I loved how they did not shy away from ( ideologies aside ) that Lightfoot was just a god awful mayor

Among mayor Lightfoot's many failures in her tenure, losing the Bears has to be the biggest all time fail.

Excellent presentation. Well done! I'm not even a Bears fan and I was sucked in. Here's to Arlington Heights and the future with the Chicago Bears! 🍹

Stellar reporting. This was an excellent piece. During the last remodel of Soldier Field I was an advocate for them remaining at Soldier Field. Primarily for nostalgic reasons. I’m older and wiser now and it’s plain to see that the NFL league is evolving at a faster rate than my beloved Bears and a significant reason for their stunted growth has been the relationship with the CPD and the increasingly caustic political environment in Chicago (I’m looking at you Lori Lightfoot & co.). The Arlington property is almost too good to be true with it being more centrally located near the Bears fan base, interstate access, a metro train station ON property, and literally hundreds of more acres compared to the ~18 acres at Soldier field. As a fan, I am thrilled with the changes the organization is making both on and off the field. My hat off to you.

Been to Chicago a few times and enjoyed the lakeshore without ever being there for a Bears game. I’m sure the move will actually work for all parties including the City of Chicago.

10/10 documentary 🔥 well explained and detailed.

Seeing this just after the Chicago mayoral election makes me ecstatic Lightfoot was not re-elected into office.

Went to SoFi for WrestleMania, went to Jerry World for the same event, Allegiant for DON, then you come back to Soldier Field and feel like you got left behind in the times. Glad the Bears are getting something better to play in.

As a former conductor on the Union Pacific r.r. the train line adjacent to to the stadium is a huge asset. Fans can come from the city or burbs like 30 minute ride!

Great production quality here. What a good documentary done by NBC Chicago. Good work.

I was working there in the area when they were piling money into soldier field. Tradesmen were driving into the job site at 3 in the morning then sleeping at the site before the shift would start at 7. I think that says a lot about how impractical the location actually is.

As a Packers fan I am excited for the Bears and fans to have this opportunity. Our rivalry deserves the best. This chance for the Bears to escape being pulled into and dragged down by city politics and to masters of their own destiny is a Godsend. Well done, good luck, and we'll see ya in the fall. One last thing, c'mon Bears fan stop acting like the team is moving to San Antonio or Portland. FFS is only this far I I on the map.

Dome Dump...Kap keeping it real 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I am definitely not a Bears ..but I am a football fan and love the history of the franchise. I love the idea behind the move to Arlington. Chicago fans ,the city and the Chicago Bears deserve this.. let's go Chicago.. 💜🖤 Ravens fan💜🖤

“A domed DUMP…….!” - This pretty much says it all!!

The world is better when Chicago is competitive

Fantastic piece! I’ve been out of the game. I’ve been in CA since 2005, but man I’m shocked it went this far. It’s a no brainer that the Bears go to Arlington Heights. Makes complete sense. It’s next to O’Hare for god sakes!!! It’s right in the Bears lap. I hope it goes down. I love the Bears. I grew up north side, so Arlington Heights is “neighborhood” for me and lots others too. Forget going into the city. As long as infrastructure is made to get people into and out of Arlington Heights, it’s no doubt homerun. I’d be concerned though if I was a resident if they half ass this project.

That was really well produced. I learned a lot! Thank you!!!

I think the voters of Chicago made it clear how they feel about Lightfoot's last 4 years as mayor.

As a New England Patriots fan, I really enjoyed this. I remember as a kid watching the Bears-Patriots Super bowl and being absolutely crushed when my Patriots was destroyed by Jim McMahon, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, Willie Gault and William "The Fridge" Perry. I also remember that rap song they made that was absolutely cringey. I also remember playing Mike Ditka Football game on my Sega Genesis and how much i love the game. Good luck to the Bears!!!

As someone who lives 10 minutes away from the racetrack. I am excited hopefully my cost of living doesnt outpace me loo

The smartest man in this documentary is Mr. James Butts, mayor of Inglewood. All the city had to pay for was the service construction and that will be paid from the stadiums taxes by 2025, after that those taxes will be all income for the city.

I'm all for the move LFG 🐻⬇

The old soldier Field looked great, it would be cool if it was reverted back to its old form

This was interesting to watch as a Packers fan, a young one at that. For my whole life, Favre and Rodgers dominated the Bears. I feel like when I’m older the Bears will settle down and start to return to some success.

SoFi Stadium is a 21st century masterpiece that proves a city government does not have to bury itself in bond debt to build a stadium to attract an NFL team. From now on, no city should every burden itself with baseball or football stadium bond debt. If the people who want to build a baseball or football stadium do not have the money pay for every inch or their stadium and its infrastructure, it doesn't get built.

