'We're Just So Excited To Be Back': Cubs Fans Happy To Be At The Ballgame, Even With COVID Restrictions
"They have zip ties on these four seats and on these two next to us then no one can sit in front or behind us."
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"They have zip ties on these four seats and on these two next to us then no one can sit in front or behind us."
For the Chicago Cubs' opening day, there will be fans in the stands.
For small business owner Mel Nelson and others on her block, it's been a struggle with not many shoppers since the pandemic and fan-less games in 2020.
Changes have been made to keep everyone safe, including a new touchless entering system. Fans don't even have to hand over their phones or keys before going through metal detectors.
The Chicago Cubs today announced the launch of a presale opportunity for fans to register for random drawings to win a chance to purchase tickets to limited-capacity regular season home games. Attendance will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The Cubs and White Sox will be allowed to have roughly 8,000 fans at the ballpark to start the season next month.
For the first time in a year, fans will soon be heading back to the stands at both Major League Baseball parks in Chicago.
With a normal capacity of 41,374, Wrigley Field will be limited to 8,274 fans per game. With a normal capacity of just over 40,000 guests, Guaranteed Rate Field will be limited to 8,122 fans per game.
"I think there will be a point sometime this season where you'll see fans in the stands at both Wrigley [Field] and Guaranteed Rate Field, which I still call Sox Park," Lightfoot said Tuesday afternoon
College football is scheduled to return to Wrigley Field this coming fall, with the Northwestern Wildcats playing host to the Purdue Boilermakers.
Chicago's buildings will go dark Tuesday night in participation of the National COVID-19 Memorial Service.
"The historical significance of Wrigley Field is interwoven into our nation's story and a key part of what has become America's beloved pastime for over a century," Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said.
Playoff baseball is back at Wrigley Field, but because of COVID-19, fans are not.
A retired Chicago doctor and diehard Cubs pounded the pavement Sunday to raise awareness for patient and caregiver safety.
While Major League Baseball is beginning this season without fans in its stadiums, the famed ballhawks of Wrigley Field remain at their post amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In Chicago, tickets to the 16 rooftops come at a hefty price — about $300 to $440 compared to the usual $150. They can seat at about 200 to 250, but a 20% capacity limit has them selling 40 to 50 per game.
The games will start counting when the 2020 Major League Baseball season begins on Friday, but this weekend was just about fun.
"We're excited to be playing baseball again. It's good to be back on the field, even without fans in the ballpark," Cubs executive vice president Mike Lufrano said.
Northwestern University athletic director Jim Phillips cited the possibility of a limited crowd at the famed ballpark even if fans were allowed.
The Cubs were back to work practicing at Wrigley Field on Sunday, and the weather has certainly been cooperating.
Tickets are still being sold for some large shows in August, and the city of Chicago is not ready to rule it out.
Protesters marched from Wrigley Field toward the downtown area Tuesday afternoon, calling for justice for George Floyd.
A Cubs fan is suing her favorite team, after she said she was hit in the face with a ball.
We exposed Wednesday night how few people are working the phones in Illinois to help those struggling to get through to finish filing for unemployment. On Thursday night, we were happy to report that number is getting a much needed boost.
There is plenty of space to pack food and get it ready to be distributed to people in need.
History was made during the regular-season finale at Wrigley Field Thursday, as Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first player in Cubs history to join the 40-40 Club.
A sixth-grade teacher and basketball coach at a school in Island Lake, Illinois, was arrested Thursday on child pornography charges.
There is a large police presence at Ford Heights village hall Thursday afternoon conducting an investigation in conjunction with the state of Illinois.
A fire ripped through an apartment building in the west Chicago suburb of Woodridge during the midday hours Thursday.
Gov. JB Pritzker is setting up a new group within state government to explore more regulations for artificial intelligence as calls grow across the country for new restrictions.
Gov. JB Pritzker is setting up a new group within state government to explore more regulations for artificial intelligence as calls grow across the country for new restrictions.
The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday was set to hear legal arguments in a years-long case over whether Chicago police officers accused of serious misconduct can have their disciplinary hearings held behind closed doors.
Benjamin Netanyahu focused on Iran, and on defending Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank amid condemnation from fellow leaders at the U.N.
Voters will elect a Chicago Board of Education president for the first time ever in November, and among the four candidates running is Hilario Dominguez, the former political coordinator of the Chicago Teachers Union.
An Iowa judge dismissed President Trump's lawsuit accusing pollster J. Ann Selzer of fraud over her 2024 Iowa poll, ruling the coverage was protected political speech. Trump's team says he'll appeal to the Iowa Supreme Court.
Scammers are now impersonating the patient portal MyChart, using realistic-looking emails, texts, and websites to try to steal personal information and, in some cases, get malware on your computer.
Fuel prices continue to climb across the country, and that has U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) pointing the finger at President Trump.
Nicor customers will get a break on their bills this fall after Illinois Attorney General Kwame Roul reached an agreement with the utility to cut $140 million from its requested rate hike.
Drivers in Chicago and beyond were paying the highest gas prices ever recorded for the Labor Day holiday as millions of Americans were making their way home on Monday.
Around 115 million domestic and international tourists visited Illinois last year, pushing visitor spending past $50 billion for the first time and generating more than $88 billion in total economic impact.
The Chicago Department of Public Health on Wednesday launched its first "street psychiatry" teams, in an effort to provide mental health services to some of the city's most vulnerable people.
