MESA, Ariz. – The sights and sounds of spring are in the air, and as the Cubs prepare for what will be an interesting season in terms of their future, fans returning to the ballparks will play a big part in that future and what the on-field product could look like in 2021.
The Cubs will host their first of 14 home spring training games at Sloan Park in Mesa on Tuesday and the impact the return of fans and gameday revenue has on the team’s ability to make moves this season can’t be understated.
It’s been well-documented what the loss of fans due to the coronavirus pandemic had on projected team revenues around MLB in 2020, and the subsequent salary-shedding that ensued after was a direct result of that. Even the Cubs, who are considered one of baseball’s “big-market” teams, were forced to shed salary during the offseason.
But with fans in the seats at Sloan Park and eventually, at Wrigley Field, it’s not impossible that after being forced to shed salary, the Cubs’ budget in 2021 could be positively affected by having people at the park.
“I think the potential is always there. we’re gonna learn a lot about finances over the course of the next few months,” president Jed Hoyer said. like what percentage of fans when things open up. I think those are all real questions that we’re still figuring out, but obviously, if we want to be on that side of the equation, for sure that that’s where you would like to be.”
The Cubs’ offseason started slowly, and it looked like the team would not be able to add. After a late increase in the team’s offseason budget, Hoyer was able to add outfielder Joc Pederson, starter Jake Arrieta and reliever Brandon Workman on one-year deals.
The increase in the team’s budget this offseason was likely tied to the projected attendance at Wrigley Field this season, declining COVID-19 numbers and the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine.
The Cubs have been in constant communication with both city and state officials about the possibility of fans returning to Wrigley Field at a reduced capacity. Several reports have stated that both the Cubs and White Sox would have fans allowed in their respective ballparks on Opening Day, but no official announcement has been made regarding the return of fans.
“They don’t call me on those things,” manager David Ross said. “I’ve been on a couple of calls that are encouraging, I guess to say the least. But again, that’s way way above my head. I think everybody is trying to get back to a sense of normalcy, but as well understanding that we’ve got to keep people safe.”
After a year without fans, the expected increase in capacity this season will be a welcomed sight, especially for a team that relies heavily on its gameday revenue.
But the team’s play will ultimately be the deciding factor in how that revenue is distributed back into the on-field product. If the Cubs are good and in a position to make a move, making an addition might not be as far-fetched as it seemed just two months ago.
“If we play well and there’s clear things we need to do to add to the team, I’m confident we’ll be able to do that,” Hoyer said. I’m confident that we will be able to do that if the team plays that well. But I think in general, I think we’ll also learn more about the budget over the next few months, as far as fans coming into the stands. That makes a huge difference towards your finances.”
