Chicago White Sox hosting Cubs at Rate Field for 1st game of Crosstown Classic Series

The Chicago White Sox are hosting the Chicago Cubs Friday night at Rate Field.

It's the Southsiders versus the Northsiders for the first game of this year's crosstown classic.

The fans were a great mood, and you could not have dialed up better weather, which is fitting because the sun has been shining on both ball clubs as of late.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

This is a White Sox home game, but there was plenty of Cubbie blue out there as well. Both teams' jerseys were well-represented, and ABC7 also saw some split loyalties in some of the families and groups in attendance.

Adding to the excitement is the fact that both of the teams are doing well at this point in the season. The Cubs are at the top of the National League Central with the second-best record in the NL, and the White Sox are just one game out of first place in the American League Central, riding a five-game winning streak.

This is the first time since since June 2008, 18 years excluding the 2020 pandemic season, that both teams are meeting with records above .500, so not since the George W. Bush Administration has the Crosstown Classic been this competitive.

Fans couldn't be happier.

"It's a electrifying, yes," White Sox fan Zane Parks said. "I think people are excited to see both teams going at each other this year, and we're just all here to have fun and root our team on."

"It's awesome for the city. It's great," Cubs fan Mario Coix said. "It brings the family together, community and so forth, and it's a great time to be out with the family and enjoy the game."

"I think you have All-Stars on both sides," White Sox fan Bobby Parks said. "They have Pete Crow. It's just going to be an electric game. You're going to see some really good players going at it today, first time in a long time."

"For me, I know it's exciting, because I've come with him to Sox games, and it's been empty, so the atmosphere has been kind of dull," Cubs fan said. "But I feel like today, it's going to be great. It's going to be exciting. It's going to be electric. Both teams are doing well."