Come for the tickets, stay for breakfast
p class="News">Roughly 30 people were waiting at 7 a.m. Saturday when Kane County Cougars personnel opened the doors at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, even though breakfast wasn't scheduled for an hour.
They were the first of more than 200 fans who turned out to get first crack at tickets for the 2008 season. The Cougars are a Class A minor league affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
The team has begun selling tickets in November, three to four months earlier than most major league teams, for about 15 years.
That's how long Ray Waszak of South Elgin has been making the trek to get first pick. He was one of the early ones Saturday.
"It's a family affair," said Waszak, who was there with his father, Ray, of Schaumburg. "I come to games with my wife and two kids, or with my dad, and we bring my wife's parents sometimes.
"My dad likes to sit behind the third-base dugout," Waszak said. "It's a good brand of baseball. Some of these players will be in the majors some day. And you can't beat the price, especially compared to major league games."
Waszak said he used to buy a ticket plan every year to see the White Sox. But after the new stadium opened in 1991, he couldn't get good seats.
"Between the prices and the commute, it's hard to get there," he said.
Amy Backer of St. Charles was there at 6 a.m. with her husband, Michael, who is principal at Davis Elementary School in St. Charles.
"We usually get here at 4," she said. "It's a staple with our families. Going to the games has a small-town feel; it's a friendly place."
Backer and her husband bring their four children to about six games a year.
"We saw Josh Beckett pitch here for the Cougars, and we have his autographed baseball," she said.
Beckett, one of a host of former Cougars who went on to play in the majors, won 20 games for the Boston Red Sox and was instrumental in their winning the 2007 World Series.
Fans were given a number when they arrived (James Carroll of Geneva was the first one on the scene) and waited in the locker room where they could enjoy a hot breakfast.
They were then escorted in groups of about 10 to the offices to purchase their tickets.
"This is where we kick-off our season," said Cougars Vice President and General Manager Jeff Sedivy, who was one of several informally dressed employees chatting with fans. "We want them to feel like we've invited them into our house. And I think the reputation of the breakfast has made it around. They don't want to miss the food."
For more details, visit www.kccougars.com.