Could This New Plan Keep The Chicago Bears In Illinois?

Republican candidate for Illinois governor Darren Bailey has introduced a new plan to keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois, and many Bears fans are hoping this could be an answer the franchise has been looking for.

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I’m going to be honest: I am not exactly the person you want sitting next to you explaining the Chicago Bears’ depth chart.

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I don’t follow the NFL particularly closely. I know enough to recognize the Chicago Bears’ coach and quarterback. I understand that many people in Illinois can't wait for football Sundays every fall, and I know talking about football with a Green Bay Packers fan is usually a horrible idea.

For all the things I don't know about professional football, there is one thing I know for sure: the possibility of the Chicago Bears building their new stadium in Indiana is... weird.

Chicago Bears fans have been living this new stadium saga for entirely too long, and many have strong opinions about the team seriously considering Hammond, Indiana, as their new home.

Perhaps this new proposal aiming to keep the Bears in Illinois will ease some of your fears a bit?

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New Proposal to Keep the Chicago Bears in Illinois

According to Capitol News Illinois, Illinois gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey and running mate Aaron Del Mar recently unveiled the “I-Formation Plan”. Basically, this eight-point proposal would allow the Bears to negotiate long-term property-tax payments and access up to $800 million in infrastructure revenue bonds.

Under the I-Formation Plan, the Chicago Bears would be responsible for stadium construction costs, operating losses, maintenance and cost overruns. Bailey and Del Mar also say taxpayers would not be responsible for repaying the stadium debt and that there would be no statewide tax increases to finance it.

Will this proposal go anywhere? Who knows? But as an Illinois resident, I can't help getting hung up on one very basic thing:

They're the Chicago Bears.

I understand that Hammond is close to Chicago and only about 20 miles from Soldier Field.

Still, thinking about traveling to Indiana for a Chicago Bears home game feels completely wrong.

Watch the video below for more information on the I-Formation Plan: