September 17, 2019 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

Cubs ADA Lawsuit Narrowed but Can Continue, Judge Rules

A lawsuit against the Chicago Cubs for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will be allowed to continue, a federal judge ruled.

In December 2017, David Cerda filed a lawsuit alleging that the Cubs violated the ADA by failing to provide enough seating for wheelchair users at Wrigley Field. Cerda, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy and needs a wheelchair for mobility, claimed that the ADA requires the Cubs to offer 217 accessible seats and that the Cubs only offered 42 …

March 13, 2018 Litigation / MLB

Cubs Dropped From Foul Ball Suit, If Only Temporarily

As we previously reported, a Cubs fan was struck in the face by a foul ball during an August 2017 game at Wrigley Field, where he brought his children to watch from the first base line. The injury left John “Jay” Loos blind in one eye and his other eye vulnerable to the same. He filed suit against both the MLB and the Cubs in October, alleging negligence by both parties, specifically, for failing to install a net which would have otherwise shielded him …

May 26, 2017 MLB

Seventh Circuit Hears Arguments from Rooftop Owners over Cubs Blocking Stadium Sight Lines

The ongoing legal battle between the Chicago Cubs and the owners of the iconic rooftops near Wrigley Field entered extra innings on Tuesday, May 23, 2017. The two teams fielded their heavy hitters for arguments in front of the Seventh Circuit over whether the Cubs broke a contractual duty in blocking the stadium sight lines from the rooftops. In 2004, both sides agreed to a 20-year contract in which the Cubs would not block for obstruct the views from the roofs and each rooftop owner …

September 28, 2016 Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Litigation / MLB

Is Selling Cubs Merchandise a Crime?

Stealing bases may be a routine part of baseball, but the Chicago Cubs have made it clear that street vendors stealing merchandise have no part in America’s pastime. On September 22, 2016, Major League Baseball and the Chicago Cubs sued vendors for selling counterfeit merchandise on the streets outside of Wrigley Field.

This has been an uplifting season for the Cubs as they are in first place, standing as the top team in all of Major League Baseball. The club’s claim that vendors are “deliberately …

July 8, 2016 MLB

Wrigley Rooftop’s Accountant Bargaining for His Freedom

Lovers of baseball can enjoy a Chicago Cubs game from the seats of Wrigley Field or from the rooftops outside the field that surround the outfield. These skyboxes offer seats, drinks, and food for a deal—and give great views inside Wrigley Field. In 2004, the Chicago rooftops and the Chicago Cubs reached an agreement that guarantees a 17 percent of gross revenue to the Cubs. While these skyboxes seem ideal, the Cubs have long complained that rooftop boxes take money away from the Cubs.

The …

January 23, 2015 Advertising / Baseball

David Throwing Jabs at Two Goliaths to Keep the Business

Following a couple of left jabs by some owners of Wrigley Field rooftop clubs at the city of Chicago, another group of rooftop business owners threw a right jab at the Cubs and team chairman Tom Ricketts.

According to the filing, the owners alleged the team blamed the rooftop businesses for a drop in Cubs ticket sales and suggested a price-fixing scheme. When the business owners declined the suggestion, the Cubs threatened to block their views with six advertising signs, including a video board in …

January 16, 2015 Litigation / MLB

Cubs Accused of Bullying Rooftop Club Owners

On Thursday, January 8, several rooftop club owners adjacent to the historic Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, filed another lawsuit against the city of Chicago to block proposed renovations to the stadium.

Last July, the Chicago Cubs gained approval of renovations costing $375 million from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to add seven new signs to the ball park’s outfield. The Cubs then altered the placement and shape of the signs and received approval yet again. This lawsuit, brought by the rooftop club …

August 18, 2014 MLB

Rooftop Clubs Outside Wrigley Field Attempt To Block Expansion Plan

Claiming that Chicago’s plan to expand Wrigley Field violates the city ordinance, the owners of eight Wrigley Field rooftop clubs filed a suit to ask the court to block the plan.

The city’s Landmarks Commission recently approved the $375 million project to improve the aging ballpark. The expansion plan includes adding more seats and erecting seven outfield signs. When the plan was announced a month ago, the business owners strongly opposed to the plan because the signs would block the view from their rooftops.

The …