Chicago allows Cubs to play rare Friday night game at Wrigley Field

CHICAGO -- The Cubs will host a rare Friday night game Sept. 8 against the Milwaukee Brewers, after getting permission from the city of Chicago, in order to accommodate their travel schedule. The game between the first-place Cubs and second-place Brewers was originally scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT, but the Cubs were given permission based on playing the night before in Pittsburgh, then needing to travel home.

This will be the first regular-season night game the team has ever hosted on a Friday, as neighborhood restrictions limit the Cubs to 47 night games and summer concerts throughout the season. The team couldn't request the change until learning that ESPN wasn't going to televise any of their remaining Sunday home games, which would have maxed out the team's limit.

Manager Joe Maddon has been a big proponent of a more accommodating schedule for his team since he was hired before the 2015 season. He helped eliminate "awkward" 3:05 p.m. CT start times and pushed for this game to be moved as well.

"I'm excited about that. Its a great idea," Maddon said of the change. "Let's do it more often. It helps us out schedulewise, and its just a good idea in general. I would love to see it on a week-by-week basis."

The Brewers aren't as excited about the switch, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Told the Brewers were apparently unhappy over the change, Maddon said he wasn't sure why they'd be unhappy.

"You would have to ask them," Maddon said.