BROOKLINE, Mass.–It’s plain and simple–the only way to make new Comiskey a great park, and to boost attendance, is to have the Cubs play there.
Ritesh Shah
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KANKAKEE–The primary problem with Comiskey Park is geometric in nature. The unobstructed views and sightlines are to be commended, but the fans are too far away from the action on the field.
The electricity is missing. This was not the case at old Comiskey, where the beginning of a Sox rally would get the joint rocking and rolling, sending the opposition to the heights of intimidation. The roar at times was deafening.
Alas, such is not the case at new Comiskey. It has no character, no charm. It’s no wonder that the team oftentimes appears to be mechanical and robotlike as it plods lifelessly through nine innings. It is impossible for the crowd to generate a fever pitch. We’re no longer part of the game.
Rev. Michael P. Keliher
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CHICAGO–As a Cubs fan who enjoys going out to see American League games, here are my suggestions to bring the fans back:
No. 1: Give up trying to convince us that those upper-deck seats are really not that bad. Even if they aren’t, no one will ever believe it. So, turn a negative into a plus.
Make those seats $4 all the time, and give this section a cool name–with special signs, like “The Sock Drawer” or “Sweat Sox Section.” Give everybody who sits up there T-shirts and make it a hip, happening thing to be up there–like an exclusive club for kids.
And, No. 2: Bring some of the unique, wonderful character of the South Side to the area around the ballpark. Instead of just sterile sidewalks and parking lots, do something to make it a happening to visit Comiskey Park. You can’t create an instant neighborhood, but why couldn’t the Sox put up a permanent “Taste of the South Side”–food and drink stands, carnival rides and attractions all around the perimeter of the park? They own the land. People would come early and stay late, regardless of whether the team was in contention or not.
And that’s what you want. Because the real trouble is going to come when the Sox are completely out of contention and attendance dips to a few thousand a game. Then you’re going to start hearing talk about the team moving–and that would be a tragedy. So get going, Mr. Reinsdorf: The time to avoid tragedy is now.
Bob Sirott, Fox-Ch. 32
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RIVER FOREST–Comiskey Park needs some personality for its field dimensions. Like signature holes for golf course designers, Comiskey needs something to make it distinctive. It should, first of all, be asymmetrical. Each portion of the outfield, including the gaps, should have its own character. Look at The Ballpark at Arlington. This is perhaps one area that could be remedied.
James M. McElyea
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EVERGREEN PARK–Plant ivy on the outfield walls. It would break the monotony of the design and give the park some color other than blue. I believe that this idea has worked well elsewhere.
James J. Hopkins
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DOWNERS GROVE–Mr. Reinsdorf built the new Comiskey Park first for the skyboxes, then for corporate fat cats, and last for the average fan. So he got what he wanted, filled skyboxes and empty seats. Chicago fans are not stupid and I think most feel insulted at the new Comiskey Park, especially after seeing parks built in Baltimore, Cleveland and Texas (which are usually full).
So, Mr. Reinsdorf, we think of you last, just like you did to us.
Robert Fleischer
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CRYSTAL LAKE–Look at the minor-league ballparks. That is where the innovative ideas are taking place. You are losing out to a more genuine product. This season, I have gone to 27 minor-league games, three Sox games, three Cubs games and one Twins game. Need I say more?
Tony Schaeve
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GLEN ELLYN–The last White Sox game I attended was two years ago. To save money, we had seats about four rows from the top of the stadium, somewhere between Earth and Mars.
The roving vendors (hot dogs and pop) came up to us only once, at the beginning of the game. Consequently, later in the game, we walked down to the service area and then struggled with our food back up the steep stairs to our seats.
Who needs the grief?
Jim Puleo
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FLOSSMOOR–I have been an avid Sox fan ever since my dad took me to Comiskey Park almost 60 years ago. The new Comiskey is a major-league disaster! On my first (and last) visit to the upper deck, a towering popup was dozens of feet below my eye level and, it seemed, a continent away.
