CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 03: In an aerial view from a drone, Wrigley Field is seen prior to summer ... [+] workouts on July 03, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Whether under the ownership of the Ricketts family or the Tribune Company, the Cubs have a long history of battling the city of Chicago over regulations involving Wrigley Field.

Construction of outfield bleachers and scoreboards led to a long-running battle with the city and owners of rooftops. Day games werent allowed until 1988 and the city has only slowly expanded the number of night games and concerts that are permitted.

But COVID-19 appears to have improved the alliance between the National League team and local politicians, especially Alderman Tom Tunney, who has represented the 44th Ward since 2003. The Cubs are seeking to play all of their Friday and Saturday home games at night, and on Thursday received tentative approval from aldermen on a one-season lifting of bans on Friday and Saturday night games.

Tunney gave the move his blessing in front of the citys License Committee on Thursday.

This is a long story of night games at Wrigley Field and the prohibition on Friday and Saturday nights, Tunney said at a hearing reported by the Chicago Tribune. But ... these are extraordinary circumstances, and I think we need to be working as diligently to get the Cubs schedule and season (completed), that being 30 games in Lakeview, and not to prohibit Friday and Saturday for this year only. This is a one-time exception.

The Cubs have six weekend home series on Major League Baseballs 60-game schedule, so would have six games each on Friday and Saturday nights. Tunney has long cited the crush of crowds in Wrigleyville, along with the interest of neighborhood homeowners, for keeping Friday and Saturday night games off the schedule but MLB is opening the season without fans and it seems unlikely that will change given the citys COVID-19 guidelines.

The city has said that the nearby rooftops can operate at 25-percent capacity. That provides some relief to Chairman Tom Ricketts and the team, which owns 11 of the operations alongside Waveland Avenue and Sheffield Street.

The team is not ruling out the possibility of having crowds in Wrigley Field at some point in 2020. Cubs Vice President Mike Lufrano said the team continues to hope fans will be admitted but said it will heed the direction of city health officials.

The one-year exception to the night game ordinance is expected to be on the agenda for the city council next week.

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Chicago Cubs, City Leaders Working To Allow Weekend Night Games - Forbes