Editing Wrigley Field (section)

==Features==
Wrigley Field follows the [[Baseball park#Jewel box ballparks|jewel box ballpark design]] that was popular in the early part of the 20th century. The two recessed wall areas, or "wells", located both in left and right field, give those areas more length than if the wall were to follow the contour from center field. It is also in those wells, when cross winds are blowing, that balls have a habit of bouncing in all directions. In addition, there is a long chain-link fence strip running the entire length of the outfield wall, the base of which is about two feet down from the top of the wall and the top of which projects out at an angle, primarily used to keep fans from interfering with balls in play.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Skiver |first1=Kevin |title=Why the outfield basket at Wrigley exists following the Nationals' clutch grand slam |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/why-the-wrigley-field-outfield-basket-exists-following-the-nationals-clutch-grand-slam/#:~:text=The%20basket%20exists%20to%20prevent,the%20outcome%20of%20a%20game. |website=CBS Sports |date=October 12, 2017 |access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref> Called "the Basket"<ref>{{cite news |title=Are Cubs Fans Growing Up?|first=Dan|last=Bernstein|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/01/18/bernstein-are-cubs-fans-growing-up/|work=[[WBBM-TV]]|location=Chicago|date=January 18, 2012|access-date=January 19, 2012}}</ref> by players and fans alike, the rules of the field state that any ball landing within the basket is ruled a home run, making the distance to hit a home run in Wrigley Field actually shorter than the location of the outfield wall.

===Ivy-covered outfield walls===
[[File:Wrigley Field 400 sign.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Wrigley's distinctive ivy-covered outfield walls in [[2006 Chicago Cubs season|2006]]]]
{{external media | width = 210px | float = right | headerimage = [[File:Bleacher Bums.jpg|210px]] | video1 = [http://fuzzymemories.tv/#videoclip-3631  ''Bleacher Bums'' (Part 1, 1984)], [[WTTW]] - Channel 11, the play ''[[Bleacher Bums]]'' with [[Dennis Franz]] and [[Joe Mantegna]]<ref name="fuzzy">{{cite web |title=Bleacher Bums (Part 1, 1984)|publisher=The Museum of Classic Chicago Television|date=1984|url=http://fuzzymemories.tv/#videoclip-3631|access-date=October 3, 2016}}</ref> }}

The ballpark's outfield walls are covered by [[Parthenocissus tricuspidata|ivy]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Ivy Thief Apprehended at Wrigley Field|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/01/03/ivy-thief-apprehended-at-wrigley-field/|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 3, 2012|access-date=January 3, 2012|archive-date=January 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105121548/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-01-03/news/ct-met-wrigley-theft-0103-20120103_1_wrigley-field-ivy-security-officer|url-status=live}}</ref> In the first weeks of the baseball season, the ivy has not leafed out, and all that is visible are the vines on which it grows. However, as the baseball season progresses further into spring, the ivy grows thick and green, disguising the hard brick surface of the outfield wall. In the autumn, generally during postseason, the ivy turns red.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cubs Selling 2,016 Leaves from Wrigley Field Ivy at $200 Apiece|first=Darren|last=Rovell|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19628916/chicago-cubs-selling-leaves-2016-wrigley-field-ivy|work=[[ESPN]]|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref> On April 7, 2013, Total Pro Sports named Wrigley Field the "Best Place to Catch a Game in 2013", owing the award primarily to its architecture and ivy-coated fields.<ref>{{cite web|title=MLB Ballpark Rankings: The Best Places to Catch a Game in 2013|first=Esteban|last=On|url=http://www.totalprosports.com/2013/04/07/mlb-ballpark-rankings-the-best-places-to-catch-a-game/#31|work=Total Pro Sports|date=April 7, 2013|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-date=May 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513014213/http://www.totalprosports.com/2013/04/07/mlb-ballpark-rankings-the-best-places-to-catch-a-game/#31|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1937, the stadium was renovated and P. K. Wrigley discussed beautification with then-Cubs President [[Bill Veeck]], who suggested planting ivy on the outfield walls.<ref name=indy>{{cite news |title=Ivy at Wrigley Field? It Was Snatched from Indy|first=Dana|last=Hunsinger–Benbow|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/2016/10/27/ivy-wrigley-field-snatched-indy/92709344/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|date=October 27, 2016|access-date=February 27, 2017}}</ref> The ivy was originally [[English ivy]] (''Hedera helix''), but was later changed to ''[[Parthenocissus tricuspidata]]'', commonly called Boston ivy or Japanese ivy, which can endure the harsh Chicago winters better than the former species.<ref>{{cite web|title=What Kind of Ivy Grows at Wrigley Field?|url=http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-garden/2009/07/what-kind-of-ivy-grows-at-wrigley-field/|work=[[ChicagoNow]]|date=July 19, 2009|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-date=April 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140414044539/http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-garden/2009/07/what-kind-of-ivy-grows-at-wrigley-field/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Cuttings from the ivy were sold by local vendors. The Cubs attempted to grow the ivy on the outside of Wrigley Field as well, but the plantings were often stolen, so the Cubs abandoned the plans.<ref name=si />

