As the start of the 2020 MLB season continues to be delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago baseball fans are without their summer necessity. Both Cubs fans and White Sox fans have been hoping and praying for a return of baseball before the 2020 summer is over. Several traditions are being hampered by the postponement, for fans, this includes watching both teams on Fridays.
Baseball fans in Chicago are in a truly unique situation as the city has two teams that provide twice the amount of baseball action. With only New York and Los Angeles as the only other cities that can share in the feeling, Cubs fans and White Sox fans are fortunate that they can watch not just one game, but two games. Chicago is different from other baseball cities as on a given Friday, there is a good chance the games are on at different times, allowing more viewing options. If one game becomes an uncompetitive blowout, fans can watch the other in hopes of a more competitive outcome.
The Cubs are the only MLB team that consistently plays games, on Friday afternoons, even with constant schedule changes and TV deals reducing the number of daytime baseball games. Cubs’ Friday afternoon baseball is one of the great things about summertime in Chicago. The 1:20 pm start time makes for a perfect reason to leave work early and get a head start on one’s weekend, whether to attend the game or to watch the game with friends. Image what it must be like for fans of opposing teams playing the Cubs. These fans plan vacations with the sole purpose of watching their favorite team play at historic Wrigley Field.
For White Sox fans, Friday night baseball at Guaranteed Rate Field is one of the most popular aspects of White Sox baseball. Those in attendance seem to enjoy the game more with the relaxation of not having work the next day. Furthermore, the south side organization saves some of its best promotions for Friday nights, including a traditional post-game firework show with a theme depending on that night’s promotion.
Even when one or both teams are playing on the road, Chicago and its baseball fans still are given a great Friday night experience. Whether one team is playing at 6 pm or the other is playing a west coast game starting at 9 pm, the city has a full night of baseball entertainment to enjoy. If you walk down a main street full of bars on a Friday night in the city, bar windows will be open, and the sounds from either the Cubs or Sox game will be flooding the street.
With no timetable for the start of the MLB season, the earliest that Chicago fans could possibly see baseball on Fridays may be in July at the earliest. Cubs and White Sox will celebrate together once the first pitch of the season is thrown, if it is thrown this summer. A Chicago summer without baseball will be tough for sports fans, especially for those that look forward to the games at the end of the work week.
