Sounds odd, but these rooftop seats are in big demandsometimes more than the seats inside the stadium.
Wrigley Field on the North Side of Chicago is one of Major League Baseballs historic stadiums.
Wrigley Field was built inside the city on a plot that is surrounded by multistory apartment buildings.
Folding chairs were laid out on the roof, chilled beer handed out and barbecues were fired up.
Over time these neighboring rooftops became informal gathering spots for fans who wanted to enjoy free viewings.
It wasnt until the 1980s, that the practice morphed into a big business.
Apartment floors were converted into eating areas with incredible sports-bar andclubhouse ambiance, outdoor patios and flat-screen TVs.
On rooftops, lawns chairs gave way to multi-level bleachers.
The empty stands of Wrigley Rooftops.
TV cameras continually panned towards the teeming rooftops and even the announcers loved the sights of these informal appendages.
Everyone adored the images, everyone except the Cubs.
The Cubs management saw these rooftop stands an act that was analogous to piracy.
At first they tried to obstruct the view of the field from the rooftops by erecting a wind screen.
Putting up a tall spite fence was also discussed.
Shibe Park then erected a tall corrugated metal structure to block the views.
Such an option was considered by the Cubs but not pursued.
Finally they decided to go legal and sued the rooftop owners in 2002.
In exchange, the Cubs began to endorse the rooftop seating as their official rooftop partners.
Photo credit:Adam Sonnett/Flickr
A period of boom followed.
Many rooftop owners borrowed millions of dollars to upgrade their buildings into what theNew York Timescalled vessels of luxury.
Then came the recession.
One by one, the owners relented.
Today, the Ricketts familyown elevenof the sixteenWrigley Rooftops.
These sixteen buildings surrounding Wrigley Field on the two outfield sides share among themselves over 3,000 seats.
The stadium itself has a seating capacity of 42,000.
Photo credit:Niklas Hellerstedt/Flickr
Photo credit:Dean Shareski/Flickr
Aerial photo of Wrigley Field.
The rooftops are on the left and bottom.
Photo credit:Marco Verch/Flickr