Following a later change in MLB rules, which requires all outfield walls to be padded, Wrigley Field was [[grandfather clause|grandfathered]] into the rules, meaning it is the only stadium in the league without padded walls because of the ivy.<ref name=indy /> In 2004, the ivy was specifically included in Wrigley Field's Landmark Designation by the [[Chicago City Council]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Wrigley Field Owners Pursue Federal Landmark Status for Tax Breaks|first=Ameet|last=Sachdev|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2013/04/18/wrigley-field-owners-pursue-federal-landmark-status-for-tax-breaks/|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=April 18, 2013|access-date=February 27, 2017|archive-date=February 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170227231830/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-04-18/business/ct-biz-0418-wrigley-landmark-20130418_1_tax-breaks-wrigley-field-tax-incentives|url-status=live}}</ref>{{efn|Wrigley is now the only professional ballpark with an ivy-covered outfield wall. Several now-demolished ballparks featured ivy in the playing area, including [[Forbes Field]], [[Wrigley Field (Los Angeles)|Wrigley Field's namesake]] in Los Angeles, and [[Bush Stadium]] (formerly Perry Stadium) in Indianapolis.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lofts Give New Life to Historic Bush Stadium|first=T. J.|last=Banes|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/life/home-garden/2013/12/01/lofts-give-new-life-to-historic-bush-stadium/3799605/|newspaper=[[The Indianapolis Star]]|date=December 1, 2013|access-date=October 17, 2016}}</ref> [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]]'s [[Rosenblatt Stadium]], the former home of the [[College World Series]] as well as minor league baseball, had an ivy-covered brick wall that was replaced with a padded wall. Some ballparks feature ivy on out-of-play walls, especially as a covering for the [[batter's eye]] behind the center field fence.}} Although the ivy appears to "pad" the bricks, it is of little practical use in this regard. There have been occasions of fielders being injured when slamming into the wall while pursuing a fly ball.

Under the [[ground rules]] of Wrigley Field, if a baseball gets into the ivy and gets stuck, the batter is awarded a [[ground rule double]]. Outfielders often raise their arms up when the ball goes into the ivy, signaling to an umpire to go out and rule on the play.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ballpark Quirks at Their Best|first=Rob|last=Neyer|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=1794568&columnist=neyer_rob|work=[[ESPN]]|date=May 3, 2004|access-date=February 27, 2017}}</ref> However, if the ball becomes dislodged or the fielder reaches into the vines to try and retrieve it, it is considered in play and the runners can advance.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wrigley Field Ivy Has an Appetite for Baseballs|first=Paul|last=Sullivan|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-wrigley-field-ivy-appetite-for-baseballs-20151021-column.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=February 27, 2017}}</ref>

===Dimensions===

The distances from home plate to various points in the outfield have remained essentially unchanged since the bleachers were remodeled during the 1937 season. They were originally marked by wooden numbers cut from plywood, painted white, and placed in gaps where the ivy was not allowed to grow. Since the early 1980s, the numbers have been painted directly on the bricks, in yellow. Although the power-alley dimensions are relatively cozy, the foul lines are currently the deepest in the major leagues.
It is {{convert|355|ft|1}} to the notch in the wall just beyond the left field foul pole.<ref name="dimensions">{{cite web |url=https://baseballfielddimensions.net/nl-stadium-dimensions/wrigley-field-dimensions |title=Wrigley Field Dimensions |date=September 24, 2022 |publisher=Baseball Field Dimensions |access-date=October 31, 2022 |archive-date=October 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031235148/https://baseballfielddimensions.net/nl-stadium-dimensions/wrigley-field-dimensions/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The point where the bleacher wall begins to curve inward in left-center field, one of the two "wells", is an unmarked {{convert|357|ft|1}}. The front part of the left-center "well" is the closest point in the outfield, about {{convert|360|ft|1}}. The marked left-center field distance is {{convert|368|ft|1}}.<ref name="dimensions" /> It is closer to true center field than its right-center counterpart is. True center field is unmarked and is about {{convert|390|ft|1}}. The center field marker, which is to the right of true center field and in the middle of the quarter-circle defining the center field area, is {{convert|400|ft|1}} and is the deepest point in the outfield. Right-center field is {{convert|368|ft|1}}, the notch of the right-center "well" is an unmarked {{convert|363|ft|1}}, and the right field foul line is {{convert|353|ft|1}}. As of 2004, the [[Backstop (baseball)|backstop]] is listed in media sources as {{convert|55|ft}} behind home plate.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seamheads.com Ballparks Database |url=https://www.seamheads.com/ballparks/ballpark.php?parkID=CHI11 |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=www.seamheads.com}}</ref>  Although that distance is standard, the relatively small foul ground area in general gives an advantage to batters. The ivy-covered walls in the left and right field corners were reduced from 15 to 11 feet in height prior to the 2015 season as part of phase one of the 1060 project.  At around the same time, advertising signs above the corners of the left and right field wall were installed, raising the bleachers by about three feet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clem |first=Andrew |title=Wrigley Field* Home of the Chicago Cubs (1916-)** |url=http://www.andrewclem.com/Baseball/WrigleyField.html#diag |website=Clem's Baseball Blog}}</ref> It is a widespread misconception that the recently added signage are in-play and a part of the wall, neither of which are correct. The distance from where the front row bleachers are to the field, including the newly placed signs, is still 15 feet.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wrigley Field History {{!}} History {{!}} Information {{!}} Ballpark {{!}} Chicago Cubs |url=https://www.mlb.com/cubs/ballpark/information/history |access-date=2023-01-13 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Rooftop seats===
{{more citations needed section|date=April 2017}}
[[File:Wrigley Field and Wrigley Rooftops.jpg|thumb|right|View of the right field bleacher seats before the 1060 Project renovations began]]
[[Image:Wrigley Roof.jpg|right|thumb|April 2006 view from a rooftop across Waveland Avenue]]
[[File:Eamus Catuli zero 20170608 210539.jpg|thumb|[[Eamus Catuli]] sign at "AC0000000" during the [[2017 Chicago Cubs season]], in recognition of the Cubs victory the previous season]]
{{See also|Wrigley Rooftops}}

