Cubs Unveil New Bleacher Seating Experience Called ‘The Yard’

Photo of Evan Altman Evan AltmanJanuary 29, 2025

Breaking even? More like breaking ground, amirite? Tom Ricketts caught a little heat during Cubs Convention when he told 670 The Score the team is funneling its profits back into baseball operations, which is why they can’t operate like the Dodgers or Mets. That’s funny because the Cubs’ fan cost index of $325.73 ranked fourth-highest in MLB last season and was ahead of both the Dodgers ($311.66) and the Mets ($227.34). Part of that lower cost in LA could just be that fans who show up in the 3rd inning and leave in the 7th simply can’t spend as much at the ballpark, but I digress.

While I think Ricketts’ statements about his team’s finances are probably true after massaging the numbers a little bit, they come across as disingenuous and tone-deaf to fans who are paying increasingly exorbitant prices for the Cubs experience. I also wonder whether the family’s liquid assets may be so low relative to net worth and franchise value that massive expenditures like those being made by their major-market counterparts aren’t feasible.

Even those deferred contracts have to have money set aside in close to real-time, so it’s not as though the Dodgers are just running up a billion-dollar credit card debt and making minimum monthly payments. That might explain the Cubs’ aversion to such deals. Before I swim out into hypothetical financial waters far too deep for my dog-paddling ass to comprehend, let’s get to the topic of the day.

That would be “The Yard,” a new outdoor space located above the batter’s eye in the center field bleachers. It offers a more intimate vibe with high-top seating, fully stocked coolers, and a smaller premier experience not previously available at the ballpark. With a maximum capacity of 50 total guests, The Yard offers availability for groups as small as four.

Each rental includes an exclusive table with high-top seating, unlimited beer, seltzer, wine, and nonalcoholic drinks from a private cooler, and a ballpark meal for each guest with the option to select a Small Cheval burger, Vienna Beef hot dog, or vegetarian option. The Yard provides the iconic bleacher view of Wrigley Field and is accessible up to 90 minutes before first pitch through the end of the game.

“Fans often tell us that Wrigley Field is their summer home, so we wanted to create a space that feels like their own backyard,” said Cubs Senior Vice President of Ticketing Cale Vennum. “The Yard not only offers a cozy and intimate setting, but also addresses feedback we’ve received about creating bleacher options for smaller groups. The historic Budweiser Bleachers have a unique energy unlike anything in Major League Baseball. The Yard sits in the middle of the action but provides an elevated gameday experience in an all-inclusive and reserved space for a few friends or family members.”

I’m not gonna lie, this does seem like a really cool setup reminiscent of what the White Sox did with their Goose Island section several years ago. My daughter and I sat there when we saw the Cubs play on the South Side back in 2019 or so and I loved having our own server and a great view of all the fights in the adjacent section. Was that the infamous 108? Anyway, I have no doubt The Yard will be a pretty cool place for groups moving forward, so long as there are no weddings held there during games.

Another thing I have no doubt about is that this will be pricey AF when you consider what all comes with it in addition to the cost of a ticket alone. I’m old enough to remember when the face value of bleacher tickets jumping to $36 was a big deal. Now they are nearly triple that for the most coveted contests in the Cubs’ dynamic pricing model.

Guess they’ve got to increase revenues if they hope to offer Kyle Tucker an extension while still breaking even.

Photo of Evan Altman Evan AltmanJanuary 29, 2025
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