Publicly, the Bears have said “single focusFor the site of their new stadium is Hammond, Ind.
But the storied franchise playing its home games in another state isn’t a done deal — potentially far from it.
After it was reported in August that commissioner Roger Goodell had met elect state legislatorsIllinois Gov. JB Pritzker released a statement Thursday saying he had met with Goodell.
“The Governor’s office has remained in conversation with the Bears about their plans in Illinois throughout the summer,” the statement said. “Today, Governor Pritzker was grateful to meet in Illinois with NFL commissioner Roger GoodellPat Ryan, Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Rep. I have Buckner and Senator Bill Cunningham.
“The Governor and General Assembly leadership were happy to participate in a productive meeting focused on keeping Bears in Illinois and protecting taxpayers.”
Ryan is a minority owner of the Bears and the namesake of Northwestern University’s Ryan Field, which was recently remodeled and will open Friday when the Wildcats play Penn State.
Interestingly, none of the speakers Welch, Rep. Buckner, or Senator Cunningham do not represent Arlington Heights – which is the Chicago suburb where the Bears purchased a 326-acre property for a new stadium and development. But all three represent districts in and around Chicago.
The league also released a statement about the meeting, via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:
“The NFL appreciated the opportunity to meet with Governor Pritzker and legislative leaders today,” the statement said. “Timely action is essential as the Bears work to find a long-term stadium solution for the club and their fans.”
It’s unclear what the solution will be for the Bears and their stadium going forward. But it seems at least the league is working to keep the club from playing its home games in its home state.