When Wrigley Field was constructed, the buildings along Waveland and Sheffield avenues gave spectators a view of what was going on inside the ballpark, but did not become popular spectator areas until the [[1929 World Series]]. The [[1938 World Series]] brought paying spectators to the rooftops, however, fans typically sat in lawn chairs and brought their own food and beverages. In the mid-1980s, rooftop owners began to organize more formally as businesses, seeking to extract more revenue by updating the rooftops with bleacher-style grandstands. The Sky Box on Sheffield opened in 1993, originally catering primarily to corporate groups. Today, it is complete with a two-tier roof deck, indoor clubhouse, fully staffed bars on three levels, and an elevator.<ref name=":0" />

In 1998, the city started requiring rooftop owners to have a license and began to regulate the venues. In 2003, relations between rooftop owners and the Cubs worsened when the team put up a large screen to block the view of the rooftops, exemplifying what is known as a [[spite fence]]. The Cubs then sued most rooftop businesses that year, claiming they were stealing from the team's product and "unjustly enriching themselves".<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Wrigley Rooftops' Quirky Past Preceded Big Business, Sour Relationship with Cubs|first=Becky|last=Yerak|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-wrigley-rooftops-history-1028-biz-20161027-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 27, 2016|access-date=May 16, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2004, the building owners agreed to share a portion of their proceeds with the Cubs. Rooftop owners were required to pay the team 17% of their gross revenue in an agreement lasting until 2023.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Cubs Owners Invest in Neighbor|first=Ameet|last=Sachdev|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/05/20/cubs-owners-invest-in-neighbor/|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=May 20, 2010|access-date=May 21, 2010}}</ref> The Cubs obtained permission from the city to expand the ballpark's own bleachers out over the sidewalks and do some additional construction on the open area of the property to the west, bordered by Clark and Waveland, and to close the remnant of Seminary Avenue that also existed on the property. The rooftop seats are now effectively part of the ballpark's seating area, although they are not included in the seating capacity figure.

In July 2016, former rooftop owner R. Marc Hamid was convicted on nine counts of mail fraud and illegal bank structuring.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Wrigley Rooftop Club Owner Convicted of Hiding Revenue|first=Jason|last=Meisner|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-cubs-marc-hamid-skybox-trial-0723-met-20160722-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=July 22, 2016|access-date=April 25, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Hamid had been underreporting attendance at the Sky Box on Sheffield from 2008 to 2011, and covered up over $1 million in revenue while also avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and royalties that violated the agreement rooftop owners had with the Cubs. In January 2017, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-Wrigley Rooftop Owner Given 18 Months in Prison for Cheating Cubs|first=Jason|last=Meisner|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-wrigley-rooftop-owner-sentencing-met-20170109-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 9, 2017|access-date=April 25, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2013, the owners threatened suit when the team announced plans to renovate the stadium and potentially disrupt the sight lines. In May 2014, when the rooftop owners did not agree to a scaled down plan for renovations, the Cubs' owners announced their intentions to implement the original 2013 plan for renovations even if it meant battling the issue in court. Cubs owner Ricketts said Wrigley has "the worst player facilities in Major League Baseball...I am saying it is the time to invest in Wrigley Field and do the things that our competitors do."<ref name="autogenerated1" /> By the end of the 2016 season, the Ricketts family had acquired ten of the rooftop locations, with a financial stake in an eleventh.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ricketts Family buys 10th Wrigley Field Rooftop|first=Danny|last=Ecker|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160410/BLOGS04/160409814/ricketts-family-buys-10th-wrigley-field-rooftop|work=[[Crain's Chicago Business]]|date=April 10, 2016|access-date=December 21, 2016}}</ref>

