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Will Wrigley Bars Charge Covers Tonight? Some Say They Haven't Decided Yet

By Dong Jin Oh | November 1, 2016 2:14pm
 A Cubs fans lets out a exuberant shout as the team gets ever-closer to a World Series.
A Cubs fans lets out a exuberant shout as the team gets ever-closer to a World Series.
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DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung

CHICAGO — Will you have to pay a cover to watch the Cubs game at Wrigleyville bars? They won't tell until you get there.

A spokesperson for Casey Moran's and Deuces and The Diamond Club declined to comment Tuesday on whether the bars would charge entry fee during away games, saying it is up to "the general manager's discretion" to decide whether fans will have to pay a cover for Game 6.

The spokesperson said that no matter what event, the general manager always decides the cover charge on the day of.

Some Wrigleyville maintays, like The Gingerman or "Gman" Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St., have taken a firm stance against jacking up cover charges during game time over the World Series run.

"Get here early tomorrow and Sunday if you want a seat!" the bar shared in an Instagram post last week. "Still NO COVER all weekend long."

The bar did collect donations for Lakeview Pantry on game days.

But many others, including bars like the Cubby Bear,  Old Crow Smokehouse and John Barleycorn, all of which charged covers for home games, have been mum on their social media accounts where they advertised their cover charges and ticket sales previously.

Deuces and The Diamond Club charged an extra $500 to secure a 4-seat table during home games, while Casey Moran's offered similar watch party packages.

The huge influx of fans flooding into the Wrigleyville area for the weekend games allowed bars near Wrigley Field to charge as much as $250 per person — just to get inside and watch the games on TV.

In some cases, sky-high cover charges backfired — at Moe's Cantina, tables that cost $3,000 remained empty Friday night.

Many of these prices dropped Saturday. Moe's Cantina charged $20 entry Friday, while Old Crow and John Barleycorn cut covers to $50 apiece Saturday, down from $250.

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