So How Was Your 2016 Cubs Convention?

The lines are gone, the halls are empty and the 2016 Cubs Convention is in the books.  Now we want to hear from you!

What did you love about the convention?  What could be improved?  Who was your favorite player met over the weekend?  Who had the best sound bite?

Post in the comments below or send photos and your stories to cubsconvention@hotmail.com if you would like to be featured!

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MANY MANY MANY THANKS to KYLE...sat,550pm,stayed signing autographs for everyone in line...was honest with my son about the long day...it's not easy for them either..luckily my son had enough energy for both of them.

Check out the glare off my son's face from that SOLER powered smile!!!

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How sweet is this autographed photo submitted by Debbie?  Here is Dave Martinez circa 1987 signing autographs at a car dealership during spring training in Arizona.

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Here is the Official Schedule for the 2016 Cubs Convention

Start your planning!

Friday -  January 15

• 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Opening Ceremony
• 7:15 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Surprise Signings
• 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday Night with Ryan Dempster

Saturday - January 16

• 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Ricketts Family
• 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Cubs Jeopardy
• 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Baseball Management
• 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Life Off the Field
• 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. Joe Maddon & His Coaching Staff
• 12:45 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Cubs Business Operations Update
• 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Cubs in Cooperstown
• 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Meet the New Cubs
• 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Rock Star Rookies
• 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Kids Only Press Conference
• 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Cy Young Winners
• 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Cubs Feud
• 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Cubs Bingo

Sunday - January 17

• 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Once a Cub, Always a Cub
• 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Down on the Farm

Cubs Preview Programs Scheduled for 2016 Convention

The Cubs have released a preliminary schedule of events for the Convention weekend.  However, you will need to wait for the program to get the exact times and locations for the presentations and autograph schedule.

As usual, the Opening Ceremony will be held on Friday night at 6 p.m.  This year, children 16 and younger will be given “special access” to the event, although the Cubs have not given any further details about this.  After the ceremony, players will take part in a “Surprise Autograph Signing Game.”  It is not yet clear if the Cubs will be returning to the old “Treasure Hunt” format, in which players were stationed at random locations all throughout the convention space to sign autographs.  In 2015, the Cubs stationed only minor league prospects on Friday night in one location and no other players were to be found anywhere else in the hotel.

  

On Saturday, "Cubs [Family] Feud" and "Cubs Jeopardy" sessions will be held, as well as seminars on baseball management with Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer and a baseball business operations presentation.  Joe Maddon and the coaching staff will host a question and answer session, and there will be a kids-only press conference in which only children are allowed questions to ask a panel of players.  (This is usually very entertaining.)

On Sunday there will be a session about the state of minor league system and Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber are scheduled to discuss the 2015 campaign.  Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins will join Rick Sutcliffe to reminisce about their Cy Young seasons.

Open all weekend will be “Clark's Clubhouse” where there will be games and activities for younger kids.

Cubs Announce Cubs Convention Attendees for 2016

Ryno's back!

Cubs Being Tight-Lipped About Cubs Convention Attendees

In years past, the Cubs have typically announced a partial list of the players and former players scheduled to appear the the upcoming Convention.  So far, there has been no official announcement confirming the appearance of any particular players and no lists have leaked otherwise.

Contact with the Cubs was fruitless, with the response only, "the list of players for 2016 is not yet available unfortunately, but last year it was released a few days before the convention."  (Last year, however, the Cubs announced a partial list of attendees and programs on December 19th!)

We will continue to monitor for official announcements and leaked information and will post updates as information becomes available! 

Looking Ahead to the 2016 Cubs Convention

Less than one month from now, the Chicago Cubs faithful will descend, en masse, upon the Chicago Sheraton and Towers for the sold-out 2016 Cubs Convention.  This promises to be the most exciting convention in recent history, with the Cubs having finished an unbelievable 2015 campaign by dispatching the Cardinals in the NLDS before succumbing to the Mets in the NLCS.

Led by National League Manager of the Year, Joe Maddon, the 2015 Cubs featured the Cy Young Award winner, Jake Arrieta, and Rookie of the Year, Kris Bryant.  Anthony Rizzo had a stellar All-Star season and finished 4th in the MVP voting.  Kyle Schwarber burst onto the scene with Ruthian power.  New additions Jon Lester and Miguel Montero added veteran leadership to the young squad. Even old man David Ross was perfect in a pair of pitching stints.

As for me, I look most forward to the Convention each year as one of the few times in a busy year that I can get together with my friends and sister, all die-hard Cubs fans, and with whom I have been attending the Convention (and the home opener) for over 20 years.  Now, I am able to share the experience with my kids, who love to meet the players, take selfies with them and ask them questions.  They don't even mind waiting in the long lines, although I guess that their handheld electronic devices sure help them pass the time!

As you begin to gear up for the 2016 Convention, what are you most looking forward to doing?  Who are you most hoping to meet for an autograph or photo?

2016 Cubs Convention Passes Have Shipped

The weekend passes for the 2016 Cubs Convention have shipped.  Hopefully, you were one of the lucky ones who was able to buy them before they sold out.  Also, the ticket packages at the W Hotel are now sold out.

Despite the Convention approaching quickly, the Cubs have not yet released any information about the attendees or programs that will be offered at the 2016 event.

We will provide updates as they become available.

Limited Convention Hotel and Weekend Pass Packages Now Available at Sister Hotel

The Cubs have announced that a limited number of room packages are now available at the W Chicago Lakeshore that include your choice of either two or four Cubs Convention passes.

A minimum two-night stay is required and the cost of accommodations for two is $252.33 per night plus taxes.  The cost for a four-person room is $342.33 per night plus taxes.

The W Chicago Lakeshore is located at 644 North Lake Shore Drive in Chicago and is .6 miles or about a twelve minute walk to the Sheraton Chicago located at 301 East North Water Street.

To book a Cubs Convention package at the W Chicago Lakeshore, CLICK HERE.

Nearby Hotel Options for the 2016 Cubs Convention

If you were unable to book a room at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers for the 2016 Cubs Convention, there is no need to worry about nearby lodging - if you act quickly.  The green icons on the map above show all of the currently available hotel rooms available for the weekend.

This map can be accessed at Hotels.com.  If you are unfamiliar with the city, look for hotels in the North Loop, Magnificent Mile and River North areas to be nearest to the Sheraton and Towers, located at 301 E. North Water Street in Chicago.

As you can see, there are still rooms available at several hotels within a few blocks of the Convention location.  These rooms will continue to be snatched up, however, as the Cubs continue with their playoff push!

You can click here for the best deals on Hotels.com.

What? The 2016 Cubs Convention is Sold Out Already!?

The Cubs website officially indicates that weekend passes for the 2016 Cubs Convention are sold out.

Although the Cubs website indicates that rooms are still available for the weekend, attempts to book a room resulted in a message that no further rooms were available.

It appears that the 2016 Cubs Convention is completely sold out.  In previous years, the Cubs offered accommodations and ticket packages at affiliated hotels so there still may be an opportunity to attend.