(670 The Score) The Bears were awarded Spain and the United Kingdom as international home market areas as part of a new initiative the NFL announced Wednesday.
As part of the initiative, the Bears can now engage with fans and sell sponsorship rights in Spain and the United Kingdom. The Bears were one of two teams granted Spain as a home market area and one of six in the United Kingdom.
"Being awarded the Spain and United Kingdom international home marketing areas by the league is an honor," Bears chairman George McCaskey said in a statement. "We're passionate about growing the game of football abroad and continuing to develop the robust Chicago Bears fanbase internationally."
The initiative begins this Jan. 1 and is set to run for five years. The Bears plan to create dedicated Spanish-language social media platforms and support growing youth football in both Spain and the United Kingdom.
The Bears played in the first ever American Bowl in London back in 1986 and have played three times in the United Kingdom, most recently losing to the Raiders in London in 2019.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.