Kylene and I are in Chicago this weekend visiting friends, and have started off our Friday night by watching the Chicago Hot Dogs take on the Gary ( of Indiana infamy) Rail Cats in the minor leagues.
Things are different at this level. The stadium only sits 6k max, and as part of your ticket you get some merch. As it was opening weekend, we all got Hawaiian t shirts inspired by hotdogs. Wild.
It was refreshing to be able to watch what essentially amounts to VFL football. Fans can sit a few feet away from the action; a privilege that might cost a punter at Yankee Stadium hundreds of dollars. The difference in talent from the major leagues didn’t impact the quality of the game; it was closer to telling the difference between college and olympic athletics, rather than Real Madrid v Real Salt Lake City (who are, incredibly, a real team).
More than anything, baseball strikes me as a passive sport. Fans in the crowd are chatting with friends and family, munching on popcorn or peanuts, and just enjoying the end of the week.
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