Money Well Spent

You know the bean counters at Trib Tower have to love this: WGN garnered a 14.8 rating and a 33 share for the Cubs-Phillies / Maddux-300-Nomar-Debut game. That means beaucoup bux in terms of advertising dollars for the Trib. And with the Trib's net income down sharply and expenses up at the Cubs, the pencil-necked geeks needed to see this. Moreover, ratings for WGN Cubs games are up 78% from last year. Double beaucoup bux.

If these ratings are maintained, this bodes well for the Cubs not only retaining Nomar, but possibly Clement or signing someone like Maglio Ordonez. If the Cubs money spent is more than out earned in TV ad revenues, the Trib will spend.

A 33 share? 33% of the TVs on in Chicago were watching the Cubs? No one gets 30 shares anymore. Amazing.