leashyourkids wrote:
It's obviously unscientific, but I just asked my parents, who worked at a blue collar factory in West-Central Illinois for 40+ years, with about 500 blue collar workers, what they thought the Cubs/Cards/Sox split was at the factory. They guessed 55% Cubs/40% Cardinals/5% Sox. I would say based on my observations that that was pretty accurate where I grew up.
I would agree with that percentage.
Also, in many of those "small towns" the White Sox are more closely linked to the city of Chicago. The Cubs are viewed as a Midwestern team whereas the White Sox are a city team.
The White Sox these days are just a lousy team in a shitty area of the city. The Cubs are a 97 win team with an even brighter future and a historic ballpark in an area full of great bars and restaurants that is much more inviting to spend time around. The gap between the two teams in popularity will grow even greater in the years to come. The Sox might be wise to leave town for an area where they wouldn't be the red-headed step child in town. But I don't believe it will happen.