The Chicago Cubs got the go-ahead to play a rare Friday night game on June 18 against the Miami Marlins because the team returns to Chicago late the night before after playing the Mets in New York.
Normally, Friday and Saturday night games are off-limits because they exacerbate parking and congestion problems in Wrigleyville on nights when restaurants and nightclubs draw their biggest crowds.
But at the behest of local Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), the City Council’s Committee on License and Consumer Protection agreed to make the one-time exception due to the Cubs’ travel schedule, hoping a better-rested home team would be more likely to defeat the Miami Marlins.
“It’s a pretty simple ask. This is to move a day game that was scheduled for Friday, June 18 to a night game. ... We’ve done it in the past on a very limited basis to help accommodate tight travel schedules in the hopes that a well-rested team might get us in the playoffs,” Tunney said.
“The Cubs, traditionally by the night game ordinance, were not allowed Friday or Saturday night games without this kind of exception. ... This was done historically because generally, in Lake View and other communities, Friday and Saturday night are the busiest nights for restaurants, theater and other uses that really are necessary to keep these businesses alive. When there’s a game around Wrigley Field, there’s too much congestion and parking issues for other businesses to really survive.”
