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Tickets for Game 3 of the NLCS are going for under face value

It didn’t take long for Chicago Cubs fans to revert back to their pre-2016 mindset. With the team trailing 0-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, Cubs fans seem hesitant about attending Game 3 at Wrigley Field.

Tickets for the contest are reportedly selling for less than face value, according to the Chicago Tribune.

On Tuesday morning, standing-room tickets on StubHub were going for as little as $83.15 plus fees. A Benjamin was almost enough to get you a seat in a corner of the 500 level. Terrace Reserve Infield seats, with a face of $156, were going for as little as $154 on SeatGeek.

That is a stark difference from last year, when bleacher seats for NLCS Game 6 tickets at Wrigley were going for $900. And you don’t even want to compare those prices to World Series tickets from last season.

The difference this time around should be obvious. The Cubs are currently mired in an 0-2 deficit in the NLCS, and fans are not to keen on watching another crushing loss. Tickets to Games 4 and 5 are even lower, according to the Tribune, because no one in the city wants to be at the game where the Cubs potentially get eliminated from the playoffs.

Cubs fans can get tickets to Game 3 of the NLCS. (AP Photo)
Cubs fans can get tickets to Game 3 of the NLCS. (AP Photo)

That could change if the Cubs win Tuesday night, of course. We’re guessing ticket prices will rise for Game 4 if the Cubs can figure out a way to beat Yu Darvish. If the team has momentum, fans will want to be there in case they can tie things up. And if they manage to win both Games 3 and 4, we expect ticket prices for Game 5 to skyrocket to ridiculous levels.

This issue isn’t specific to the Cubs. Fans of all teams are more willing to spend on tickets if their club is performing well. Everyone wants to see their favorite team celebrate on the field, not get eliminated. Still, it’s surprising it can impact a fanbase as rabid and dedicated as Chicago.

Given their history, we doubt Cubs fans are tired of winning after taking home one championship in the last 108 years. For whatever reason, the lovable losers are a little less lovable this time around.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik