Micheal Kim --ESPNNEWS

[2008 world champs]

I am calling this guy out. Earlier this evening while doing a Cubs/Brewers update, Kim referred to the game as being played at, you guessed it, "Wrigley North" What in the heck is this guy thinking? This bothers me so much . Terms like that should be restricted to message boards and jabs between friends not on a "unbiased" network like ESPN. This little comment made me just as mad as the Brewers did this evening. I have defended ESPN for quite sometime but this pushed it over the top in my opinion. Did anyone else catch this unprofessional comment earlier?

[Ranier]

I did and it's a joke, but then again so is ESPN.

[crewcrazy]

I don't think it's a big deal -- the "Wrigley North" thing has worked it's way into the national media the past couple years. And really, until the Brewers start playing like they're at home, I don't have a problem with it.

 

I had a bigger problem with ESPN constantly flashing the "Brewers try to avoid sweep, Tonight 8 ET ESPN" graphic during Baseball Tonight's preview of the game. At least Karl Ravech correctly noted that there's another game tomorrow, but the idiots in the production truck must've missed the memo. Three times.

[2008 world champs]

I remember watching the "Dream Job" SportsCenter series. I remember them being so picky on that show about details and it makes me wonder how some of the dumb mistakes can pass through. Oh well i suppose, it is embarrassing seeing all the blue and red in Miller Park's premier seating areas. Just let northsidebaseball deem it Wrigley north . Not some goon from ESPN.

[NievesNoNO]

I didn't see/hear the comment, but to be fair when I turned on the radio all I could hear is cheering for the Cubs so it may as well be a home game for them. Until our loyal fans stop selling out to the highest bidders I suppose that will continue to be the case. I suppose some ticket brokers probably buy up tickets to these games too. I guess I could care less what they're calling our stadiun on ESPN, but those Wrigley North comments would probably decrease if we actually won a game against 'em.

[SquirrelMaster]

So, shouldn't Wrigley be called Miller Park south? We did win two series down there this year already..

[bucks2281]

Yeah, I think it's pretty classless on Kim's and ESPN's part. But that's just ESPN being ESPN -- catering to the big market teams. The term "Wrigley North" has always irked me, though.

[Bruce Ciskie]

Maybe this is the wrong thread, but as I sat on my couch mumbling swear words at myself last night, I had a thought.

 

How much of this "selling tickets to Cub fans" trend is related to the fact that FSN doesn't miss televising a Brewer-Cub game? I mean, are these idiots motivated by money and money alone, or the fact that they can make a quick buck AND watch the game on TV?

 

I'd be willing to bet that at least a handful of them are doing this because they know they can make money and see the game without having beer thrown on them. With that in mind, how's about we start blacking out the games? Just a thought.

 

As for "Wrigley North", it is what it is. Complaining about ESPN here seems to be missing the point.

[owbc]

It is Wrigley North, and it has been since 2003. There are more Brewers fans this year, but most of them are gone by the 7th inning.

 

The problem is not that season ticket holders are "selling out". First, it's basic supply and demand. If Cubs fans want tickets, they will get them. I'm sure most of the Cubs fans there bought their tickets on the Internet back in February, just like some of us did for Wrigley. Since Wisconsin is probably 10-20% Cubs fans anyway, these people have a right to go to Cubs games in Milwaukee if they want to. At least to me (and I'm 21) is that the atmosphere during Cubs/Brewers games isn't that much fun to be at. If we win, it's great, but if we lose, I have to sit there and listen to the painful cheering of all the Cubs fans for 3 hours, while the less friendly of them personally rub it in.

 

Since Monday's game was the highest rated TV game in Brewers history, it would be impossible and quite silly to convince FSN to black the games out. Besides, then we would all watch on WGN or ESPN, which combined carry most of the Cubs/Brewers games anyway.

[ILuvDaBush]

Take Back Miller South!

[Mr QL]

I'd be upset if it wasn't true. It did look and sound like a home game for the Cubs.

[razzzorsharp]

Bruce Ciskie wrote:

 

How much of this "selling tickets to Cub fans" trend is related to the fact that FSN doesn't miss televising a Brewer-Cub game? I mean, are these idiots motivated by money and money alone, or the fact that they can make a quick buck AND watch the game on TV?

Thanks for calling us idiots. And for me it's about 75% about the money, which was very good for this series!

[pebadger]

Yes, Cub fans will get a big share of tix to every game. BUT

 

1) During a weekend series Brewer fans from outstate, who would love to make it down to MP for the Cubs but usually can't for a weeknight game, would buy a lot more tickets and lend a bit more balance to the crowd composition. Who do you think is fueling all the weeked sellouts against teams like the Nats?

 

2) Part of the irk factor is all the Cub fans not in the upper deck, but way down low, in perfect view of all the world watching on TV. That's not due to supply and demand. That's due almost 100% to selling out.

[crossface21]

I have no problems calling it Wrigley North. It may suck, but you can't argue it. As a fan base as a whole, we deserve it. The Cubs get a huge following up here and until the Brewer fans take back Miller Park for these Cubs' series, it's going to continue to be that way. Brewer fans should take it as a challenge to buy more of the tickets and change the moniker.

 

I think part of the reason Cubs' fans do get so many tickets is that they are used to paying more for tickets down in Chicago. Coming up here and spending extra money to get those tickets that people are selling isn't that big of a deal to them.

[RightFieldCoder]

I had requested off for every home game back in March when I got my tickets. This week is the busiest week of the year for my business and I was told last Friday that I could not get off for the Thursday day game. So I sold my pair of $12 tickets on the internet for $90 each. Blacking out the game would not have changed my situation. Should I have just eaten the tickets even though I probably could have gotten even more than that? If anything, blacking out the game would drive ticket prices up since it would not be possible to see it on TV. Higher ticket prices would mean even more people would sell.

 

The good news is that I shipped the tickets to East Troy, so they are hopefully Brewer fans.

[MessiahRp]

We can't complain about "Wrigley North" until Brewers fans stop selling their tickets (at least to Cubs fans). The problem is most season ticket holders see these games on the schedule every year as a chance to profit from idiot Cubs fans and usually they're right. However it looks absolutely horrible on TV, in person, probably even to Brewers players when you hear "Let's Go Cubbies" chants that fill the stadium and standing ovations for when the Cubs get hits and runs.

 

That part is truly sickening.

 

Rp

[joepepsi]

Stop watching espn and your life will become much more stress free.

[Fear The Chorizo]

It'll be even more hilarious when the Cubs have to play all their home games at Miller Park when their dump gets renovated in a few seasons

[CheezWizHed]

How do you tell FSN they can't broadcast a sell-out ballgame? Perhaps for non sell-outs, but all of these games are considered sellouts.

 

Frankly, for the last two games Brewer fans have had little to cheer about, so it would be logical you hear the Cub's fans more.