The Legal Blow
A federal judge has ordered the last independent rooftop owner in Wrigleyville to stop selling tickets to watch Chicago Cubs games. The ruling came on September 30, the final day of the Cubs season.
Federal judge Sharon Johnson Coleman ruled in favor of the baseball team. She wrote that "unfairly capitalizing on another's labor and expenses offends principles of justice, equity, and good conscience."
Aidan Dunican, the 64 year old owner of the Wrigley View Rooftop, has run his business for 30 years. He lives in the building and says he is weighing his options for an appeal. He intends to continue his fight to keep his business going next season.
The Money Dispute
For years, watching baseball from the rooftops beyond the outfield walls was a classic Chicago experience. Dunican charged between 100 dollars and 300 dollars for a ticket. This included entry to his rooftop, an open bar, and food like hot dogs and Italian beef.
His rooftop holds about 200 people. The business usually brings in around 1 million dollars a year before expenses.
Until recently, Dunican paid the Cubs 17 percent of his revenue under a 2004 agreement. When that deal expired after the 2023 season, Dunican offered to pay 20 percent. The Cubs refused and demanded 30 percent for regular season games and 40 percent for postseason games. Dunican said those terms would have put him out of business.
A Changing Neighborhood
The Ricketts family, who own the Cubs, have slowly bought up the neighborhood. They now own Wrigley Field, a television network, and 11 of the rooftop buildings. Other rooftops have signed revenue sharing deals with the team. Dunican was the final holdout.
To block the view from Dunican's building, the Cubs installed translucent screens and signs on the grandstands. Dunican said the team used "bullying tactics" and noted how "billionaires are pushing around everyone else today."
Tom Moore, an attorney who once represented rooftop owners, called it a "classic David versus Goliath story" where David is being "totally squished." He added that Goliath usually wins.
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