Some of the rooftops became legendary in their own right. The Lakeview Baseball Club, which sits across Sheffield Avenue (right-field) from the stadium displayed a sign that read "Eamus Catuli!" (roughly Latin for "Let's Go Cubs!"—''catuli'' translating to "[[wikt:whelp|whelps]]", the nearest Latin equivalent), flanked by a counter indicating the Cubs' long legacy of futility. The counter was labeled "AC" for "Anno Catulorum", or "In the Year of the Cubs". Prior to the team's 2016 championship, it read "AC0871108", with the first two digits indicating the number of years since the Cubs' last division championship as of the end of the previous season ([[2008 Chicago Cubs season|2008]]), the next two digits indicating the number of years since the Cubs won the National League Pennant ([[1945 Chicago Cubs season|1945]]), and the last three digits indicating the number of years since their last [[World Series]] win ({{wsy|1908}}). After winning the World Series in 2016, the sign was updated to "AC000000". As of 2025, the sign says "AC090909".

=== The Yard at Wrigley Field ===
In January 2025, the Cubs announced a new area called "The Yard at Wrigley Field", which featuring five semi-private rental areas designed to help fans sample the bleachers featuring an exclusive table with unlimited beer, seltzer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as a ballpark meal for each guest. The area would be accessible up to 90 minutes before the first pitch until the end of the game. The area has a capacity of 50 guests.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thestadiumbusiness.com/2025/01/30/cubs-unveil-the-yard-guardians-extend-with-delaware-north/ | title=Cubs unveil the Yard, Guardians extend with Delaware North | date=January 30, 2025 }}</ref> 

===Seating capacity===
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|Years
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1914
| style="text-align:center" | 14,000
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1915–1922
| style="text-align:center" | 15,000
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1923–1926
| style="text-align:center" | 20,000
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1927
| style="text-align:center" | 38,396 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1928–1937
| style="text-align:center" | 40,000 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1938
| style="text-align:center" | 38,396
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1939–1940
| style="text-align:center" | 38,000 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1941–1948
| style="text-align:center" | 38,396
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1949–1950
| style="text-align:center" | 38,690 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1951–1964
| style="text-align:center" | 36,755 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1965–1971
| style="text-align:center" | 36,644 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1972
| style="text-align:center" | 37,702 
|- 
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1973–1981
| style="text-align:center" | 37,741 
|- 
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1982–1985
| style="text-align:center" | 37,272 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1986
| style="text-align:center" | 38,040 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1987–1988
| style="text-align:center" | 38,143
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1989
| style="text-align:center" | 39,600 
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|Years
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1990–1993
| style="text-align:center" | 38,711
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1994–1997
| style="text-align:center" | 38,765 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|1998–2000
| style="text-align:center" | 38,884 
|- 
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2001
| style="text-align:center" | 39,059 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2002–2003
| style="text-align:center" | 39,111 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2004
| style="text-align:center" | 39,345 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2005
| style="text-align:center" | 39,538 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2006
| style="text-align:center" | 41,118 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2007–2008
| style="text-align:center" | 41,160 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2009–2010
| style="text-align:center" | 41,210 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2011 
| 41,159<ref name="2011 media guide">{{cite web|title=2011 Chicago Cubs Media Guide|url=http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2011/2011_CHI_Media_Guide.pdf|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|year=2011|access-date=April 6, 2015|archive-date=April 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150413031534/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2011/2011_CHI_Media_Guide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2012
| 41,009<ref name="2012 media guide">{{cite web|title=2012 Chicago Cubs Media Guide|url=http://www.cpmsms.org/2011-12/Baseball/SFGMLB/Publications/2012%20CHC%20Media%20Guide.pdf|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|year=2012|access-date=March 30, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402093007/http://www.cpmsms.org/2011-12/Baseball/SFGMLB/Publications/2012%20CHC%20Media%20Guide.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2013
| 41,019<ref name="2013 media guide">{{cite web|title=2013 Chicago Cubs Media Guide|first=Jason|last=Carr|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/127978967/2013-Cubs-Media-Guide-v3|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|date=March 1, 2013|access-date=March 7, 2013}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2014
| 41,072<ref name="2014 media guide">{{cite web|title=2014 Chicago Cubs Media Guide|url=http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2014/2014_CHI_NL_Media_Guide.pdf|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|date=February 22, 2014|access-date=March 26, 2015|page=6|archive-date=April 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402091959/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/chc/downloads/y2014/2014_CHI_NL_Media_Guide.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2015
| 40,929<ref>{{cite news |title=Tigers vs. Cubs, Tigers vs. Indians: A By-the-Numbers Financial Comparison of Opponents This Week|first=Bill|last=Shea|url=http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150608/NEWS/150609844/tigers-vs-cubs-tigers-vs-indians-a-by-the-numbers-financial|work=[[Crain Communications|Crain's Detroit Business]]|date=June 8, 2015|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2016
| 41,268<ref name="2016capacity">{{cite news |title=Are Cubs Hot Enough to Draw 3 Million Fans This Year?|first=Bruce|last=Miles|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160410/sports/160419911/|newspaper=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)|Daily Herald]]|date=April 11, 2016|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Chicago Cubs}};"|2017–present
| 41,649<ref name="capacity"/>
|} 
{{col-end}}