There is only one solution to this baseball abomination: Completely remove the upper deck and build a new one closer to the playing field, covering at least half of the lower deck. This will bring the fans closer to the action, where they may actually be able to see the baseball again. Yes, some lower-deck seats will obviously be lost because of posts and other obstructed views, but this will be offset many times over by an increase of thousands and thousands in average upper-deck attendance.
Let’s face it: Fans just hate the upper deck now in place, and they cannot afford the pricy lower-deck seats. Bite the bullet, admit design failure and get on with the renovation. The cost of the new upper deck will be recouped in a few short years.
Richard D. DeFreeuw
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WILMETTE–The greatest cause of discomfort to me is the very high noise level at Comiskey Park. I have been going to games since 1928 when there were no public-address systems, no organs, no ridiculous Fan-O-Meters. Not only could you hear the person next to you, you occasionally could hear the players on the field.
Now it is sometimes necessary to shout to be heard what with the deafening noise assailing your ears. My advice: Keep down the noise.
Herbert J. Curtis
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EVERGREEN PARK–Reinsdorf’s life has been built on the making of money. Well, now he’s choking on his greed. There is one solution to your attendance problem, Jerry: Sell it and they will come.
James Johnson
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GLEN ELLYN–Make the ballpark green. All that blue has the potential to make the fans seasick. Take all blue surfaces (seats, bleacher areas, etc.) and give them a good old-fashioned dark green finish. Just like the original and far superior Comiskey Park.
Rustom K. Bhathena
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SKOKIE–My main criticism is cost. Many families just can’t afford to spend $100 or more for a ballgame. Here is a list of suggestions:
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No. 1: Lower ticket prices. Why should children pay adult prices?
No. 2: Lower parking fees. Ten dollars for just parking is ridiculous.
No. 3: Lower souvenir prices. Most are junk anyway.
No. 4: Lower food prices. Why should a hot dog and drink cost about $10? Ice cream, $3?
The basic idea should be the old one of “a warm seat is better than an empty one.”
Irving Maslov
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BATAVIA–What you can get for the price of one $13 seat in Section 507 at Comiskey Park:
No. 1: Two seats at a movie about baseball that is sure to have a happy ending.
No. 2: A ball cap of your favorite local basketball team.
No. 3: A pair of shoes for your son or daughter.
No. 4: An influenza vaccination for everyone in your family at the clinic.
No. 5: A pizza for four, rather than hot dogs and pop for two.
Chad T. Clarey
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CHICAGO–There is nothing wrong with the upper deck at Comiskey Park that two good middle-relief pitchers can’t solve.
I must be the only person in the city who actually likes sitting up there. You just have to do a little planning to have an enjoyable evening. Either eat somewhere else before the game or get there early and eat at the tables they have set up in the concourse, go to the bathroom and then take your dessert up to your seat to eat when the game starts. I then stay in my seat for the entire game. (You’re there to watch a ballgame, aren’t you?)
Every seat at Comiskey has much better visibility than those in some of the new, prettier ballparks. Sitting in the upper deck in right field at Cleveland, you have to look at the scoreboard to see if a long ball is a home run or a flyout.
I guess I should appreciate the press bashing of the upper deck. It makes it easier to spread out and enjoy a real baseball game.
Joe Waytula
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STREAMWOOD–Mr. Reinsdorf was correct in saying that “the park was filled from 1991 through 1994.” What happened in 1994? The White Sox were in a pennant race, had a shot at going to the World Series, and I had tickets in September. Then there was the strike. No games in September, no playoffs, no World Series.
Now they want to know what they can do to get me to buy tickets to go to another ballgame. What guarantee do I have that the ballplayers will even show up?
Sign a labor agreement–a long one. Then I’ll consider going back to the ballpark again. I won’t be going back this year, though, even if they do decide to sign an agreement. I’m on strike. Wait till next year.
Pamela S. Dahl
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SCHAUMBURG–Want to get more people back into Comiskey Park?
It’s easy–next time there’s a White Sox game and a Bulls game scheduled at the same time, just have Reinsdorf cancel the Bulls game.
That oughta get the White Sox fans back in the park.
Both of ’em.
Howard Schlossberg
So long, Jeremy . .
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