Yesterday at 06:28 PM1 day 2 hours ago, 77 Hitmen said:When Jerry and Eddie bought the Sox, within a year, they moved a vast majority of Sox games to Pay TV with a monthly subscription fee of between $15-$21. That's in 1982 dollars - that would be between $50-$70/month in today's dollars.When Jerry got New Comiskey built, he saw to it that the design focused on premium/corporate customers as he had three levels of luxury seats/suites inserted between the lower and upper deck with the 500 level upper deck comprising of about 45% of the stadium's seats.As you said, the reason why Sox tickets have been a relative bargain in the last few years is because the team has been so bad that they couldn't get enough people to want to come to the games. The upper deck seats, with the exception of perhaps the upper deck box (which aren't that bad), are affordable because they're lousy seats and a tough sell.1) I always thought the Sportsvision/Pay TV channel flopped because the Chicagoland area was not wired for cable at the time. 2) I've always thought that the building the stadium at the present location where they did and the terrible stadium design was the biggest mistake of JRs ownership. Having 45% of the seats in the upper deck was crazy. Its simply too high up there. I'm hoping the new stadium design is much better than the present one.
Yesterday at 06:31 PM1 day 1 minute ago, WBWSF said:Having 45% of the seats in the upper deck was crazy. Its simply too high up there. I'm hoping the new stadium design is much better than the present one.…especially when the upper deck is cut off from the rest of the stadium experience by guards. I like the current park but really hate the upper/lower caste system.
Yesterday at 07:18 PM1 day 42 minutes ago, WBWSF said:1) I always thought the Sportsvision/Pay TV channel flopped because the Chicagoland area was not wired for cable at the time. 2) I've always thought that the building the stadium at the present location where they did and the terrible stadium design was the biggest mistake of JRs ownership. Having 45% of the seats in the upper deck was crazy. Its simply too high up there. I'm hoping the new stadium design is much better than the present one.39 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:…especially when the upper deck is cut off from the rest of the stadium experience by guards. I like the current park but really hate the upper/lower caste system.Yes, that was the major problem with it. Chicago was one of the last cities in the US to be wired for cable and as of 1982 and 1983, the city itself was not wired though some suburbs were starting to get wired at that time. This meant that SportsVision was provided through a scrambled image on a broadcast TV station (Channel 60), which is much more expensive to launch and operate than creating a new basic cable channel. Even when SportsVision moved to basic cable after a couple of years, they kept charging for it as a premium cable service. It wasn't until a few years later that it finally became a basic cable channel. As far as the upper deck, i believe the Sox finally did away with the upper deck restriction policy within the last couple of years. Even without the draconian policy, the 100 and 500 levels really feel far apart. In other newer ballparks i've been to, you can get to the next level of seats by either one quick escalator ride or a short flight of stars. At Rate Field, I'm not sure if they even have the escalators going downward during the game, so it's a long series of ramps to get down to the 100 level.
Yesterday at 07:19 PM1 day 44 minutes ago, WBWSF said:Having 45% of the seats in the upper deck was crazy. Its simply too high up there. I'm hoping the new stadium design is much better than the present one.42 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:…especially when the upper deck is cut off from the rest of the stadium experience by guards. I like the current park but really hate the upper/lower caste system.And, to add insult to injury, they couldn’t even be bothered to orient the stadium to have a view of the skyline, a view which would directly benefit the experience from the 500 level! If fans can’t go down to the main concourse’s level, at least give them a decent view!I actually like the current park, but there are so, so many aspects of it that were robbed of a silver lining. Despite what the ISFA is wishing for, reasons like these are why there is zero chance the Sox stay at Rate Field as-is. Edited yesterday at 07:51 PM1 day by Mouthsider
Yesterday at 07:38 PM1 day 18 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:Yes, that was the major problem with it. Chicago was one of the last cities in the US to be wired for cable and as of 1982 and 1983, the city itself was not wired though some suburbs were starting to get wired at that time. This meant that SportsVision was provided through a scrambled image on a broadcast TV station (Channel 60), which is much more expensive to launch and operate than creating a new basic cable channel. Even when SportsVision moved to basic cable after a couple of years, they kept charging for it as a premium cable service. It wasn't until a few years later that it finally became a basic cable channel.As far as the upper deck, i believe the Sox finally did away with the upper deck restriction policy within the last couple of years. Even without the draconian policy, the 100 and 500 levels really feel far apart. In other newer ballparks i've been to, you can get to the next level of seats by either one quick escalator ride or a short flight of stars. At Rate Field, I'm not sure if they even have the escalators going downward during the game, so it's a long series of ramps to get down to the 100 level.From my story on the history of SportsVision:"Over time both Eddie Einhorn and Jerry Reinsdorf commented on SportsVision, the idea, the execution and the aftermath; Einhorn in particular defended the decision telling Logan, “If you want people to come, you can’t give the product away. That’s the way it’s been done everywhere else except Chicago for years. The best organizations, the ones that draw the most people at the gate, don’t go that way. They have limited TV.” Reinsdorf though understood the reality of the situation when in 2004 at a luncheon promoting the start of the new Comcast Sports Network-Chicago regional channel he said, "Unfortunately, Chicago wasn't ready for us. There wasn't cable of any consequence, and we were on subscription pay-TV. I don't remember how many subscribers there were, but I know that more than that number went to Radio Shack and bought the parts for their own boxes." How to sum up the experiment known as SportsVision? Well you could do a lot worse than to say, ‘A brilliant idea that simply was ahead of its time, limited by historical factors as well as technological shortcomings.’
