Why Adding A 2nd NFL Team In Chicago Isn’t So Crazy

In September, the Chicago Bears stirred up the city of Chicago by signing an agreement to purchase the Arlington Park Racecourse.

The seriousness of the Bears’ consideration to relocate to Arlington Heights remains uncertain. However, it is known that the team has a lease to remain at Soldier Field until 2033. If either party violates this agreement, they will be liable for $84 million.

Considering that the Bears have initiated the process by buying the 326-acre property in Arlington, perhaps it’s time for the city to respond. They could ponder over the prospect of introducing a second NFL team to Chicago, in case the Bears decide to relocate to Arlington Heights.

And how the second NFL team would impact sports betting in Illinois.

Initially, the idea of Chicago hosting two NFL teams might seem outlandish. However, considering the success shown by other cities with two teams, it’s undoubtedly a plausible concept, and here’s the reasoning.

Tale of two team cities

New York and Los Angeles are the other two cities that host two NFL teams.

First, let’s examine Los Angeles, the city that hosts both the Rams and Chargers. Both teams play at the SoFi Stadium, a facility that opened its doors in 2020 and incurred a construction cost exceeding $5 billion, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. It’s believed that such a top-notch stadium will indeed attract fans to the games.

The strong performance of the Rams and Chargers in 2021 definitely encouraged fans to fill the stadiums on Sundays. The Rams, who were the defending Super Bowl Champions, ended the season with a 12-5 record, attracting an average of 71,598 fans per game. This ranked as the eighth highest attendance in the NFL.

Although the Chargers didn’t quite match the Rams’ performance last season, they also provided fans with compelling reasons to cheer for them. Despite slightly missing the playoffs with a 9-8 record, the Chargers maintained strong fan support, evidenced by their 10th-highest average attendance rate of 70,240 per home game.

One should finally note about Los Angeles is that it ranks as the second-most populated city in the United States. The high population density near the stadium is naturally going to contribute to a fuller stand compared to smaller NFL cities.

Now, onto New York.

Big NFL appetite in The Big Apple

The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey is a shared home for the Giants and Jets. Constructed in 2010, the stadium might not hold the charm of a newer facility. However, this hasn’t deterred New Yorkers from packing into the Metlife to support their teams.

Both the Giants and Jets had disappointing 2021 seasons, ending with identical 4-13 records. Despite this, the Giants managed to draw an average of 73,882 spectators to each game, while the Jets attracted about 71,676 on average. In the NFL, these figures placed them fourth and seventh respectively in terms of audience attendance.

Though the performances of teams from Los Angeles and New York in 2021 cannot be compared, they share a common fact that New York is the most populated city in the U.S. Chicago ranks third in the list of the most populated U.S. cities.

With such a large population, it’s reasonable to believe that a new NFL team could successfully attract fans to Soldier Field if the Bears relocate to Arlington Heights.

Which team could move to Chicago?

Teams that don’t draw a large fan base to their games and presently operate in small market cities are the most probable ones to relocate to the Windy City.

The Jacksonville Jaguars perfectly exemplify this mold. They had the third lowest attendance rate in the NFL last season. Apart from the 2020 season, where nearly half of the NFL teams couldn’t host fans due to COVID-19, their best attendance record in the past five seasons was a 17th place ranking in 2018.

However, despite Jacksonville being the 12th most populous city in the U.S., the Jaguars have only been part of the city’s sports scene since 1995, making them one of the youngest franchises in the NFL.

Although Jacksonville has a larger population than other NFL cities like Cincinnati or Minneapolis, it’s easier to envision the Jaguars relocating. This is because teams like the Bengals or Vikings have stronger ties to their respective towns.

IL sports betting could be part of the equation

No matter what team might potentially make Chicago their home base in the future, they would evade the enormous cost of constructing a new stadium by relocating to Soldier Field. In July, Lori Lightfoot, the Mayor of Chicago, proposed several potential renovation plans for Soldier Field, potentially introducing an Illinois sportsbook to the stadium.

Adding a retractable dome to protect players and fans from the harsh winter conditions in Chicago is another option.

It may sound absurd for Illinois to have two NFL teams, but it actually makes a great deal of sense.

NFL teams relocating isn’t so simple

However, for any NFL team wanting to change cities, it’s not as simple as just signing a contract and packing up their gear.

A team that wants to relocate must provide legitimate reasons for doing so, excluding revenue-related reasons. The proposed relocation must also receive approval from at least 75% of league members through a voting process before it can take place.

The Rams’ move from St. Louis to Los Angeles in 2015 was approved by league members, demonstrating that such a task is not impossible.