If you live in Chicago, you can’t help but notice the Cubs are holding their annual convention for the first time in a few years. You don’t have to care about the Cubs or baseball to help but notice it.

Older baseball fans sneer at the fans that dress up for fanfests and spend their money and time in some brightly lit convention center-some are held at large hotels with meeting rooms and halls. I haven’t attended a Cubs convention in about a decade, but I attended many of the first 15 or so. I have attended recent Brewer winter fests because they are much smaller in scope.

Fan fests exist to provide fans and the media with access to players, retired and current, and front office personnel in a relaxed setting. The smarter teams bring in their minor league affiliates and spring training partners. The winter fan fest offers unlimited opportunities-some are a little more blatant in their commercialism.

Some fans merely attend to give voice to their frustrations with management and ownership. I get it, but wouldn’t waste my energy and money on that. I found that everything is wo well orchestrated, that meetings with the ownership are little more than scripted ads for the team and the current direction they are headed in.

And while most fans attending fan fests are optimistic of their team’s chances, struggling teams like the Reds continue to host fan fest after fan fest-regardless of their record. It’s still possible to gauge interest in the team and get an idea as to what the fans are really feeling.

Personally, I’d rather be around baseball fans talking baseball, than football fans talking football-any day of the week. Given the opportunity, I’d like to check out fan fests in other cities and write about the experiences.

Unfortunately, not every team in town is holding a convention this winter. For whatever reason, the White Sox have chosen not to face their fans this January. I think they are missing an opportunity to connect with their fanbase.

Because there aren’t any minor league teams within shouting distance, I’m not sure how many regional teams are holding caravans, winter banquets or meet and greets this year. While we haven’t suffered through any real blizzards yet, fans can always use an excuse to think about summer and an upcoming baseball season.