After just two years, DraftKings announced that they will be shuttering their in-person sportsbook hanging off the side of Wrigley Field on May 31. In a statement, the company says, “The cost of operating in Illinois, including its high tax structure, makes it more difficult to justify continued investment in a standalone retail sportsbook.” The sports bar part of the operation will continue, as will the DraftKings sponsorship.
As part of this change, the area should become a little more accessible. With the removal of the sportsbook, the requirement to be 21 to enter should be removed. Additionally, fans will be able to enter and exit into the ballpark itself eventually, similar to Gallagher Way. That change will likely limit the building on game days to those with a ticket.
Short term, there should be no financial impact for the Cubs. The original deal was $100 million for ten years and, while the two sides shared some revenue from food and beverage sales, the Cubs were not involved in the gambling end of the partnership. Long term, I’m sure that $100 million figure included some expectation of revenues to be generated from the sportsbook, and it seems unlikely that a renewal will touch that amount.
Nearly three years since the building first opened as a sports bar, I’ve only been inside once, and that was just for a quick walkaround. The next dollar I spend there will be my first, and I don’t envision that changing anytime soon.
After yesterday’s 6-5 victory over the Royals, the White Sox find themselves without a losing record past March for the first time since the conclusion of the 2022 season, when they finished 81-81. After three consecutive 100-loss seasons, this seems like celebrating. Now, this doesn’t mean that they are suddenly a “good” team or that they will finish the year above .500, but they do seem to be moving in the right direction and are finally entertaining to watch.