====Attendance records====
*41,688 – July 12, 2015 high mark after [[Wrigley Field renovations|bleacher renovation]]
*42,411 – Games 3 & 4 of the 2015 NLDS<ref>{{cite news |title=Winds of Change Blow Through Wrigley as Cubs Pound Cardinals in Game 3|first=David|last=Haugh|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-cardinals-magic-moments-haugh-spt-1013-20151012-column.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 12, 2015|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kyle Schwarber Video Board Shot Secures Place in Cubs Lore|first1=Paul|last1=Sullivan|first2=Colleen|last2=Kane|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-schwarber-home-run-ball-20151013-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 13, 2015|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref>
*42,445 - Game 3 of the 2017 NLDS<ref>{{cite news |title=Cubs Overcome Flaws for 2-1 Victory Over Nationals and 2-1 NLDS Lead|first=Mark|last=Gonzales|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-nationals-spt-1010-20171009-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=October 9, 2017|access-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref>

===Unusual wind patterns===
In April and May, the wind often comes off [[Lake Michigan]] (less than a mile to the east), with a northeast wind "blowing in" to knock down potential home runs and turn them into outs. In the summer, however, or on any warm, breezy day, the wind often comes from the south and the southwest, "blowing out" with the potential to turn normally harmless fly balls into home runs. A third variety is the cross-wind, which typically runs from the left field corner to the right field corner and causes all sorts of havoc. Depending on the direction of the wind, Wrigley can either be one of the friendliest parks in the major leagues for pitchers or among the worst. This makes Wrigley one of the most unpredictable parks in the Major Leagues. Many Cubs fans check their nearest flag before heading to the park on game days for an indication of what the game might be like. This is less of a factor for night games, however, because the wind does not blow as hard after the sun goes down.

With the wind blowing in, pitchers can dominate and [[no-hitter]]s have resulted. The last two by a Cubs pitcher occurred near the beginning and the end of the 1972 season, by [[Burt Hooton]] and [[Milt Pappas]] respectively. Not until [[Cole Hamels]] of the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] no-hit the Cubs in 2015 would another no-hitter be pitched at Wrigley. In the seventh inning of [[Ken Holtzman]]'s first no-hitter, on August 19, 1969, [[Hank Aaron]] of the [[Atlanta Braves]] hit a ball that looked headed for the bleachers, but the wind caught it just enough for left fielder [[Billy Williams (left fielder)|Billy Williams]] to leap up and snare it.

With the wind blowing out, some true tape-measure home runs have been hit by well-muscled batters. [[Sammy Sosa]] and [[Dave Kingman|Dave "Kong" Kingman]] broke windows in the apartment buildings across Waveland Avenue several times, and [[Glenallen Hill]] put one on a rooftop.<ref>{{cite web|title=Highlight Homers|url=http://www.hittrackeronline.com/historic.php?id=2000_1|publisher=Hittracker Online|access-date=May 23, 2014|archive-date=May 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515005041/http://www.hittrackeronline.com/historic.php?id=2000_1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Batters have occasionally slugged it into, or to the side of, the first row or two of the "upper deck" of the center field bleachers. Sosa hit the roof of the center field camera booth on the fly during the [[2003 National League Championship Series|2003 NLCS]] against the [[Florida Marlins]], some {{convert|450|ft}} away.<ref>{{cite web |title=30 Incredibly Clutch MLB Playoff Moments No One Will Ever Care About|first=Jeffrey|last=Beckmann|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/884658-30-incredibly-clutch-mlb-playoff-moments-no-one-will-ever-care-about#/articles/884658-30-incredibly-clutch-mlb-playoff-moments-no-one-will-ever-care-about/page/18|work=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=October 14, 2011|access-date=October 15, 2011}}</ref> The longest blast was probably hit by Dave Kingman on a very windy day in 1976, while with the Mets. According to local legend, that day, Kingman launched a bomb that landed on the third porch roof on the east (center field) side of Kenmore Avenue some 550 feet away. No batter has ever hit the center field scoreboard, but it has been struck by a golf ball hit by [[Sam Snead]] using a two-iron.<ref name="ballparksmswf">{{cite web|title=Wrigley Field|url=http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/wrigle.htm|publisher=Ballparks.com|access-date=March 27, 2011}}</ref>

===Hand-turned scoreboard===
[[File:Wrigley Field Scoreboard operation.jpg|thumb|right|The scoreboard at Wrigley Field is operated by hand.]]

