Bears Weigh Hammond Stadium Site 13 Miles From Chicago as Indiana Fans Embrace Move

Q: If the Bears move to Indiana, will they lose their historic identity as Chicago's team forever?

No. A move to Hammond would damage the Bears’ image as a team rooted in Chicago proper, but it would not automatically erase their identity as “Chicago’s team.” The strongest evidence is how pro sports franchises actually operate. Teams often keep their historic city identity even after moving outside city limits or across state lines. The New York Giants and Jets play in New Jersey, the Dallas Cowboys play in Arlington, and the San Francisco 49ers play in Santa Clara. If the Bears moved 13 miles to Hammond, they would almost certainly remain the Chicago Bears and continue marketing themselves to the broader Chicagoland region. That said, the symbolic cost would be real. The Bears are one of the NFL’s oldest franchises, and their bond with Chicago is central to their brand. Leaving Soldier Field for Indiana would feel to many fans like a break with tradition, especially because this would mean crossing a state line rather than simply moving to a suburb. Some backlash is already evident, and a portion of fans would likely see it as a permanent stain on the franchise’s Chicago identity. But identity in sports is shaped by fan behavior as much as geography. Reporting from Hammond suggests the local fan base is already deeply aligned with Chicago sports, and the Bears themselves have framed Hammond as part of a connected Chicagoland market. If fans keep embracing the team and the club keeps the Chicago name, the historic identity would likely evolve, not disappear forever.

3 articles · Updated · Chicago Sun-Times · Jun 12

A proposed Chicago Bears stadium site in Hammond sits around Lost Marsh Golf Course, roughly 13 miles from Soldier Field and just across the Illinois-Indiana state line.
The Chicago Sun-Times visit framed the location as an industrial lakeside tract near Wolf Lake, the BP Whiting refinery and Dover Chemical, underscoring how different the setting would be from the Museum Campus.
Michael Chorba, 69, co-owner of Sportsmen’s Corner on the Hammond-Whiting border, said local support would be strong, calling the area “identical” to Chicago and the prospect of the Bears moving there “awesome.”
The report said any shift remains distant because the Hammond stadium is still unbuilt, with the Bears only reported to be considering leaving Soldier Field after more than 50 years.

Sources

Chicago Sun-Times1d ago

Chicago Sun-Times Reporter Explores Proposed Bears Stadium Site in Hammond, Indiana

X18h ago

It has been a week since the Bears announced they were "advancing" their stadium project in Hammond, Indiana. That calls for an expedition across the state line. Won't you come along? Column

NBC Chicago1d ago

Bears considering second Hammond stadium site: Sources – NBC Chicago

9 Sources

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Bears Weigh Hammond Stadium Site 13 Miles From Chicago as Indiana Fans Embrace Move

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