Billy Goat Tavern coming to Wrigley Field originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Fans who will be attending games this weekend at Wrigley Field will be in for a unique treat, as one of Chicago’s most-iconic restaurants will be slinging burgers at the Friendly Confines.
The Billy Goat Tavern, whose antics were famously immortalized in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch in the 1970’s, will be taking over the Marquee Classics concession stand at the ballpark during the Chicago Cubs‘ series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
No Pepsi, Coke!
The Chicago Cubs switched to Coca-Cola! To help them celebrate, the Marquee Classics concession stand, which is located directly behind home plate, will be renamed the “Billy Goat Tavern” for the first homestand! pic.twitter.com/QYTYPPuWN9
— Billy Goat Tavern (@Cheezborger) March 29, 2023
That stand, behind home plate, will serve Billy Goat “cheezborgers” throughout the opening homestand of the season, with cast members from The Second City slinging burgers for Opening Day on Thursday.
According to the Cubs, the partnership came about after the team announced it had switched to serving Coca-Cola products at the ballpark, evocative of the “No Pepsi, Coke” mantra made famous by the restaurant (although it was reversed in the SNL sketch, and took place at “The Olympia Restaurant”).
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Of course, Cubs fans are very familiar with the Billy Goat for a different reason, as the establishment’s former owner Billy Sianis famously put a “curse” on the Cubs when his pet goat wasn’t allowed into Wrigley Field during the 1945 World Series.
The Cubs went more than 70 years without winning another pennant, despite Sam Sianis attempting to “lift” the curse during the 2003 playoffs, but finally broke through and won the World Series in 2016.
The Marquee Classics concession stand is appropriately located behind the famed marquee inside of the ballpark, and features a rotating cast of restaurants and eateries serving their dishes.
More information on the Cubs’ Opening Day plans can be found on the team’s website, and in the NBC Chicago app.
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Source: Yahoo Sports