23 hours ago23 hr 2 hours ago, 35thstreetswarm said:…especially when the upper deck is cut off from the rest of the stadium experience by guards. I like the current park but really hate the upper/lower caste system.Me too
18 hours ago18 hr 19 hours ago, tray said:South side isn't about Reinsdorf and certainly not about Ishbia . South side means something to the White Sox community - a history here of hard working middle class people, many of whom immigrated in large numbers to the Delta and the South side.I am not Irish but several of my closest friends are. Many years ago they helped me understand what it meant to be a Southsider and a White Sox fan and it became part of who I am as well.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Side_Irish--Written by Tom Black, Tom Walsh, and Terry McEldowney A.K.A. The Irish ChoirWe're the Windy City Irish-where the craic is always best Where every day is Paddy's Day and everyone's a guestIf you're Irish on the North Side or Irish on the WestWelcome to the South Side come join our Irish Fest!(Chorus) We're the South Side Irish as our fathers were beforeWe come from the Windy City and we're Irish to the coreFrom Bridgeport to Beverly from Midway to South ShoreWe're the South Side Irish-Let's sing it out once more!Our parents came from Mayo, from Cork and Donegal.We come from Sabina's, St. Kilian and St. GallLeo, Visitation, Little Flower and the rest.The South Side parishes are mighty-they're the best!ChorusWe sing the songs our fathers sang when they were growing upRebel songs of Erin's Isle in South Side Irish Pubsand when it comes to baseball-we have two favorite clubsThe Go-Go White Sox... and whoever plays the Cubs!You missed a whole stanza and got some of the words wrong also. Not very South Side, pal.
17 hours ago17 hr 9 minutes ago, Rusty_Kuntz said:You missed a whole stanza and got some of the words wrong also. Not very South Side, pal.Easy there, pally!
13 hours ago13 hr 23 hours ago, tray said:Oh no, we don't want publicly owned stadiums and facilities. Lets continue to vector wealth inequality and usher in a new age of billionaire robber barons. Ishbia owns the most expensive home in Illinois while his brother has a mega mansion in Michigan and their father is maga wealthy. They own parts or all of major league soccer, baseball and basketball franchises. So you say that is good for everyone? OK then get ready to pay the prices they will charge and no, you will not have anything to complain about. Just look at what this guy is doing now if you have any question about that.Only two teams in the MLB have higher beer prices than the White Sox.Only seven teams have higher parking prices than the White Sox.Their concession pricing is higher than average for pretty much everything.Their ticket prices are only cheap because the team has made the playoffs less often than pretty much every other MLB team in existence, and attendance is s%*# as a result.When was the last time you even went to a game? Edited 13 hours ago13 hr by Paulie4Pres
6 hours ago6 hr 6 hours ago, Paulie4Pres said:Only two teams in the MLB have higher beer prices than the White Sox.Only seven teams have higher parking prices than the White Sox.Their concession pricing is higher than average for pretty much everything.Their ticket prices are only cheap because the team has made the playoffs less often than pretty much every other MLB team in existence, and attendance is s%*# as a result.When was the last time you even went to a game?How much it costs to attend Chicago White Sox games- 2026 Stadium: Guaranteed Rate Field- Ticket prices: $25.58 (National rank: #26 most expensive)- Concession total: $20.79 (National rank: #9 most expensive)--- Beer (16oz): $10.79--- Hot Dog: $5.00--- Soda: $5.00- Average parking price: $16.00- Estimated total cost of attending a game: $62.37MLB teams with the highest average ticket prices#1. New York Yankees ($67.75)#2. Houston Astros ($64.29)#3. Chicago Cubs ($55.10)#4. Los Angeles Dodgers ($54.24)#5. Washington Nationals ($46.02)MLB teams with the lowest average ticket prices#1. Miami Marlins ($23.61)#2. Arizona Diamondbacks ($25.15)#3. Chicago White Sox ($25.58)#4. Cincinnati Reds ($25.58)#5. Pittsburgh Pirates ($26.93)https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-22/chicago-white-sox-crack-the-code-on-winning-back-skeptical-mlb-fans?fbclid=IwY2xjawUguWlwZG9mA2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHqlc4Nwu9WBa_gKeH-sKbI0osINaMZfBzQlMsfeHc3462cYnhQ5Eg1WfPDGY_aem_bxGMF2v5Z1r-ahrLK7vHgA&utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demonxrdi7si Edited 6 hours ago6 hr by caulfield12
6 hours ago6 hr COST 3/5Parking is steep at $35 ($25 on Sundays), but you buy parking at least a day in advance, those prices drop to $22 and $15 (which suddenly seems like a deal for Chicago). Concession prices are MLB standard. Tickets are priced reasonably at the box office, and good seats can often be had on the secondary market for low prices. On Tuesday nights a Miller Lite/Modelo, Beggar’s pizza slice, or Vienna beef frank cost $5 each. And it’s WAAAY less than a Cubs game.
