As you know, I am a Cubs season-ticket holder.
Season-ticket holders received invoices Thursday for potential postseason games at Wrigley Field this year, with payment due Wednesday, Sept. 17. As usual, STH will have the choice of getting a refund for any unplayed 2025 postseason games, or to use that money as a deposit for 2026 season tickets.
And in conjunction with that, the Cubs offered full season-ticket holders the opportunity to get guaranteed access to all the 2027 All-Star Game events — if
they are willing to sign up for season tickets through the 2028 season.
Since I’ve been a season-ticket holder since 1993 and intend to continue, I’ll sign up for this deal. Among other things, the Cubs say they will guarantee anyone who takes this deal that prices for season tickets will go up no more than three percent in 2027 and 2028 — though only for full season-ticket holders, not for those holding partial plans. I’ve already heard from a friend who’s had such a plan for 12 years who is likely going to cancel after this year as a result.
For full STH this offer sounds reasonable, considering there is a significant increase for season ticket pricing for 2026 over 2025, which was also included in the email received Thursday. Per Paul Sullivan in the Tribune, season ticket prices for 2026 are going up from five to eight percent, with the average increase at about six percent. The increase for bleacher season tickets comes to just under 10 percent on the actual price, but that being larger than the figures noted above is partly because the team is back to 81 games at Wrigley Field in 2026, as opposed to 79 in 2025 (with two “home” games played in Tokyo).
As for postseason tickets, here is the pricing breakdown for various seating levels and series (prices shown are both per game and total):
There are a total of 14 games in the full season-ticket holder package: Three wild-card games, three NLDS games, four NLCS games and four World Series games. As for the per-game pricing, the wild-card and NLDS games are roughly equal to the highest-price regular-season game (which is about $88 this year). The other series, obviously, are more.
For the three-year renewal offer, the Cubs are guaranteeing all the All-Star events for full season-ticket holders. For half-season, combo plan (nights/weekends), 20-game and double play (Wednesday/Friday day games) plans, if you choose the three-year renewal you get All-Star Saturday (Futures Game and celebrity softball game) and EITHER the Home Run Derby or ASG, but not both. Those who choose annual renewal are not guaranteed any All-Star events, but would receive a “potential purchase opportunity” if there’s any ticket inventory remaining after MLB, sponsors, etc. get theirs.
One concern among fans was addressed in Sullivan’s article by Cale Vennum, senior vice president of Marquee Sports and Entertainment (and Vennum is also in charge of Cubs ticket sales):
If the 2027 All-Star Game is postponed because of a labor stoppage, the game played at Wrigley likely would be delayed until 2029, sources said.
“If for any reason the games need to be rescheduled for a later year, we would honor our commitment to the season ticket holders,” Vennum added.
There will likely be a limited public sale of postseason tickets after all the STH payments are in on Sept. 17. I would expect pricing to be similar to the chart above (though possibly with some online buying fees). I am certainly hoping I get to use most or all of mine. Go Cubs!