The scoreboard was installed in 1937, when Bill Veeck installed the new bleachers.<ref name="75 years"/> It has remained in place ever since, and has only seen minor technical and cosmetic modifications. The clock was added in 1941,<ref name="75 years">{{cite news|title=75th Season Launches for Wrigley's Iconic Scoreboard|first=Dave|last=Hoekstra|url=http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/11598907-418/wrigley-fields-scoreboard-has-been-delivering-stats-for-75-years.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|date=March 31, 2012|access-date=April 1, 2012}}</ref> and a fifth row of scores was added to each side in 1961, with a sixth by 1969. A set of light stands facing onto the scoreboard was added in 1988 with the introduction of night games.

Along with [[Fenway Park]]'s scoreboard and [[Daikin Park]], [[Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum]], [[Coors Field]] and [[Oracle Park]]'s out of town scoreboards, Wrigley is one of the last parks to maintain a hand-turned scoreboard.<ref name="75 years"/> A number turner watches the score changes on a computer (a [[ticker tape]] machine was used in the past), and updates the scoreboard by manually replacing the numbers from within the scoreboard. The scoreboard is made of sheet steel. The numbers that are placed into the inning windows are also steel, painted forest green, and numbered with white numerals. The box for the game playing at Wrigley uses yellow numerals for the current inning. The clock, which sits at the top center of the scoreboard, has never lost time in its {{years ago|1941}}-year existence.

Standing over the clock are three flagpoles, one for each division in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]]. There are 15 flags, one for each National League team, and their order on the flagpoles reflects the current standings. The entrance to the scoreboard is a trap-door on the bottom. On the reverse of the scoreboard, visible from the [[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]] elevated trains, is a blue Cubs pennant in white outlined in red neon. The scoreboard was extensively rehabilitated for the 2010 season.

Unlike the home of the Red Sox, the scoreboard at Wrigley is mounted above the centerfield bleachers, rather than at ground level, making it harder to hit during play. No players have hit the current scoreboard, although at least three have come close: [[Roberto Clemente]] to the left side on May 17, 1959;<ref>Pathy, Sam (2017). [https://books.google.com/books?id=nzGCDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22roberto+clemente%22+inauthor%3APathy+inauthor%3ASam&pg=PT93 ''So You Think You're a Chicago Cubs Fan?: Stars, Stats, Records, and Memories for True Diehards''].  New York: Sports Publications Incorporated. {{ISBN|9781683580119}}. See Also:
* Bojanowski, Mike (May 12, 2016). [https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/5/12/11662836/measuring-longest-home-runs-wrigley-field-history "Measuring The Longest Home Runs In Wrigley Field History; Just how long did those Roberto Clemente and Dave Kingman home runs go?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331031346/https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2016/5/12/11662836/measuring-longest-home-runs-wrigley-field-history |date=March 31, 2019 }}. ''SB Nation''. Retrieved May 29, 2019.</ref> and [[Bill Nicholson (baseball)|Bill Nicholson]] and [[Eddie Mathews]] to the right on August 22, 1942,{{efn|Ever since 1989, a home run hit by Nicholson in 1948—later identified as the one hit on April 24 off the [[St. Louis Cardinals|Cardinals]]' [[Al Brazle]],<ref>Sullivan, Paul (March 30, 2008). "A Century of Futility: 100; As the Cubs enter their 100th season without a World Series title, Paul Sullivan asks, answers 100 questions about their dubious run". ''The Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved, via Proquest, August 1, 2019.</ref>—has been paired with Clemente's 1959 near miss.<ref name=ES:TotT/> However, a study  by Chicago historian Sam Pathy, documenting the longest home runs ever hit at Wrigley Field and drawing on a multitude of contemporaneous news stories, uncovered no evidence of this alleged proximity.<ref>Pathy, Sam (2016). ''Wrigley Field, Year by Year''. New York, NY: Sports Publishing. pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=7G2CDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22april+24%22+%22bill+nicholson%22&pg=PT744 244], [https://books.google.com/books?id=7G2CDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT745 245]. ISBN .</ref>}} and April 22, 1953, respectively.<ref name=ES:TotT>Sherman, Ed (May 3, 1989). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1989-05-03-8904100942-story.html"Tales of the Tape"]. ''The Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved May 8, 2019.</ref><ref>Jenkinson, Bill (2010). [https://books.google.com/books?id=di-80L8gYeoC&dq=%22april+22+1953%22+%22wrigley+field%22+intitle%3ABaseball%27s+intitle%3AUltimate+intitle%3APower&pg=PA39 ''Baseball's Ultimate Power'']. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press. p. 39. {{ISBN|9781599215440}}.</ref>