6 hours ago6 hr 10 minutes ago, caulfield12 said:How much it costs to attend Chicago White Sox games- 2026 Stadium: Guaranteed Rate Field- Ticket prices: $25.58 (National rank: #26 most expensive)- Concession total: $20.79 (National rank: #9 most expensive)--- Beer (16oz): $10.79--- Hot Dog: $5.00--- Soda: $5.00- Average parking price: $16.00- Estimated total cost of attending a game: $62.37MLB teams with the highest average ticket prices#1. New York Yankees ($67.75)#2. Houston Astros ($64.29)#3. Chicago Cubs ($55.10)#4. Los Angeles Dodgers ($54.24)#5. Washington Nationals ($46.02)MLB teams with the lowest average ticket prices#1. Miami Marlins ($23.61)#2. Arizona Diamondbacks ($25.15)#3. Chicago White Sox ($25.58)#4. Cincinnati Reds ($25.58)#5. Pittsburgh Pirates ($26.93)https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-22/chicago-white-sox-crack-the-code-on-winning-back-skeptical-mlb-fans?fbclid=IwY2xjawUguWlwZG9mA2V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzQwOTk2MjYyMzA4NTYwOQABHqlc4Nwu9WBa_gKeH-sKbI0osINaMZfBzQlMsfeHc3462cYnhQ5Eg1WfPDGY_aem_bxGMF2v5Z1r-ahrLK7vHgA&utm_id=97757_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demonxrdi7siAll these prices are wrong btw
6 hours ago6 hr Stadium DudeChicago White Sox - Stadium DudeStadium Dude gives his review of Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, ranking it as the 26th best ballpark in MLB.This is probably the most accurate/objective stadium review ever written...
4 hours ago4 hr 2 hours ago, caulfield12 said:Stadium DudeChicago White Sox - Stadium DudeStadium Dude gives his review of Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, ranking it as the 26th best ballpark in MLB.This is probably the most accurate/objective stadium review ever written...That's a pretty good - and fair - review of Rate Field. I don't think he's right that the Sox still have an organist, though. He doesn't hesitate to give praise the good things about it. But, in the end, it's still #26 - There's Nothing Wrong With It Field.The only ballparks not about to be replaced (A's, Rays) that are ranked lower are Chase Field and Angel Stadium (and Kroenke may very well decide to replace Angel Stadium).People aren't going to like which place he ranks as #1. The guy says he made his son's middle name "Addison" after Wrigley and his will stipulates that his ashes will be scattered there. He also blames some of the criticism of Wrigley on "angry White Sox fans". So, take that into consideration with his ranking it #1. That being said, I don't see anything in his Rate Field review that is unfair or taking pot shots at the ballpark or Sox fans. Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by 77 Hitmen
4 hours ago4 hr 11 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:That's a pretty good - and fair - review of Rate Field. I don't think he's right that the Sox still have an organist, though. He doesn't hesitate to give praise the good things about it. But, in the end, it's still #26 - There's Nothing Wrong With It Field.The only ballparks not about to be replaced (A's, Rays) that are ranked lower are Chase Field and Angel Stadium (and Kroenke may very well decide to replace Angel Stadium).People aren't going to like which place he ranks as #1. The guy says he made his son's middle name "Addison" after Wrigley and his will stipulates that his ashes will be scattered there. He also blames some of the criticism of Wrigley on "angry White Sox fans". So, take that into consideration with his ranking it #1. That being said, I don't see anything in his Rate Field review that is unfair or taking pot shots at the Sox.*Perfectly Fine Field
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