Today’s column from CBS Chicago …
(CBS) Come November, Wrigleyville is usually pretty dead.
It’s usually pretty dead in October too, mind you. But that’s for different reasons.
However, the powers that be on the North Side of Chicago (aka Tom Ricketts & Theo Epstein) want to change that – and not just by putting a baseball team inside Wrigley Field that’s actually built for the fall.
Earlier this month, the Cubs secured approval from the Chicago Landmarks Commission to move the brick wall behind Wrigley’s home plate this offseason and add 56 prime box seats. Just as significantly – if not more so – the team will also convert a section of the wall near the home dugout so a regulation football field can fit inside the ballpark.
Two years ago, of course, Northwestern and Illinois clashed at Wrigley for the first football game at the ballpark in four decades, but were forced to play in just one direction because of space limitations and safety concerns. This new removable 12-foot section along the third base line is expected to rectify that problem and transform Wrigley into a viable football venue that’s as unique as any in the nation.
Not surprisingly, since that news broke, rumors have begun to fly about potential future football games at the Friendly Confines.
To continue reading, visit CBSChicago.com …