In 2010, the Cubs considered adding a video screen to the stadium, but the hand-turned scoreboard cannot be moved due to the park's landmark status, which also prohibits even simple facelifts, such as adding two more games on either side (there are 15 teams in both the National and American Leagues) of the 12-game, 24-team scoreboard (reflecting the MLB from 1969 to 1976), so up to three games (one NL, one AL and the interleague) each day cannot be posted.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wrigley Field Getting a Jumbotron?|first=Tab|last=Bamford|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/364514-wrigley-field-getting-a-jumbotron|work=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=March 15, 2011|access-date=March 27, 2011}}</ref> Those games may eventually be part of the auxiliary video board currently on the right field that may also be added in left field. Most Cubs players support the concept of a video board, and work on two additional scoreboards began at the end of the 2014 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cubs Players Like Idea of Jumbotron — Somehow|first=Paul|last=Sullivan|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/03/06/cubs-players-like-idea-of-jumbotron-8212-somehow/|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=March 6, 2010|access-date=March 6, 2010}}</ref>

On March 21, 2013, it was announced that [[Alderman]] [[Tom Tunney]] wanted to demolish the scoreboard to clear the view for nearby residents, who watch games from their rooftops. "Demolishing the landmark old scoreboard has never been part of any plan discussed or envisioned by the Ricketts family," said Dennis Culloton, a spokesman for Cubs chairman [[Thomas S. Ricketts|Tom Ricketts]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Chicago Politico Proposes Tearing Down Wrigley Field Scoreboard|first=Cheryl K.|last=Chumley|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/21/chicago-politico-proposes-tearing-down-wrigley-fie/|newspaper=[[The Washington Times]]|date=March 21, 2013|access-date=March 21, 2013}}</ref> To date, there is a third generation scoreboard operator whose grandfather began working in the hand-turned scoreboard at its inception.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

===Main entry marquee===
Directly over the main entrance to the stadium stands a large, red, [[art deco]]-style [[marquee (sign)|marquee]],<ref name="Bannon 2016 s698">{{cite news| last=Bannon | first=Tim | title=Historic marquee returns to Wrigley Field | website=Chicago Tribune | date=April 7, 2016 | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2016/04/07/historic-marquee-returns-to-wrigley-field-in-red-and-green/ | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> with "Wrigley Field, Home of Chicago Cubs" painted in white. The marquee was installed in 1934, and was originally painted green with changeable sections to announce upcoming games.<ref name="Ballpark Digest_2016">{{cite web |last=Reichard |first=Kevin | title=Famous Wrigley Field Marquee Is Back Up | website=Ballpark Digest | date=April 7, 2016 | url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2016/04/06/famous-wrigley-field-marquee-is-back-up/ | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> By 1939, it was repainted dark blue and the original "Home of the Cubs", was replaced with "Home of Chicago Cubs". In years when the Bears played there, the sign was changed appropriately during football season.<ref name="MLB.com 2024 o221">{{cite web |last=Kruth |first=Cash | title=Marquee at Wrigley Field a beloved relic | website=MLB.com | date=April 20, 2024 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/marquee-at-wrigley-field-a-beloved-relic/c-71241044 | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> On March 23, 1960, the Cubs repainted the sign red.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Compendium of Events Since the last Cubs World Series Victory|url=http://www.justonebadcentury.com|publisher=Just One Bad Century|access-date=May 23, 2014}}</ref>

In 1982, a two-line announcement board was replaced with an electronic LED message board, and a backlit advertising panel was added below (this is now solid red). The marquee uses red neon lights at night, showing "Wrigley Field" in red, with the rest of the sign in darkness. A [[Budweiser]] Beer slogan was on the lower panel in the early 1980s, around the time when the team added the LED signage. The [[Chicago Transit Authority]] Addison street platform that serves Wrigley Field uses an image of the marquee painted on walls to announce the destination. In November 2010, the marquee was painted purple with an [[Allstate Insurance]] logo for the [[Northwestern Wildcats football|Northwestern Wildcats]], who played as the home team against the [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois Fighting Illini]] in a [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] football game.

In 2015, a [[Toyota]] emblem was placed on the lower panel just below the LED sign on the marquee; previously, the area was used for logos of transient corporate sponsors and team initiatives. Toyota, one of the team's "legacy partners", began displaying other signage in and around the park in 2016, including branding on all of its parking lots.<ref name="Crains Chicago Business">{{cite news |title=Toyota Logo to Adorn Wrigley Field Marquee|first=Danny|last=Ecker|url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150821/BLOGS04/150829981/toyota-logo-to-adorn-wrigley-field-marquee|work=[[Crain's Chicago Business]]|date=August 21, 2015|access-date=October 14, 2015}}</ref>

The marquee was temporarily removed and restored for the 2016 season, including new paint, a new LED display board, and new neon lights.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wrigley Field Restoration Update: Landmarks Commission Approves Marquee Renovation|first=Neil|last=Finnell|url=http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2016/02/wrigley-field-restoration-update-landmarks-commission-approves-marquee-renovation.php|work=Chicago Cubs Online|date=February 5, 2016|access-date=November 1, 2016|archive-date=January 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113013121/http://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2016/02/wrigley-field-restoration-update-landmarks-commission-approves-marquee-renovation.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The back of the sign was given a new green paint job as well, which can now be seen from inside the terrace level.<ref>{{cite news |title=Historic Marquee Returns to Wrigley Field -- in Red and Green|first=Tim|last=Bannon|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-wrigley-field-marquee-returns-20160406-story.html|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=April 7, 2016|access-date=November 1, 2016}}</ref>

