Bears Talk: Moving to The Region?

The Chicago Bears are reportedly moving forward with their stadium development in the region. Per the organization’s statement above, and the Chicago Sun Times, “It’s Indiana: Bears’ board of directors votes to push stadium to Hammond”. 

“The Bears’ board of directors met Thursday and decided to move forward with their plans to build a stadium in Indiana, positioning the team to play its home games out of state for the first time in its 106-year history.” This is a very bold decision from the Bears organization, and it’s caused a tidal wave of chaos within the fanbase and the NFL as a whole. There have been many mixed reactions and, I have to say, I’m really annoyed with some of the comments I’ve been reading. 

“Will they still be the Chicago Bears?” Yeah? Why wouldn’t they be? It’s the TEAM NAME! The only thing potentially moving to Indiana is the new stadium, and the organization owns the name, meaning they can keep it regardless of where they are. “They shouldn’t have Chicago in their name!” Please see above. There are multiple teams in the NFL that don’t actually play where they’re “supposed to”: The New York Jets play in New Jersey. The New York Giants also play in New Jersey. The Washington Commanders are a D.C. team, yet they play in Maryland. 

“Indiana isn’t Chicagoland! If you’re not in Chicago, you’re not Chicagoland!” Um, buddy? I got some news for you: Northwest Indiana, aka “The Region”, IS a part of “Chicagoland”, and it’s been that way for a long, long time. Per the Encyclopedia of Chicago, “Col. Robert R. McCormick, editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune for most of the first half of the twentieth century, usually gets credit for putting “Chicagoland” into common parlance. In McCormick’s time, it referred to the city and its grain, timber, and livestock hinterlands covering parts of five states (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa), all of which were served by rail delivery of the colonel’s newspaper. Later in the century, it came to mean a smaller, denser area of city and suburbs in three states stretching from northern Indiana to southern Wisconsin.” 

Finally, my favorite comments I’ve seen are the ones stating, “I’m no longer a fan!” Okay? Good for you? If you can’t be a fan because the team moves their stadium, were you ever really a fan? Now, I understand why people are upset. The residents of Illinois feel betrayed by the team they love. They’ve been betrayed by city and state leadership as well. They feel as if the mayor of Chicago and governor are so incompetent they can’t even keep their historic football team in the state. Is it all on them? No, probably not. The Bears organization can be blamed for much of this chaos as well, but the city and state of Illinois are taking the brunt of the criticism. 

Throughout all of this crying online, people have forgotten to do one thing – READ! “A league source cautioned the announcement didn’t eliminate Arlington Heights as an option, were the state to find a way to give the Bears property tax certainty on the 326-acre plot they own. In fact, the source said, there was “still a lot of ballgame left to play” for Illinois lawmakers.”, per the Chicago Sun Times. 

Nothing is set in stone yet. The people and outlets (in Northwest Indiana) freaking out and/or celebrating this announcement from the Bears might look very silly when it’s all said and done.

If you’re reading this you’re probably wondering what my opinion on it is. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I’d like the convenience of the stadium being so close. That’s about the only positive I can think of. On the other hand, I don’t want the stadium here. I don’t want to pay for a stadium I won’t be able to use because tickets are so expensive. I don’t want our taxes to go up. I don’t want the added traffic to the area. I believe this stadium will bring some positives to the region, but I also believe it will bring more negatives. 

Here is the quote from the Sun Times stating Indiana taxpayers will be paying for this: “The Bears were lured by a sweetheart deal approved by Indiana three months ago, when lawmakers authorized a stadium authority backed by taxes on admissions, hotels, restaurants and tolls. The Bears have committed $2 billion to their stadium project. The team would keep all revenue generated by the stadium and have the option to buy it back in 40 years, when Indiana taxpayers have paid off the bonds”. So thank you, Indiana government officials, for potentially making living around here more difficult and unaffordable. 

Lastly, I don’t think this is actually going to happen. I think Illinois will cave and give the Bears everything they want. 

I hope you enjoyed the first edition of Bears Talk. If you did, please subscribe!

Peter