Chicago’s Team, Indiana’s Offer, and a Franchise at a Crossroads
By Jacob Mallie
View in the Michigan Sports Law Journal
One of the oldest franchises in NFL history is nearing a decision that would reshape professional football’s relationship with one of America’s greatest sports cities. The Chicago Bears, a team with nine NFL championships prior to the Super Bowl era, and one Lombardi Trophy, are on the verge of not only leaving Chicago, but the state of Illinois entirely. This threat by the Chicago Bears is as credible as any relocation story the league has seen in years.
The Bears have been on a long journey in the search for a new home. They have cycled through proposals in Arlington Heights, and now across the state line in Indiana. After years of failed negotiations with Illinois lawmakers, the team stated last month that “Hammond [Indiana] is the site we are focused on.”
The franchise has spent much of the past decade buried in mediocrity. High draft picks came and went, with losing season after losing season. Coaches and coordinators rotated through Halas Hall year after year. But things are finally taking a turn for the better on the field. In his sophomore season, Caleb Williams showed flashes of generational talent last season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson. The Bears won the NFC North and advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 2010. The franchise is ascending, and figuring out just where this ascent takes place is now an urgent matter.
Soldier Field is at the heart of the issue. It is the smallest stadium in the league, and the oldest by a large margin. The Bears have played at Soldier Field for 55 seasons, but they have never owned the building. The organization now wants a domed facility capable of hosting Super Bowls, NCAA Final Fours, and major concerts year-round. Soldier Field has not been able to offer that.
On February 26, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed a bill into law authorizing funding for a new stadium in Hammond, about 28 miles from Chicago. Borrowed state money would cover the cost of construction, repaid through increased local hospitality taxes. Indiana officials have been enthusiastic from the start. House Speaker Todd Huston announced the Bears would commit $2 billion toward the proposed project. Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott, lifelong Bears fan, made an emotional case for hosting the Bears: “Hammond will do whatever it takes to help make this project a success.” Indiana plans on investing around $1 billion through various taxes.
Illinois, however, is not surrendering. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has met with Bears staff and publicly maintained that Arlington Heights remains a viable path. “We want to get it done for the Bears,” Pritzker said. However, the Bears’ threatened move to Indiana is widely seen as a negotiating tactic to secure more money from the state of Illinois for a new stadium.
For Bears fans, this goes beyond a stadium debate. Chicago and the Bears are deeply intertwined, going back over a century. The thought of the team playing their home games in Indiana feels like a betrayal to many of them. Social media, local sports radio, and YouTube comment sections have been flooded with anger since the news broke about their option in Indiana.
Time will tell whether the Bears are strategically negotiating with Illinois or are serious about their threat to move across the state line. Regardless, the stakes are enormous, and one of football’s most storied franchises is closer to relocating than at any point in its 100 year-history.
