there btw. And you should too. You'd be surprised at how many Brewers fans you run into. And when they win it's a blast because...well, that's obvious.

 

But I agree, if the Brewers make it a crap experience for the Cubs fans then they will stop showing up. No one is going to drive up here to see their team lose and lose again.

[tysoncbulls423]

I went to the last two games and all I can say is wow! Your park is awesome except your old ushers who wouldn't let any SRO fans to sit down after most of the Brewers fans left. But wednesday night my tickets were behind home plate and it's just wicked seeing a game that close for less than $100. Most of the fans I ran into were fine. I got heckled a bit for wearing a Fukudome jersey, no big deal. One problem I did have were a few drunken Brewers fans making fun of a gay couple all night. The 2 guys didn't even say anything at all to anybody, didn't even root for either team. Only other problem I had were the same fans saying every racist joke possible to Fukudome. I was suprised there weren't any ushers in our section until the 7th inning. I was actually embarrassed for you guys when I saw a couple of Brewers "fans" take off their jerseys and put on Cubs shirts.

[1992casey]

...at today's game, between nearly every inning they were giving away prize packages including tickets to Ravinia, a stay at the Chicago Courtyard by Marriott, gifts from the Chicago Botanical Society and a year's subscription to Chicago Magazine...

 

Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?

The Chicago Courtyard, Chicago Botanical Society, and Chicago Magazine probably came forward and offered the freebies.

[pretendastronaut]

All this talk about if the clubs encourages Cubs fans to come to the games reminded me of this bit. Wednesday night they were running this gag on the big screen, where they would show a Cubs fan cheering and pointing to their hats and whatever, but they overlaid a Brewers hat there. It was a pretty good gag really, though I'm pretty sure they prerecorded the people and laid the graphics over it because no one ever seemed to notice.

[Bring Back the Stein]

I was actually embarrassed for you guys when I saw a couple of Brewers "fans" take off their jerseys and put on Cubs shirts.

 

This does not have the ring of truth. Are you saying they brought extra shirts to change into in case the Brewers lost or were losing? That makes no sense, but whatever. In terms of embarrassment, I think an entire century of losing is exponentially more so.

 

And as for the homophobia, that's unfortunate and I know that no one here condones it. Stack that one anecdote against the mountain of boorish behavior from Cubs fans and we'll talk. At any rate, it's a drop in the bucket compared to what happens in Wrigleyville when the competing tribes mingle. I lived on Addison, east of Halsted, and remember seeing a fist fight break out at the El stop on the day of a Gay Pride Parade when a group of typical Cubs fans, suburban, fat, white and privileged, started heckling some gay leather men. I left the platform to see the leather men beating the stuffing out of the drunken bigmouths. Karma works wonders.

[TooLiveBrew]

Admittedly, I have absolutely no problem with fans selling their tickets when they can get as much as they can from selling to Cubs fans.

 

And this is where the disconnect is. Yes, it is the ticketholder's right to do so. However, this is what leads to Cubs fans taking over MP. Until Brewers fans stop selling their tickets to Cubs fans, that will continue. The complaining about how many Cubs fans there are has taken a bit of a credibility hit lately in my eyes, since clearly so many fans that could be at the games choose to sell their spots to Cubs fans.

 

Now, that last bit was not aimed at you, Blancofan1, but I'd not be surprised if there are ticketholders that sell a game or two, go to the other two/three games, and complain, not able to understand, 'Where do all these Cubs fans come from? Why do they take over the ballpark? This sucks!'

[Baldkin]

I haven't even turned on my radio to WSSP or ESPN Milwaukee in 2 days, which may be a new record for me. I got sick of hearing about how "Loud the cubs fans are, and what great fans they are, where were the Brewers fans?"

 

When, anyone with a clue, or anyone who was at the games knew there were plenty of Brewers fans, and the Cubs fans only got loud once their team was winning. Otherwise, as is typical front runner fashion they sat on their hands.

[sargennm]

Only other problem I had were the same fans saying every racist joke possible to Fukudome. I was suprised there weren't any ushers in our section until the 7th inning. I was actually embarrassed for you guys when I saw a couple of Brewers "fans" take off their jerseys and put on Cubs shirts.

Yeah, that's pretty classless. Who would do something that offensive?

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.fanhouse.com/media/2008/04/cubs-shirt-240-pr.jpg

 

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

From my perspective watching on TV...no question, by far the loudest the crowd sounded was after Braun's HR in game one. Unfortunately, That was basically the last time the Brewers fans had anything to cheer about. By the end of the last game...the Brewers fans were long gone.

 

In response to the ticket issue...You'll never be able to stop people from selling tickets if they can get a big price, my issue is...don't make it so easy. If someone can buy up a $10 season ticket and sell off the 7 Cubs games to pay for the year...then the tickets are too cheap. Plus, no single game tickets for Cubs games...and make them a part of a package that features the lowest demand games. The Brewers need to maximize revenues and use that money to improve the product on the field.

[gypcasino]

And this is where the disconnect is. Yes, it is the ticketholder's right to do so. However, this is what leads to Cubs fans taking over MP. Until Brewers fans stop selling their tickets to Cubs fans, that will continue. The complaining about how many Cubs fans there are has taken a bit of a credibility hit lately in my eyes, since clearly so many fans that could be at the games choose to sell their spots to Cubs fans.

You make it sound like Brewers fans are going out of their way to sell their tickets to Cubs fans only. Brewers fans have the same opportunity to buy those tickets as Cubs fans do.