No-brainer for the Bears; owning is way better than renting. I live in NJ. When I was a kid, the Giants moving from NYC was controversial. But Giants Stadium, and now MetLife Stadium have worked out pretty well, I'd say. Football stadiums are just perfectly suited for the suburbs.

This was awesome. Please continue with updates

The guy's face during the sofi tour 🤣 🤣 🤣

This was well put together. I wish the bears luck in their new home.

If there is an Emmy for "Best Long Form Sports Documentary" then this video deserves to be nominated.

A stadium that is the league's smallest, with no parking, no naming rights, with the worst playing surface. And yet we're $640 million in the hole, with taxpayers on the hook for another 100 years. So Illinois. So Chicago. That said, this is an amazing story. Superbly done.

Outstanding piece; Chicago is run by folks who couldn’t manage a Burger King, no surprise they bungled the deal

Bravo! Well done across the board!

Watching this makes me really appreciate what the Packers have going for them. Lambeau field is straight up built for football, and I love it. All these new stadiums are like oversized malls.

Soldiers Field and the spot were Soldier Field is is just gorgeous but changes sometimes are needed and its time for better things so lets go Chicago the future is bright 🐻⬇️ 🔥Just Don't change my name I'm CHICAGO BEARS 🔥

About time faithful fans will attend games or watch them like everyone else and root for them .

such a great piece... well done!

My Dad got season tickets when the Bears moved from Wrigley and "expanded" to Soldier field back in 1971. I was there for '85. I also remember that the team was supposed to go to Halas' son Mugs, but he died in 1979. Shortly after that Halas hired Ditka, and they won. But they haven't won since. If you want to know why, read Mike Royko's column from January 5, 1993. As long as the McCaskeys own the team, they will not win, no matter how much Virginia wants it to how cool a new stadium is. They need to sell to a fan of the team who wants to win at every level and can afford to win at every level.

I have been following this move closely. I had never seen the emails before. Great work on this one!

Been a fan of the bears since I was born in the 95 but I won’t go to a game because of the traffic in the city the headache of getting inside the stadium

Great job Lori..

Thanks for uploading full episodes since many people dont have access

Bears were like "fuck you....we're outta here"

wonderful piece

Thank uou for this. Loved it as a die hard bears fan but even more now as a suburb homeowner closer to Arlington heights lol.

Always appreciate the talented Leila Rahimi .

I’m a Packers fan and even I want the Bears to get this new stadium, not because I want it to help them win, but because I’m a native of the Chicago suburbs I care a great deal about what it could represent for the region as a whole. I want to see a Super Bowl, the Final Four and other big events coming to the area.

Great video I’m so excited for AH!!

Great job on the video!

Loved this!

Great documentary!

Bear fans, the die-hards like myself at 59, I want a stadium, so I'm coming to Disney with my family to watch our team the Chicago Bears. The new boss makes it happen.

Thank you for uploading this! This was a great history lesson for a guy born in 1990. We're on the way to Arlington Heights 🙌🏽.

Conversely, you have a team like the Chargers who thought they were too good to stay in the suburbs of San Diego and decided it was downtown San Diego or they're relocating. They're now in a hi-tech stadium in a Los Angeles paying rent to the Rams. The problem is their "home" games sound like the loudest road games.

Great job guys. Great piece. Bear Dahn

nicely orchestrated, solid reporting.

Point of the video: McCaskey's need to sell

Man... that was a GREAT watch! I live in Portland, Oregon. Thank you for the upload. I felt like I was in CHI watching this.

Great production!!! 💯👏 🐻 ⏬️

The one thing that jumps out at me about the plans is that, unlike other newer stadiums located away from a downtown center (hello, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas), you have existing rail service via METRA, including the existing Arlington Park station. I'd think you'd also need major road improvements (Route 53 and US 14/NW Highway) to accommodate increased game day traffic. But, it'd definitely be an upgraded experience compared to attempting to get to Soldier Field.

I had the time of my life at the 2010 NFC Divisional Game at Snowy Soldier Field. Unfortunately, Chicago of today is different than it used to be. It’s time to move the team to Arlington Heights. Make a venue like the one In Minneapolis.

Bucket List for me to even GO there let alone play!!!

A lot of good ideas and opinions shared.

This was a great report. It drew me in and I live in NYC, have for decades. Originally from Cleveland and some of this reminds me of sports talk there from the 1970s. They were always talking about fixing up that old pig of a stadium that the original Browns played in. That didn't work out too well for anybody in CLE. I don't know anything about Chicago's geography, but this doesn't seem like it is too far way out in the boonies somewhere.

