Final answer:
Before conducting marketing research, the teams need to consider the historical context of baseball, the threshold populations, and the patterns of fandom that influence attendance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before conducting any marketing research to explain low attendance figures for the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox, the baseball teams need to understand several historical and social factors affecting fan behavior and attendance. Firstly, they must recognize how professional baseball started as an inexpensive form of entertainment that helped immigrants and Americans form a unified civic identity. The complex historical context including scandals such as the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, the segregation in sports leading to the Negro Leagues' popularity, and the differing patterns of fandom in various sports all contribute to current attendance levels.
Additionally, understanding the threshold population needed for a major league baseball franchise and the sports' significance as a social unifier, alongside factors like team success, rivalry games, and player salaries should be factored into their research. Fandom, especially in baseball, has shown to spread through contagious diffusion rather than strictly geographical loyalty, which can also influence attendance.