Cubs moving Peoria Chiefs to Kane County?

[thomas35forever]

It really does depend on how they market it. To make this work, the Cougars will have to hype up the Cubs the way the Wolves hype the Canucks, which is not at all. Otherwise, you indeed turn off half your current fan base, which I have a hard time believing they would.

[WhiteSox5187]

Originally Posted by Steelrod

We were in Appleton for a long time, then moved to South Bend when it began. Don't know why we left, but with modern travel, proximity isn't much of an issue for a middle "A" affiliate.

Daver has mentioned that the White Sox want to keep all their minor league teams in the same vicinity in order to keep travel expenses down for scouts. I also remember reading someone on here quoting a scout who said the White Sox should move their minor league operations to the Midwest if only to expose their minor league players to the playing conditions they might be facing in Chicago in early April.

[JB98]

The crazy thing is the Cougars don't really need the Cubs marketing machine to draw. They do just fine as they are.

I haven't been to a game in a few years, even though I live about 15 minutes from the stadium. I've never been able to get real interested in the Cougars, and there's no chance I'd ever have a change of heart if they align themselves with the Cubs.

The way the Cubbie fan culture is out here in the 'burbs, I wouldn't be surprised if they are singing "Go Cubs Go" after Cougar victories next season. Sox fans will be staying away in droves, but there will probably be plenty of Cubs fans snapping up those cheap Cougars tickets.

[doogiec]

Just a few random observations from someone who goes to a handful of Cougars games each year, and has done so since they moved to Kane County:

I had been surprised at what I perceived to be lower attendance this year, particularly at a Friday night game last week with perfect weather. I looked up their annual attendance numbers, and they have slid from 7000+ per game average a few years ago, to 5000+ per game this year. I would think they would do better in a poor economy (similar to McDonalds), not worse. In addition, they added some seating capacity a few years back.

Went to a game against Peoria two years ago, and it was the only one I have ever been at that had issues with drunken fans. Not a lot, but enough of the drunken frat boy types cheering for the Chiefs to be obnoxious, including a couple that spent a half inning screaming a two older ladies on the upper deck to “show us your tits”. Never seen that before at that ballpark. If they are trying to get fans that normally only go to Wrigley to head out to Kane County a few times, they are going to have their hands full.

While I’m sure the Cougars will get a short term boost from this, I don’t see how this works out long term from a marketing standpoint. If they turn the place into Wrigley Field West, they risk turning off a significant portion of their current fan base that has supported them well. If they ignore the Cubs connection on the other hand, what is the point of doing this in the first place? IMO, staying neutral has been a stroke of genius on their part. It makes all Chicago area baseball fans feel welcome.

Interesting that these supposed talks are in violation of MLB rules, with fines of $500,000 for the Cubs and $100,000 for the Cougars. Wonder who leaked this?

[Steelrod]

Certainly not Theo. He is never wrong!

[Lamp81]

I think this is a bad move for both the Cougars and Cubs.

As it has been said, a lot of Sox fans would stop attending, if they were Cubs affiliated. There is no way I could ever pull for anyone to succeed while getting paid by the Cubs.

The 'KC' logo works for both Kansas City and Kane County

Part of the whole Wrigley Field charm is people on vacation from places like Des Moines and Peoria, where they can really play up the Cubs synergies. The Cubs also used to play A ball in Rockford, but they are now an Independent team. The Peoria fans might choose to stay home, if they were not familiar with the players.

I see what the Sox are doing by having most of their teams in the Carolinas, and another a short drive to Alabama. The one team that is way off is the team in Montana. You would think a team like that could be moved back to the Midwest to a Peoria, Burlington, South Bend, Rockford, or Springfield. At the very least, when you send a player off on a rehab assignment, they'd only be 3-4 hours away instead of in Charlotte.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Lamp81

I see what the Sox are doing by having most of their teams in the Carolinas, and another a short drive to Alabama. The one team that is way off is the team in Montana. You would think a team like that could be moved back to the Midwest to a Peoria, Burlington, South Bend, Rockford, or Springfield. At the very least, when you send a player off on a rehab assignment, they'd only be 3-4 hours away instead of in Charlotte.

The team in Montana is just a short-season Rookie level league, all of the teams are in the Rocky Mountain area, so it's unlikely they'd really want 1 team moved 1,000+ miles away, plus it would probably serve no real purpose to have a guy do a rehab stint on a team full of kids just out of high school.

[thomas35forever]

It's official. Unbelievable. They just better cool it with the affiliation hype or the Sox fans will be turned off.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...rts/709199770/

[doublem23]

Peoria, meanwhile, will reaffiliate with the Cardinals, which leaves the Quad Cities River Bandits available.

[ChiSoxGal85]

Sigh. I, for one, am sorely disappointed.

[Hitmen77]

Originally Posted by thomas35forever

It's official. Unbelievable. They just better cool it with the affiliation hype or the Sox fans will be turned off.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/2...rts/709199770/

I also hope they don't hype their affiliation, but I doubt it. Why signed an affiliation deal with the popular Cubs and not totally hype it?

I agree that this will turn off us Sox fans. My guess is that the Cougars ownership has decided that the gain from pandering to Cubs fans is worth the risk them essentially saying "take a hike" to Sox fans.

I can't wait to go there and hear them go on about us rooting for future Cubbies!

[Frater Perdurabo]

Others have said this, but the Sox need to find a way to put an affiliate in Joliet. Joliet had a great stadium in a downtown location, close to Metra, 80, 55 and 355, and close to the fastest growing region of the Chicago metropolitan area, in which Sox fans may outnumber Cubs fans.

[doublem23]

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

Others have said this, but the Sox need to find a way to put an affiliate in Joliet. Joliet had a great stadium in a downtown location, close to Metra, 80, 55 and 355, and close to the fastest growing region of the Chicago metropolitan area, in which Sox fans may outnumber Cubs fans.

Joliet's not THAT close to the Loop

[Parrothead]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Peoria, meanwhile, will reaffiliate with the Cardinals, which leaves the Quad Cities River Bandits available.

And Beliot, which lost the twins to Cedar Rapids.

Originally Posted by Frater Perdurabo

Others have said this, but the Sox need to find a way to put an affiliate in Joliet. Joliet had a great stadium in a downtown location, close to Metra, 80, 55 and 355, and close to the fastest growing region of the Chicago metropolitan area, in which Sox fans may outnumber Cubs fans.

There is no way that will happen. 1st the Cougars, White Sox, Cubs would have to ok the deal. I heard that South Bend and Beloit would too but I can't confirm it. 2nd what makes you think that Joliet would draw more then currently do? Just because they are affiliated? It may help initially help but that would die down after a year. 3rd the current owners of the Slammers would have to be bought out or it would have to wait til lease is up.

[Frater Perdurabo]

Originally Posted by doublem23

Joliet's not THAT close to the Loop

I realize part of your shtick is to look down at anything smaller than 2.5 million people as something less than a "city," but for municipalities of a comparable size, that lie within a metro area so completely dominated by the central city, Joliet actually has a viable downtown.