Love it!

It’s about time!!

I always liked soldier feild.. I saw Walter Peyton and the Fridge play there.

My Uncle Walt played on the 1946 Championship Bears Team. There’s a picture of PaPa Bear on his shoulder hanging on after the game.

Good story. Commander fan here. This reminds me of my team wanting a stadium in the early 90s with a female mayor that never was a part of local politics again. RFK was a dump and then owner Jack Kent Cooke finally built what we know as FedEx Field. Problem was, he died and never developed the property and then Dan Snyder leaches on the franchise for 23+ yrs. Hopefully the development around the stadium does happen. The real problem I see is if the McCaskeys are cash poor, realistically they can't build this place on their own. I do think a serious minority stake may need to be sold to obtain the capital.

Well done

Reminds me of the Atlanta Braves when they left the city and went to Marietta. I actually like the look of Soldier Field as a tourist, I had no idea all this was going on though.

A small point made was public transportation around Soldier Field. When I go to Soldier Field, I take the Metra to OTC, The Green Line to Roosevelt and then hike the rest of the way. Traffic around the field is terrible. It is faster to walk then take the bus. The old Horse track at Arlington Park already has a Metra train stop on the UPNW Line. The UPNW Metra runs between Harvard, IL and OTC Downtown Chicago (about 5 blocks northwest of the Sear's Tower). At the UPNW Jefferson park stop, you can transfer to the CTA Blue Line train which ends at Ohare Airport.

@NBC Sports Chicago while i am more a hockey guy, this was another 🔥video. it was so worth watching the full 50 minutes. also really enjoyed the patrick kane TV work you guys did a few days ago. 💙 i loved the attention to detail and the great comments from a variety of folks involved with the stadium situation...and that american candor with the opinions from the interviewees. one thing that boggles my mind is how can you have the 3rd biggest TV and fan market in the country, yet has had the smallest stadium in the nfl for decades?? the bears absolutely need to follow thru with arlington heights. looking forward to seeing further information come out as developments occur. sorry but not sorry, that lori lightfoot and the chicago city council must be smoking some good crack if she and the city thinks putting a dome on a "re-imagined" yet obsolete soldier field is going to be the answer for the bears and the city collectively. cheers 🍻from southern ontario, canada 🍁

The fact that they didn't do to Soldier Field what they did to Lambeau and preserve the historic design was probably their first mistake

I grew up right across sofi, and its amazing. I have been to a Bears game at Soldier Field and the fans are passionate , but the gameday experience was the worst.

Juicy video!!! Arlington Heights can’t wait for ground to break! Bear dahhhn 🐻 ⚡️ Edit: I went to the Rams/Bears SNF game at Sofi. Fields ran his first in and fked up against the Browns and Lions.

It's sad, but Lori Lightfoot blew it as Mayor in keeping the Bears in Chicago. They could have built a brand new stadium on 87th Lake Shore drive , the Old Steel mill would of been perfect

Would love it if owners cared half as much about winning as they do about the new stadium.

Very well done. As an outsider I am happy that the Bears are going to move forward and have a place that will benefit all the community! How is the city of Chicago going to pay down all that debt?

Packers fan here… The Bears need to get the hell out of Soldier Field, and play in a huge stadium in Arlington Heights. What LA did was so ingenious that it practically transformed Inglewood, and on top of that placed the Rams as a franchise onto a different stratosphere. The Bears are a sleeping giant residing in a huge metro that needs something more extravagant than what it currently has. Arlington Heights happening would convince me to go to Chicago to check the place out, and maybe even catch a Packers-Bears game there… despite me being in “enemy territory!”

I feel bad for bears fans losing their team to a nicer area. Their stadium is historic and legendary.

Nice job

Coming from a lifelong illinois resident and bears fan, I wouldn't be opposed to the state chipping in to help offset the cost of a new stadium. Lord knows our state government has squandered more $ on useless things. Also, congrats to the city of Chicago for ousting Beetlejuice as your mayor.

As a life long Bears fan living in the suburbs of Chicago, there is nothing more unpredictable than I-55 on a Sunday. Getting to the stadium can take anywhere from under 30 minutes to hours.