A new Illinois law lets terminally ill patients request a lethal prescription to end their lives, making the state the 13th in the U.S. — and the first in the Midwest — to permit it.
Nearly half of Americans with medical debt owe at least $2,000, forcing them to make tough choices, new research shows.
A judge on Tuesday was expected to place two shuttered Chicago-area safety-net hospitals into receivership.
Cardinal Blase Cupich and a group of Catholic nuns have joined a federal lawsuit challenging Illinois' Medical Aid in Dying law, which is set to take effect in just over a week.
McDonald's said Wednesday it will spend $8.5 billion over the next decade to modernize its restaurants globally.
The future of Rate Field was back in the spotlight on Wednesday.
Plans for a new Chicago White Sox stadium in the South Loop have residents near the existing ballpark in Bridgeport concerned, not just because the team might be leaving, but also what might be coming nearby.
A new report from the University of Illinois Chicago said federal immigration enforcement led to $1.26 billion in unspent money at retail establishments and restaurants in Cook County.
Around 115 million domestic and international tourists visited Illinois last year, pushing visitor spending past $50 billion for the first time and generating more than $88 billion in total economic impact.
Taylor Swift announced her new single "Patient Zero" earlier this week, saying she has been "impatiently waiting" to announce that it will be out on Friday.
A Tennessee judge granted Dolly Parton's estate a temporary restraining order Wednesday against the late singer's nephew Bryan Seaver and his private security company.
An autopsy by the Greenville County Coroner's Office determined Hayden Panettiere's death was due to an accidental overdose of several drugs, including fentanyl.
Nike-owned Converse acknowledged that an ad for its Chuck Taylor sneaker is "deeply upsetting."
Presley Gerber, the son of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, has died at 27, a family spokesperson has confirmed.
Officially named Beverly Hills but known widely simply as Beverly this South Side neighborhood is famous for its rolling terrain, Irish roots and remarkable collection of historic architecture. Producer Tom speaks to Paul Durica of the Chicago History Museum about how Beverly was annexed into the city in the 19th century, the Ridge Historic District and its structures from the city's most famous architects, and the Givins Irish Castle. We also visit the original Rainbow Cone, and the commercial corridor known as the Emerald Strip. Beverly is a neighborhood that's a little Irish, a little historic, a little hilly and completely Chicago.
Looking to adopt a cat or kitten? Head to Barb's Precious Rescue.
A Frankfort, Illinois, mother accused of killing her 2-year-old son pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Thursday morning.
Meteorologist David Yeomans has your 11 a.m. First Alert Weather forecast for Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026.
President Trump and President Xi on Friday discussed their friendship, artificial intelligence, and pandas. Nana-Séntuo Bonsu reports.
A apartment fire in Woodridge, Illinois, has shut down part of Woodward Avenue and forced evacuations.
There is a large police presence at Ford Heights village hall Thursday afternoon conducting an investigation in conjunction with the state of Illinois.
History was made during the regular-season finale at Wrigley Field Thursday, as Pete Crwo-Armstrong became the first player in Cubs history to join the 40-40 Club.
The champagne bottles remained corked on both Chicago's North and South sides Wednesday night, as both the Cubs and the White Sox failed to clinch a playoff spot.
A sixth-grade teacher and basketball coach at a school in Island Lake, Illinois, was arrested Thursday on child pornography charges.
Crown Point native Chris Payne was arrested for the 2018 sexual assault of a woman, which he has adamantly claimed from the beginning that he had nothing to do with.
A Chicago nonprofit is suing its former president, accusing him of illegally diverting millions of dollars in charitable funds and jeopardizing the charity's future in fighting homelessness.
They're not regular donuts, they're quantum donuts. That's the pitch from a business hoping to get more dough as a massive new quantum computing campus continues construction in South Chicago.
The village of Grayslake is touting a new massive data center, but neighbors say they weren't given an opportunity to make their voices heard before the project was approved.
A Cicero woman is suing Uber and a driver after the driver allegedly sexually assaulted her. She and her boyfriend said Uber hired him despite the driver having a criminal background.
History was made during the regular-season finale at Wrigley Field Thursday, as Pete Crow-Armstrong became the first player in Cubs history to join the 40-40 Club.
The champagne bottles remained corked on both Chicago's North and South sides Wednesday night, as both the Cubs and the White Sox failed to clinch a playoff spot.
Kyle Stowers homered and the Miami Marlins denied the Chicago Cubs a chance to clinch a playoff berth for the second straight night with a 3-2 victory Wednesday.
Maikel Garcia had three hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking, run-scoring double in the seventh inning, as the Kansas City Royals beat the White Sox 5-4 and delayed Chicago's bid for a postseason berth.
With Caleb Williams and Tyson Bagent both nursing injuries, it's looking like the Bears' third-string quarterback, Case Keenum, could be in for his first start since 2023.
A sixth-grade teacher and basketball coach at a school in Island Lake, Illinois, was arrested Thursday on child pornography charges.
Boise police have identified a man known as the "Unknown Wanderer" who was found dead in a church in 1982, and revealed a possible link to the Chicago Tylenol murders.
A Mundelein, Illinois, high school teacher and volleyball coach appeared in court Wednesday morning on charges of making an unauthorized video recording of a minor.
A third person stood charged Wednesday in an incident in which a man was shoved off a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line train and killed.
Harvey Weinstein, the disgraced movie mogul, was sentenced to 15 years in prison Wednesday morning for sexually assaulting Miriam Haley at his Manhattan apartment in 2006.