{{multiple image
| footer    = (Left) The marquee outside Wrigley Field; (Center) The marquee was temporarily painted purple for the 2010 [[Illinois–Northwestern football rivalry|Land of Lincoln Trophy]] college football game; (Right) Installed in 1934,<ref>{{cite web|title=Marquee at Wrigley Field a Beloved Relic|first=Cash|last=Cruth|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/marquee-at-wrigley-field-a-beloved-relic/c-71241044|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|date=April 7, 2014|access-date=November 13, 2016|archive-date=November 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114165740/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/71241044/marquee-at-wrigley-field-a-beloved-relic/|url-status=live}}</ref> the marquee was removed for restoration for the first time in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Iconic Wrigley Field Marquee Removed For Renovation Work|first=Lisa|last=Fielding|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/11/02/iconic-wrigley-field-marquee-removed-for-renovation-work/|work=[[WBBM-TV|CBS Chicago]]|date=November 2, 2015|access-date=November 1, 2016}}</ref>
| align     = center
| total_width=600
| image1    = Wrigley Field marquee grandstand exterior IMG 2339.jpg
| image2    = Purple pride! (5525395446) (purple marquee).jpg
| image3    = Wrigley Field marquee removed for renovation 01.JPG
}}

===Lights===
[[File:Dusk falls over Wrigley Field. (30642998645).jpg|thumb|right|Wrigley Field lighting atop the first base and right field seats in 2016.]]
The Cubs were a holdout against [[night game]]s for decades, not installing lights at Wrigley until [[1988 Chicago Cubs season|1988]], after baseball officials announced that the park would be prohibited from hosting any future postseason games without lights.<ref name="lights">{{cite news|title=The Cubs Get Lights at Wrigley Field|first=Phil|last=Vettel|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-wrigleylights-story,0,866410.story|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=August 8, 1988|access-date=September 19, 2011}}</ref> Before then, all games at Wrigley were played during the day. Night games are still limited in number by agreement with the city council.

In 1942, then-owner [[Philip K. Wrigley]] had planned to install lights, but the equipment was instead diverted for the [[World War II]] effort. On July 1, 1943, the [[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]'s first midseason All-Star Game was played under temporary lights at Wrigley Field, between two teams composed of [[South Bend Blue Sox]] and [[Rockford Peaches]] players versus [[Kenosha Comets]] and [[Racine Belles]] players. It was also the first night game ever played in the ballpark.

The [[1984 World Series]] was scheduled to start in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] park, but MLB actually had a contingency plan to instead start the Series at the [[American League]] park in the event that the [[1984 Chicago Cubs season|Cubs]] won the [[1984 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] against the [[1984 San Diego Padres season|San Diego Padres]]. This would have allowed the Wrigley Field-hosted (i.e. daytime) games to be held over the weekend; in return, only one night game (game 3 on Friday) would have been lost. Had the Cubs advanced to the Series instead of the Padres, the [[1984 Detroit Tigers season|Detroit Tigers]] would have hosted games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (on Tuesday and Wednesday nights), while the Cubs would have hosted games 3, 4, and 5 (on Friday, Saturday and Sunday), with all three games in Chicago starting no later than 1:30&nbsp;p.m. [[Central Time zone|CST]]. Since the Padres wound up winning the 1984 NLCS, these plans proved moot.

In the late 1980s, Cubs management insisted that the team was in danger of leaving Wrigley if lights were not installed,<ref name="opening night">{{cite web|title=Cubs Remember 'Opening Night'|url=http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080806&content_id=3267159&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc|publisher=[[Major League Baseball Advanced Media]]|date=August 6, 2008|access-date=August 6, 2008|archive-date=August 9, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080809220529/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080806&content_id=3267159&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Major League Baseball threatened to make the Cubs play postseason "home" games at [[Busch Memorial Stadium|Busch Stadium]] in St. Louis.<ref name="ballparksmswf"/> After 5,687 consecutive day games played by the Cubs at Wrigley, the lights were finally lit on August 8, 1988, for a game against the [[1988 Philadelphia Phillies season|Philadelphia Phillies]]. However, that game was rained out after 3½ innings,<ref name="lights" /> and the first official night game took place the following evening against the [[1988 New York Mets|New York Mets]], whom the Cubs beat 6–4.<ref name="lights" />

On November 7, 2022 Wrigley Field upgraded to [[Light-emitting diode|LED]] field lights.<ref>{{cite news |title=Wrigley Field gets new energy efficient lights|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/wrigley-field-energy-efficient-lights |date=November 7, 2002 |work=CBS News |author=CBS CHICAGO TEAM |access-date=November 8, 2022}}</ref>