One of the surprise stories of the offseason is the cold war between the Chicago Bears and the city of Chicago suddenly going hot over the issues with Soldier Field. Though the team is under lease to that stadium for another 12 years, it seems ownership may have designs on changing that. It is the only thing that explains their decision to place a bid on Arlington Park. A 326-acre strip of land that would be perfect for building a brand new stadium. One the team would own outright. People have opinions on this. Unsurprisingly, Mike Ditka is one of them.
Nobody outside of George Halas himself did more in Bears navy blue and orange than Ditka. He built a Hall of Fame career as a tight end in the 1960s and then came back in the 1980s to coach them to a Super Bowl title. If anybody has a grasp on what this team means to the city, it would be him. That is why his response to the idea of them moving to Arlington Heights was right on brand according to Jim O’Donnell of the Daily Herald.
“The Chicago Bears belong in the city of Chicago. That’s it. Call me an old-timer, call me a traditionalist, whatever. They’re a Chicago institution, and that should be the end of it.”
Plenty of fans feel the same way.
The Bears have played in the city of Chicago going all the way back to 1921. Their first home was Wrigley Field before they moved into Soldier Field in 1971. That has remained their home ever since. Yet despite renovations back in the early 2000s, the building has fallen behind the times. Not only is it the smallest in the NFL at a 61,500 seating capacity, it also isn’t known for being technologically up to date either.
This is where not owning the building outright has always been an issue for the Bears. They can’t make changes without clear it with the Chicago Park District. Something that can be an absolute nightmare. It isn’t hard to understand why the allure of their own stadium is so strong.
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Mike Ditka isn’t wrong but he isn’t right either
Arlington Heights might be its own entity, but everybody thinks of it as a Chicago suburb. They aren’t going to call themselves the Arlington Heights Bears if they move out there. Like other teams didn’t change their names despite making similar moves like the New York Giants, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, etc. Being inside Chicago is nice, but not if it actually takes away more than accentuates the overall experiences for the fans.
Being a historic landmark with a view to die for is great. Would fans prefer that over better parking, more seating, and other perks a brand new building could offer? Probably not. Mike Ditka good reasons to feel the way he does. The ideal scenario would be the Bears getting a new stadium in the city of Chicago proper. Perhaps at a different location.
Whether that is even possible remains unknown.
Given the bureaucratic red tape that is always involved? Don’t count on it. The Bears seem to understand that if they hope to get what they want, they’ll have to take it. They can’t expect the city to provide what they’re looking for. Arlington Park is the first step in possibly seizing control of their future.
