Though the return of SoxFest continues to become less of a reality with each passing day, the White Sox have instead begun sharing details for their upcoming season ticket holder event.
According to emails that have been sent out over the past few days, the team will be holding an event called “Winter with the White Sox.” The exclusive three-hour gathering for season ticket holders will be hosted at the Field Museum on Friday, January 26, 2024 starting at 6:00 PM CT.
“View the exhibits of the museum while you mingle with our current players and coaches of the Chicago White Sox,” the email said. “Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served during the event.”
While the season ticket holder party is not considered a replacement for SoxFest, which was traditionally held during the same weekend, the latest update on the once-annual fan convention reveals there is no actual update. “We don’t have anything official to share,” a spokesperson with the White Sox told WGN’s Eli Ong just last week.
Last year’s cancellation marked the third straight year that SoxFest has not been held. The team said the convention was not scheduled due to “several factors,” but never elaborated on what those “factors” were. There was also never an attempt to offer any alternative event before the season, making the situation even more frustrating for many.
McCormick Place served as the most recent host for the convention when it was last held in 2020 after several years at the Chicago Hilton. The gathering saw an increased number of fans as the team’s window of contention opened up. However, SoxFest did not take place in either 2021 or 2022 due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s hard to say if the positive attendance trend would’ve continued had it continued to be held. With the team’s contention window now slammed shut and the organization in turmoil after accusations related to their culture among other things, it’s hard to say what the future may hold.
The bottom line is this, all fans deserve better and the organization should at least provide better transparency related to the process. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that some sort of positive update related to the event is eventually shared.
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Featured Photo: © Quinn Harris-USA TODAY NETWORK
After having our plans of going to Hawaii to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary changed due to my health issues my lovely wife, Alina, sprung a surprise. Since we officially became man and wife on January 26th, 1974, she felt there would be nothing better than to attend the season ticket holder event exactly 50 years later. So, we will be there!