As much as I think Soldier Field has interesting features that could have been amplified to its advantage (unique location near central Chicago, subway access, proximity to waterfront), a bad deal is a bad deal. If a stadium is no longer up to the task of modern day demands and potential, it makes logical sense to look elsewhere rather than to try to maintain a sunk cost. However I find it baffling that with the capitalistic traits and corporatization of US franchise sports, private stadium development and ownership seems relatively rare across the major leagues; 3 in NFL (Gillette, MetLife, SoFi), 1 in MLB (Cleveland), 12 in NBA. I know the city often has a stake in the performance and utility of the stadium, but it seems unfair to take so much of tax money for stadiums. The new Bills stadium will be ~$1.4bil with taxpayer money covering $850mil, or just over 60%. Labor costs and local laws regulating stadiums likely have a lot of influence on the cost, but as an example Wembley costed $1.25bil (most expensive in England), while 7 NFL stadiums eclipse that figure, with SoFi really going to town at ~$5bil. As soulless as billionaire-dominated franchise US sports has become, stadiums should have been a privately-funded affair all along (assuming that all other restrictions and laws are abided to in the process of building those stadiums). There might genuinely be some stadiums that serve a significant municipal purpose, but most team owners should be able to foot the bill and take the matters of planning and foresight into their own hands.

The problem is not the new stadium it’s the fact that is an hour north of the city in the middle of nowhere. The Lions moved all the way out to Pontiac 40 minutes away and came back 25 years later to downtown. Suburban stadiums don’t work well. Bears need something closer.

would have liked to hear some more arguments for the "staying at Soldier Field" side... This was very one-sided....

I'm a huge Chicago bears fan ..... 🧡💙🧡💙 if the bears move away from soilder field I will be sad so much history in that stadium 🏟 but I mean A new stadium 🏟 would be cool GO CHICAGO BEARS BEAR DOWN 🧡💙 ARLINGTON HIGHTS ILLINOIS

Wow! My Grandfather an Irish CFD, my Mother was born at 6933 S. Chicago Ave in "33", the house is still there, my Grandfather Edward Byrne move into the City from Ireland 1874. My Father Born in the city in "21" fought in WWll, Machinery Mover Local 136, Me 3819 S. Halstead Bridgeport and my brothers too! My first football love was the Chicago Cardinals a team started by two Irish Brothers in "89" The Cardinal is Illinois State Bird! Played at Comiskey Park on the Southside the working part of the city but in "61" moved to St. Louie broke are hearts! But the Bears Won the "63" NFL Championship after they killed Kennedy!! We forgot about Cardinals and Southside became Bear Fans! But we still hated the Cubs! My family like alot of immigrant families where in the city before any professional of factory football teams were! So Chicago Football is part of the city's DNA and was supported by mostly working stiffs from the city! Unless they were Winning! Then people outside the city would claim them! Can't kick your bosses ass! Without losing your job! Go to Wrigley or Souldiers and watch the Bear's kick someone else's! If Papa Halas The Greatest Coach/Player Owner Ever! Unless there's another guy? That recovered a Jim Thorpe fumble and ran it back 89 yards for a TD? Or after being down 24-0 at half-time in "64" and spending the half wrestling on the floor with the Greatest DE Doug Atkins! Because Papa had a water or orange juice but no Cokes! Which they won 27-24! Brickhouse later claimed it was the greatest half-time speech ever! That man took $5000 bucks and moved Decatur Staleys to Chicago to become The Bears! And after watching this video, knowing how the Chicago Park District has problems just keeping to public pools open in the summer! I'm nolonger gonna dog this move! VIRGINIA your Father was a visionary and a great leader that could read the tea leafs before most people could open the box! The Halas's and Chicago Bears deserve? No have earned the right to have a great sport complex to let everyone know what A Great Team it is! That's not lip service! go to Canton and truth will slap you in face! Like a North wind blowing across the Lake in January! Chicago Bears would be the Bears by any other name! Bear Down!

The new stadium should hopefully get right as my son gets old enough to enjoy going to a game with me. Can't wait.

Very excited to see the BEars in a BRAND NEW FACITLITY in Arlington Park

Nice video, gotta say though if you used to be a St. Louis Rams fan, you might wanna skip the 1st 10 or so minutes or you're gonna be PISSED.

Arlington Park was beautiful.

WOW!

A very good video. Great information I’m a Cowboys fan but I the Bears get the new stadium built. Good luck

Great work but as a Saint Louisian hearing all the LA and Inglewood people talk about how great Kroneke and Demoff are makes me physically sick to my stomach. They jerked our city around had them put three years of time and manpower in a site development plan for the old Chrysler Plant and then the Mississippi Riverfront. When they admitted they didn’t want anything to do with Saint Louis or it’s people.

Being a bulls fan I was so happy during the time he played on the Bulls. Always much love for Drose

Great video! It got me thinking about why the Chicagoland Speedway located in Joliet has closed but mayor Lightfoot is now hosting a NASCAR race in downtown Chicago?!

This was a great synopsis with wonderful guests. Thank you NBC Chicago.