Chicago Cubs Stadium

The Chicago Cubs have earned their place as a worthy competitor for others in Major League Baseball (MLB). A longtime member of the National Division (NL) in the league, the team has won the NL East Division Championship twice as well as the NL Central Division Championship six times so far. They have also been the World Series Champions three times and gained the NL pennant an impressive 17 times. Moreover, they are one of the main rivals for the Chicago White Sox (Downton Illinois Rivalry or I-55 series).

The Ricketts family are the present owners of the Chicago Cubs team. On the other hand, Jed Hoyer continues to be the President of baseball operations while Carter Hawkins serves as the General Manager of the team. Notably, Craig Counsell took over the managerial duties after former manager David Ross departed in 2023. The team has continued to provide entertaining games for their fans with their talented rosters.

What is the name of the Chicago Cubs’ Stadium?

Wrigley Field is the official stadium for the Chicago Cubs in Major League Baseball (MLB). Based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, it is notable for being the 2nd oldest baseball stadium in MLB. The Chicago Cubs have been using this stradium for their home games since 1916. It also serves as one of the last baseball stadiums created using the “Jewel Box” design.

Wrigley Field’s History/Wrigley Field Construction and Cost

The Wrigley Field occupies the land of the historical Chicago Lutheran Theological Society. Charles Weeghman, then owner of the team, leased the land for 99 years. He constructed the field and the stands and it became Weeghman Park. The stadium was made accessible for the public on April 23, 1914. However, after the team won the 1915 championship and the Federal League came to an end, Weeghman joined forces with William Wrigley Jr. the chewing gum magnate to become the co-owners of the Chicago Cubs. After Wrigley Jr. became the majority owner of the team in 1926, the stadium was renamed to Wrigley Field. Accordingly an upper deck was added in the stadium in 1927. Moreover, Bill Veeck, the son of the club President back then, planted ivy vines near the outfield wall in 1937, after getting inspired by the Perry Stadium of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Despite attempts to install lights at the stadium in 1942 for night games, it was not possible due to World War II. The lights were finally installed in 1998 after the Chicago Cubs wanted to leave the stadium as there were no lights. The Chicago Cubs on August 9, 1999 played their first full night game and defeated the New York Mets 6-4.

The Ricketts Family in 2009, proposed to completely renovate the park within 5-years from 2014-2019. They spent $575 million for renovation. Among the newly renovated features of the park, are the two Jumbotrons in the right and left field bleachers. The one on the left is 3,990 square feet and the one on the right is 2,400 square feet. The jewel box style of the park is maintained and so is the outfield wall which is ivy-covered. The ivy becomes red in color during summer. This also led to the stadium being declared “best place to catch a game” on April 7, 2013 by Total Pro Sports. The Ricketts Family also acquired the Wrigley rooftops and converted them into the seating zones for the stadium. The original scoreboard is still being maintained and operated manually by the stadium authorities. The stadium also gets the benefit of the winds coming from Lake Michigan, which makes it easier for batters to get out while to score home runs in April and May. On the other hand, they can easily score home runs in August. Thus the stadium can be both pitcher friendly and hitter friendly depending on the winds from Lake Michigan. There was once a huge red colored marquee near the entrance to the stadium that announced upcoming games. However, it was removed as part of the renovations in 2015. The concession stands of the stadium were added with restaurants, patio areas, batting tunnels, Zachary’s boutique hotel, a retail complex office and the Cubs Plaza. Notably, the baseball stadium celebrated 100 years in 2014.

The stadium field was constructed using Merion Bluegrass. The left field is 355 feet and the left center field is 368 feet. The right field is 353 feet and the right center field is 368 feet. The center field is 400 feet and the backstop is 55 feet. The outfield wall corners are 15 feet and the bleachers are 11 feet 6 inches. The construction of Wrigley Field cost $250,000 in 1914, which was equal to $7.3 million as of 2022. It was constructed by Zachary Taylor Davis.

Wrigley Field’s Capacity

Wrigley Field has the capacity to support 41,649 fans as of 2024. However, the stadium saw a record attendance of 47,171, on August 31, 1948 during a Chicago Cubs vs Brooklyn Dodgers game.

Wrigley Field Seating Chart

The following is the seating chart available to fans for a baseball game at Wrigley Field:

What is the parking cost at Wrigley Field? Parking Map

The following is the parking map available for fans for a baseball game at Wrigley Field:

The main parking lots around Wrigley Field are the Toyota Camry Lot, the Irving Park Lot and the Toyota RAV4 Lot. The Chicago Cubs have not mentioned the parking prices but fans can go to the team’s parking page on SpotHero to choose their convenient parking lots and pay accordingly. As per online sources, parking at Wrigley Field can cost between $10-$50. However, parking at private sports near the stadium might cost $70.

Wrigley Field’s Notable Events

As the second oldest MLB baseball stadium and the home for the Chicago Cubs, Wrigley Field has been witness to several notable events. Some of the most notable events have been shown below:

Other Sports

NFL

Wrigley Field was the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) between 1921-1970.

Collegiate Football

Wrigley Field hosted a collegiate football game on November 20, 2010 between the Northwestern Wildcats and the Illinois Fighting Illini. This was the first collegiate football game in the stadium since DePaul Blue Demons played their regular games here in 1938.

Soccer

Wrigley Field also served as the home for two soccer games, they are shown below in a table for better understanding:

NHL

Wrigley Field was the host to the 2008 NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2009. The Detroit Red Wings won against the Chicago Blackhawks 6-4.

The stadium will again host the 2025 NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2025 between Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues.

Music Concerts

Wrigley Field, like other MLB stadiums, has also hosted music concerts. This includes artists like Elton John & Billy Joel (2009), Paul McCartney (2011), Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (2012), Pearl Jam (2013, 2016, 2018), Billy Joel (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), Foo Fighters (2015, 2018), AC/DC (2015), Green Day (2017), Lady Gaga (2017, 2022), Def Leppard & Journey (2018), Green Day, Fall Out Boy & Weezer (2021), Guns N’ Roses (2021), P!NK (2023) and Jonas Brothers (2023)

In 2024, Def Leppard & Journey will perform at the stadium on July 15, 2024. This will be followed by Green Day performing on August 13, 2024.