New Bears stadium names we'd like to see from Chicago brands originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Bears created quite a stir when they recently announced that Arlington Park is “no longer our singular focus” for future stadium plans. Things got even more interesting when new Naperville mayor Scott Wehrli sent an open letter to the Bears inviting the team to consider their suburb as the new home for the historic franchiseー and the new team president Kevin Warren took up the offer for a meeting with Wehrli.
The hubbub began when Cook County jacked up their property value assessment for Arlington Park to reflect the $197.2 million price the Bears paid to buy it. Accordingly, property taxes went up considerably. The Cook County Review Board recently reached a tax deal with Churchill Downs for the 2022 bill, and now the Bears want a break of their own. Understandable, considering the Bears have just begun demolishing the interiors of some buildings at the old racetrack, and won’t be able to use the property for several years.
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Regardless, it makes the most sense for the Bears to stick with Arlington Heights, since they already own the land. It makes sense for the local taxing bodies to reach an agreement too, since the Bears will bring in beaucoup bucks.
Wherever the Bears land, they’ll need a new name for their stadium. There will be a naming rights deal, but all new names are not equal. For instance, the Bulls and Blackhawks did a solid job partnering with United Airlines. The United Center just sounds good, and the airline has ties to the city as O’Hare is one of their hub airports. Along those lines, here are a few partnerships we would like to see for the next Chicago Bears Stadium.
VIENNA BEEF DOME
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Pizza gets all the hype nationally, but Chicago is just as much of a hot dog and Italian beef town as it is a pizza town. And when you think Chicago dogs or beef sandwiches, you gotta think Vienna Beef. The company is the ubiquitous supplier for dog stands around the city and its roots date all the way back to the 1893 World’s Fair. Plus, think of all the outstanding free food giveaways that could be tied in for fans to enjoy.
KRAFT PARK
Kraft Heinz used to be in the naming rights game, with Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. That’s now called Acrisure Stadium, so maybe the food conglomerate wants a new sporting arena with their branding? Their long list of products also lend themselves to further branding opportunities. Who wouldn’t want to relax in the plush Velveeta Lounge or join the Ore-Ida Potato Sack club? The team could even replace boring remote parking shuttle buses with a fleet of Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles. Kraft has been in Chicago since 1903.
OLD STYLE STADIUM
Fun fact, when I was a little kid I used to think the Old Style logo was the Chicago flag from seeing the sign hanging over every bar throughout the city. Technically the brewers who make Old Style hail from La Crosse, WI, but Chicagoans have adopted the beer as their own. Hell, an Old Style is half of the classic Chicago Handshake. Extra points are awarded here because the Bears like to play an old style of football, which is to say they’re a defense-and-run first team.
OLD REPUBLIC FIELD
Insurance may not be as fun as hot dogs and beer, but Old Republic already has a landmark in the city with their beautiful building on Michigan Avenue. Insurance is also a very sensible industry and new Bears president Kevin Warren seems like a very sensible man. Old Republic was founded in 1923, and they bought the building in the city in 1956.
MORTON SALT STADIUM
No former salt warehouse has had a glow up quite like what the old Morton Salt Elston Dock accomplished when it reopened as The Salt Shed, a new multi-stage music complex. Why stop there? Morton Salt is nearly as old as the city itself. It began as a salt sales agency way back in 1848. The Morton Salt Girl is as iconic of a logo as you’ll find in the city, and their slogan, “When it rains it pours,” fits perfectly for how things have gone for the franchise over the past 40ish years.
