The remarks quickly sent shockwaves across MLB, with Cubs manager Craig Counsell stepping up to defend his fanbase—sparking an online firestorm between the two rival cities.

Pat Murphy: “We Can’t Even Play Baseball”

Pat Murphy, who took over as the Brewers’ skipper, made the comments during a pre-game press conference when asked about his team’s struggles at home when facing the Cubs.

“The crowd noise when Chicago comes to town is out of control,” Murphy said. “It doesn’t even feel like a home game anymore. Our guys can’t hear each other, can’t focus, and frankly, it’s making us unable to play baseball the way we’re supposed to.”

Murphy went further, suggesting that MLB should consider restrictions to balance the environment.

“There has to be some accountability,” he added. “When half the stadium is Cubs fans drowning us out, that’s not just passion—it’s disruption. We need MLB to step in and make sure games are being played fairly.”

Craig Counsell Responds

Cubs manager Craig Counsell, who previously managed Milwaukee before joining Chicago, wasted no time clapping back at Murphy’s comments.

“That’s baseball,” Counsell said. “Fans travel, fans cheer, and sometimes they’re louder than the home team. That’s not something to complain about—it’s something to embrace. Cubs fans are some of the most passionate in the game, and they have every right to make their voices heard.”

Counsell, who knows both fanbases well, also delivered a sharp jab at his former team:

“If you can’t handle noise, maybe the problem isn’t the fans.”

Cubs Fans Erupt Online

Unsurprisingly, Counsell’s response lit a fire under Cubs Nation. Fans across social media blasted Murphy for what they saw as whining, while proudly defending their tradition of turning road games into de facto home games.

• “Wrigley North is alive and well—sorry Pat Murphy.”

• “If Brewers fans showed up, maybe it wouldn’t sound like a Cubs home game.”

• “Counsell owns Milwaukee on the field and now off it too.”

The term “Wrigley North” (a nickname for Milwaukee’s American Family Field due to the high number of Cubs fans who pack the stands during matchups) began trending among Chicago fans—further taunting Murphy and the Brewers.

Brewers Fans Push Back

Brewers supporters, however, defended Murphy’s comments, arguing that the noise imbalance has become a legitimate problem.

“We shouldn’t have to fight for a home atmosphere in our own stadium,” one Brewers fan wrote. “MLB needs to do something about ticket distribution—it’s ridiculous.”

Some suggested limiting presale tickets to Wisconsin zip codes or offering Brewers season ticket holders priority access to reduce the number of Chicago fans who invade Milwaukee during the rivalry series.

Can MLB Really Restrict Fans?

While Murphy’s request drew headlines, league insiders noted that MLB has no authority to restrict crowd participation based on team affiliation. Fans are free to buy tickets wherever they can, and traveling fanbases have always been part of the game’s culture.

“This is sports,” one analyst said. “If Cubs fans want to buy up Brewers tickets, there’s nothing stopping them. That’s not against the rules—it’s part of what makes rivalries so special.”

A Rivalry Ignited

The Brewers and Cubs have always shared a heated NL Central rivalry, but this war of words between Murphy and Counsell has added new fuel to the fire.

The upcoming series is now being billed as a showdown not just between two teams, but between two fanbases—with Milwaukee hoping to reclaim home-field advantage and Chicago determined to prove that “Wrigley North” is here to stay.

As one Cubs fan wrote after Counsell’s response:
“If Pat Murphy thought it was loud before, wait until he hears us now.”