For White Sox fans, it seems to come down to cost
Political humorist Art Buchwald was quoted as saying, “Dying is easy; parking is hard.”
Expensive, too, according to White Sox fans.
Judging by responses last week to a column on Sox attendance, parking is as good an explanation as any for the team floundering at the gate.
The homestand that ended Sunday was no exception, an 11-9 loss to the Astros witnessed by a crowd of 20,398.
This is getting to be an old story, but an important one. It impacts the Sox’ payroll, so it will persist until somebody figures out how to lure fans to Comiskey Park, kicking and screaming if necessary.
So what is the problem, anyway?
Steve Kruse emailed, “This year (the Sox) are fun to watch. However, the expense of going to a game is still the biggest hurdle.”
Especially, apparently, the cost of parking in the Sox’ lots.
Mark Fletcher: “When Magic Johnson bought the Dodgers he announced the first thing he was going to do was lower parking (prices). The Dodgers were going to drop the cost from $15 to $10. I believe the last time the Sox were even at $15 was 1990 at the old Comiskey Park.”
Brad Davis, Carol Stream: “I can put up with a lot of hassles, but $23 in the general parking lot … that’s obscene. No parking fee should exceed $10.”
John Anderson, Naperville: “The problem is the Sox want $25 for parking. I buy a ticket (or tickets) they are so desperately trying to sell, and then they want to charge me $25 for the ‘privilege’ of driving to the game. The Sox ought to be glad I’m buying tickets. Do they expect me to walk there?”
Parking is only one problem Anderson has with attending Sox games. Another is the extra cost of purchasing tickets on the Internet.
“My son and I attended a recent Sox-Twins game,” he wrote. “I believe we paid at least $10 extra for each ticket just in fees. There is a charge to basically use the computer to obtain the tickets, and then something like a ‘delivery charge’ on top of that. Robbery! A $32 ticket should cost $32 plus tax, period.”
Oh, yeah, also on Anderson’s list of grievances are “An $8 sandwich and a $7.75 beer to wash it down.”
Cost is the major issue for most who commented on the subject last week, but there are other issues for suburban fans.
Tom Lahart wrote: “You mentioned traffic; it’s the showstopper for me. Wish the voter referendum had passed when they were considering Addison for the new park. I believe they would outdraw the Cubs.”
As Mark Munro put it concerning the ballpark, “Location, location, location.”
Still curious, though, is why the Cubs with worse teams get more fans out to Wrigley Field than the Sox with better teams get out to Comiskey Park.
Jim Baum has one theory: “Hassle factor for White Sox games is simply that, a hassle; hassle factor for Cub games is ‘all part of the experience.’”
But John Klimick of Mount Prospect expresses hope for the White Sox.
“I think Sox attendance will get a boost over the next few years,” he wrote, “as younger Cubs ‘fans’ (the ones doing the WAVE) start bailing on the Cubs’ four-year ‘rebuilding’ program.”
Thanks, gentlemen, for parking this issue in the proper perspective … and also for writing this column for me.
mimrem@dailyherald.com