Everybody Loves A Winner

New research shows that the Sox are now tied with the Cubs and Bears for the most-watched team in town. Until last season, the Sox lagged significantly behind. You can make a number of different things out of these numbers. You can make an argument that the Sox success has drastically shifted the balance of popularity in town, and that another season or two like 2005 and 2006, and this could become a Sox town. You can make an argument that since as many people are watching the Cubs as the Sox even though the Sox are the defending champs and the Cubs, well, stink, the Sox success has not come at the expense of the Cubs, but merely created more baseball fans in town overall. You can also make a hat, brooch or pterodactyl. Personally, I don't think the Sox success hurts the Cubs at all. People will show up to Wrigley. But before when Wrigley sold out, or the Cubs were away, Chicago fans simply tuned out. Now, they're more likely to go to a Sox game. As much as I'd love for this to become a Sox town, I just don't think the current upturn in popularity for the Sox is the leading edge of a major shift.