Tony D'Angelo Blasts Bears' Indiana Move Talk as Team Eyes 2026 Test

Q: Can the Chicago Bears still be the 'Chicago Bears' if they abandon Illinois for Indiana?

Yes — officially and legally, they could still be the Chicago Bears if the franchise moved to Hammond, Indiana. Team names are business assets, and U.S. sports history is full of franchises that kept their branding through relocations. The harder question is cultural, not legal. The Bears’ identity is unusually tied to Illinois and Chicago: George Halas’ roots, the franchise’s century-long place in the city, its connection to the lakefront, and its role in one of the NFL’s oldest rivalries. That is why Tony D’Angelo and many fans see an Indiana move as more than a stadium decision; they see it as a break with the meaning of “Chicago Bears.” A move to Hammond would not automatically erase the Chicago label. Hammond sits in the Chicago metropolitan orbit, and Bears executives argue a new stadium there could still serve the broader region while delivering the “world-class” venue the team wants. That gives the club a practical case for saying it remains Chicago’s team even across the state line. But public acceptance would be the real test. If the team plays home games outside Illinois, many fans will view “Chicago Bears” as a brand surviving without its home state. So the name could remain, but the authenticity of it would be contested. In short, they can still be the Chicago Bears on paper; whether they still feel like the Chicago Bears is a different matter.

2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 20

Tony D'Angelo, the WWE NXT champion and Oak Park native, called the Chicago Bears' possible move to Hammond "bonkers" and said "The Indiana Bears" would be "horrible."
Earlier this month, the Bears took a major step toward an Indiana relocation, with executives arguing a Hammond "world-class stadium" could reshape the region and link Northwest Indiana with Chicago's South Side.
D'Angelo said the franchise's identity is tied to Chicago, Soldier Field and Lake Michigan, arguing a full move out of Illinois would break with one of the NFL's oldest brands.
On the field, he said the 2026 season will be a real test for quarterback Caleb Williams and coach Ben Johnson after a surprising 2025 run in which Chicago won seven or eight late games.

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Tony D'Angelo Blasts Bears' Indiana Move Talk as Team Eyes 2026 Test

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