Attendance Was Way Down (Again) in 2013 and Other Bullets

wrigley empty seatsDon’t forget to sign up for the $1,000 free fantasy football contest, which runs this weekend. It’s a lot of fun, and you can win some scratch. Sign up here. Full details here.

  • It’s no secret that attendance was down this year for the Chicago Cubs. In fact, attendance was way down. The Cubs drew just 2,642,682 in paid attendance (not necessarily actual attendance), down almost 10% from last year (2,882,756), which was itself down almost 5% from the year before. Indeed, 2013 was the 5th consecutive season of attendance declines (from a peak of more than 3.3 million in 2008), and it marked the Cubs’ lowest paid attendance since 1998. Will the steep declines in attendance – and, thus, revenue – push the Ricketts Family into opening up the vault to sign some “big names” this offesason? I’m not so sure it will. If they truly believe that the best chance for sustained winning (which, if you track attendance, is the only sure way to get asses in the seats consistently) is the current rebuilding approach, then that will remain the focus, even from a financial perspective. That said, if there’s a “big name” that also fits with the rebuilding plan? All the more reason to shell out the dough and make the signing happen.
  • Darnell McDonald was the hero yesterday, with three hits, including the decisive three-run homer. It’s probably been a disappointing season for him, on the whole, but I’m sure it’s nice to go out with a bang.
  • When the Cubs get good, will the Cardinals, Pirates, and Reds still be standing in their way?
  • Writing at Sports on Earth, John Perrotto kinda sums up the seasons of Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo (though without mention of Castro’s aborted approach change or Rizzo’s suggestive peripherals). Some interesting quotes, if nothing else.
  • Among the instructional league catching converts? Second baseman Gioskar Amaya. Physically, it seems like Amaya would have a good shot at making the change, assuming his arm can swing it. His bat, which picked it up in the second half of 2013 at Kane County, would certainly play even better at catcher than second base. Amaya figures to rank as a top 20-30 prospect in the Cubs’ system this offseason. The Cubs’ system-wide catching depth is almost non-existent, so Amaya, together with Ben Carhart, Giuseppe Pappacio, and Jordan Hankins, would be a nice addition.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more cubs news

    Pete Crow-Armstrong’s First Big League Hit is a GO-AHEAD HOME RUN!

    Boy did he need that! The Chicago Cubs top prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, was called up this season not because he was quite ready offensively, but out of necessity after multiple injuries to the Cubs starting outfielders. And, predictably, he looked...

    Chicago Cubs Sign Old Friend Dan Straily

    I knew Dan Straily was pitching in Korea, and I knew there was a time in relatively recent memory that he was trying to come back to MLB. But sometime between then and now, he fell off my radar as...

    Pre-Gamin’: Astros at Cubs (1:20 CT) – Lineups, Pitching Matchup, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    CUBS LINEUP — The Cubs won again last night, which means they've already won the season-series against the still-struggling Astros. Justin Verlander will be on the bump for today's finale, but he'll have to go up against the mighty Javier...

    Cubs Farm Report | April 25, 2024: Brennen Davis Homers in His Return to Triple-A

    Brennen Davis made his return to Triple-A last night, and of course, he managed to smack a three-run home run in an 8-2 win for the Iowa Cubs. That and more in today's Cubs Farm Report. Cubs Farm Report |...

    The Leadoff Role, Cubs Front Office is Not Particularly Well-Liked? And Other Cubs Bullets

    It's a pretty big day for the Chicago Bears, eh? For the second year in a row, they own the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Only this time, they actually plan to use it (and on a quarterback,...

    Chicago Cubs Sign Brazilian-Japanese Pitcher Daniel Missaki Out of Mexican League

    That's a geographic mouthful right there, and it underscores what an interesting signing this is. Stray signings throughout the year are not uncommon, particularly as injuries accumulate down on the farm and the Chicago Cubs have the ability to take...

    Do the Cubs Have a Scoring-Late Problem?

    Once a month since August of 2016, my friends and I get together for "Supper Club." It's like book club, but instead of reading books, we go to a different restaurant in the city. Last night, we hit our 77th...

    Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 4, Astros 3 – April 24, 2024

    The Cubs did all their scoring in the first, and made it stand up for the win with generally good pitching and generally good defense. Jameson Taillon looked solid again in his second start, locating well, giving up no barrels,...

    Dansby Swanson with a First Inning Three-Run Homer

    For the second straight night, the Cubs are jumping all over the Astros in the first inning. After a couple hits from Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ to get things going, Michael Busch hit a sac fly, Christopher Morel walked,...

    Welcome Back to Iowa, Brennen Davis: Rocket Homer in His First Game Post-Rehab

    What a road it's been - continues to be - for Cubs outfield prospect Brennen Davis. The former top prospect was on a rocket ship to Triple-A in 2021, and then mostly lost the last two years to various injuries....

    Latest News

    Pete Crow-Armstrong’s First Big League Hit is a GO-AHEAD HOME RUN!

    Boy did he need that! The Chicago Cubs top prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, was called up this season not because he was quite ready offensively, but out of necessity after multiple injuries to the Cubs starting outfielders. And, predictably, he looked...

    LeBron James Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers meet the Denver Nuggets at 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this clash requires two trifectas from LeBron...

    D’Angelo Russell Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    D'Angelo Russell must make four 3-pointers to beat his prop when the Los Angeles Lakers play the Denver Nuggets on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs.D'Angelo Russell's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    Michael Porter Jr. Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Lakers – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    To beat his 3-point over/under, Michael Porter Jr. must make three from downtown on Thursday, when his Denver Nuggets face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, tipping off at 10:00 PM...

    Jamal Murray Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Lakers – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    On Thursday at 10:00 PM ET, the Denver Nuggets face the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and Jamal Murray's 3-pointer prop for this clash requires three treys.Jamal Murray's Three-Pointer Prop Odds...

    Nikola Jokic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Lakers – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    Nikola Jokic's Denver Nuggets meet the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday at 10:00 PM ET in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and to beat his 3-point over/under, he needs to make two from downtown.Nikola Jokic's...

    Anthony Davis Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Nuggets – NBA Playoffs Game 3, Thursday, April 25, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers play the Denver Nuggets at 10:00 PM ET on Thursday, in Game 3 of the opening round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this clash requires just one trey from...

    Chicago Cubs Sign Old Friend Dan Straily

    I knew Dan Straily was pitching in Korea, and I knew there was a time in relatively recent memory that he was trying to come back to MLB. But sometime between then and now, he fell off my radar as...

    Oh? The Rams Reportedly Want to Trade into the Top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft

    If you're looking for chaos on NFL Draft day, you just might get it. And leave it to the script-writers to get a team out in Hollywood involved. Here is a scoop from The Athletic's Dianna Russini, who hears the...

    Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals Series April 26-28: Odds, Starting Pitchers & Predictions

    The Kansas City Royals are on the road, opening a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, April 26 at 1:10 PM ET.Tigers vs. Royals Series Info Royals @ Tigers Time: Friday, April 26 at 1:10 PM ET Tigers...

    more cubs news