(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- After a day of chatter over a potential move to the suburbs, a local sports economist said he doesn’t expect the Chicago Bears to go anywhere.
Dr. Allen Sanderson, sports economist at the University of Chicago, agrees Soldier Field lags behind other NFL stadiums.
“Is Soldier Field the worst stadium in the NFL? Yeah, probably. But that’s the Bears’ doing," he told WBBM Newsradio's Andy Dahn on Friday.
News that Halas Hal has put in a bid to buy the Arlington International Racecourse property is likely nothing more than a negotiation tactic with Chicago. The Bears' lease runs through 2033 at Soldier Field.
“Maybe they’re taking advantage of the interest in the moment in this quarterback rivalry and the emergence of Justin Fields," Sanderson said, referring to Chicago's first-round pick.
At the end of the day, Dr. Sanderson said he doubts the Bears will make the move to Arlington Heights.
“For the NFL, television is the name of the game,” he said. “It’s the 800-pound gorilla or the 300-pound lineman. It’s not fannies in the seats, so it doesn’t really matter where the Bears play.”
Crains Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker has a slightly different view. He told the Noon Business Hour the planets could align for the Bears
"It's a really compelling, compelling upside for the Bears to build their own stadium," he said. "You think about the ability to hold concerts and other revenue-generating events."
The Bears organization could also redevelop land around a suburban stadium, Ecker said.
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