Cubs Roasted for 'Saddest Pyrotechnic Display' at Home Opener

The Chicago Cubs kicked off the season's home opener at Wrigley Field on Monday, April 1. And unfortunately for the 2017 World Series champion team, the reception they received during player introductions was not a well-timed April Fool's Day joke.

In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, by The Athletic founding editor and senior columnist Jon Greenberg, the team could be seen running out onto the field past a set of two spark machines on either side of the path from the entrance. However, only two of the boxes were actually operating, and shooting out what can best be described as a lackluster amount of sparks.

"Cubs bring out the saddest pyrotechnic display for the home opener introductions," Greenberg captioned the short, 15-second video on Monday afternoon.

Cubs bring out the saddest pyrotechnic display for the home opener introductions. pic.twitter.com/r2qJVR5666

— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) April 1, 2024

"These are literally so easy to operate too, it’s just a press the button and they go there’s only one way to plug them in," one user weighed in on the post, though Greenberg noted that eventually they got all four spark machines working.

Eventually both sides worked.

— jon greenberg (@jon_greenberg) April 1, 2024

Others were, shall we say, less kind. "Looks like a Kenny Powers minor-league entrance," quipped another user, referring to the Danny McBride character in the HBO comedy series Eastbound & Down. "My Floridian nephew has better pyro events on a random Saturday night," chimed in yet another. "WTF is this."

"As a Cubs fan who hasn't missed a game so far... This seems entirely appropriate," lamented one fan.

As the post began to go viral, with nearly four million views and counting, even the New York Mets took a shot at the Cubs. The social media account for the team posted a clip of their comparatively superior player introductions, with the players running out from between two pillars that literally shot out flames.

???? pic.twitter.com/4Z3a6ahpqq

— New York Mets (@Mets) April 1, 2024

But for what it's worth, the Cubs won the game against the Colorado Rockies 5–0, after a 1–2 series against the Texas Rangers in Arlington to kick off the season.