From the Midway to London: The Chicago Bears’ shuffle into the UK market
All eyes will be on Caleb Williams on Sunday, as the prodigious rookie quarterback – and first overall selection from this year’s NFL Draft – looks to guide the Chicago Bears to victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Bears, who will be the home team for the NFL’s second London game of 2024, have a deep-rooted history in the British capital; a romance that first caught fire in August 1986.
Back then, the star-studded Super Bowl champions became one of the first NFL teams to play on British soil, defeating the Dallas Cowboys to a chorus of 86,000 fans at a sold-out Wembley Stadium in the inaugural American Bowl game.
This week, the Monsters of the Midway are returning to their home away from home.
“We hope to have as many fans as possible there wearing the blue and orange,” says Tanya Dreesen, SVP of Strategy and Global Affairs at the Chicago Bears, ahead of this weekend’s fixture.
“We want to be able to connect at the same time with communities, and you’ve seen us do it already before in London.”
This weekend’s clash marks the Bears’ fourth game in London, having followed their maiden trip across the pond with two later visits in 2011, and most recently 2019.
Despite playing almost 4,000 miles away from Soldier Field when they take to the field in North London, the Bears will be counting on their furnishing of the 62,850-seat venue – coupled with a strong UK fanbase of their own and travelling supporters – to help recapture the atmosphere of their iconic home stadium.
“The difference here this time is that we are the home team, so we are committed to taking what is the home advantage here in Chicago at Soldier Field, and rebuilding that home field advantage as best as we possibly can at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium,” Dreesen says.
“We are looking at everything in terms of game entertainment, and how we can bring that over to the game.
“Whether its pre-game, whether it’s half time, it’s our anthems, [or] it’s our rituals that we have, we are absolutely committed to bringing those over, and excited to bring them to the fans.”
Global Markets
Indeed, the Bears were among the six NFL franchises that acquired UK marketing rights in 2022 via the league’s Global Markets programme, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins.
“England has been important to the Bears from day one, which is why we were one of the first teams to raise our hand and literally lobby for the marketing rights [in the UK],” Dreesen says.
“For us, that means not just showing up and playing a game; that means being able to make an impact in the community.”
Through the Global Markets programme, each team is required to play at least one game every four years in the overseas territories where they hold marketing rights. But as Dreesen explains, the Bears harbour bolder ambitions – not just for the growth of their already well-established foothold in the UK market, but also the development of grassroots American football across the country.
“We’re very blessed at having a sold out game every time we come and play in the UK, and we love of course seeing people walking with our jerseys,” she states.
“But we want to see people taking action, and that means that they are starting to play the sport, they are starting to live healthier lives, and we can tell by engagement levels whether they’re asking more questions or coming out to events.”
With marketing rights in Spain as well as the UK, the Bears are looking to share their core values with new audiences through the Global Markets programme, as the organisation plant their flag in new international territories.
“We take what we stand for here in the US in terms of our values – our values being respect, integrity, team and excellence – it’s important for us as a team to carry that over where we can, in other countries as well.”
Flag football
After gaining access to the UK market, the Bears quickly identified grassroots initiatives centred around flag football as a key part of their strategy to grow the game, and cultivate new fans.
Last year, the franchise launched a new London-based flag football league for girls aged between 12-14 in collaboration with the New York Jets. In March, participation in the league more than doubled for its second season, rising from 120 to 260 girls.
“Flag football represents the same values that we as an organisation foster here in the US,” Dreesen outlines.
“Those values are about being accessible, being inclusive, and equitable. Flag football, and girls flag football in particular, is the best fit for us to be able to encourage the enrolment, the signups, the boosting of self-confidence, the teaching of the sport, the fostering of community, the feeling of being a part of a team.”
Earlier this year, the Bears expanded their UK flag football operation, when the team launched a second league in Manchester back in April, with the winners receiving tickets to this weekend’s match.
According to Henry Hodgson, the General Manager of NFL UK & Ireland, flag football has proven to be a “winning formula” for teams with UK marketing rights.
“I think there’s a high propensity for a young kid who gets coached by a player from one of these teams, ends up wearing a jersey for their first flag football experience, [are] much more likely to end up a fan of one of these teams,” he states. “We’ve seen that in action time and time again over the last few years, especially with these flag football programmes.”
The launch of a second flag league not only solidifies the team’s commitment to the grassroots programmes, but also also sees it expand beyond London.
“What’s important, just like the Bears do here in the US, we need to go outside and beyond the downtown area,” says Dreesen.
“We want to reach other communities as well, which is why Manchester is such an important place for us that we want to be able to make an impact.”
2024 London Games
This weekend’s matchup will be the second chapter of this year’s London Games trilogy, following the Minnesota Vikings’ win over the New York Jets at the same venue last weekend.
At the half-way point of this year’s London fixtures, which are taking place in three successive weeks, Hodgson reflects on the inception and evolution of the league’s international games.
“When I first started working here, there weren’t any international games. I started in 2003, and when we first talked about the idea of a regular season game in London, it was kind of a little bit laughed at – the notion that that might possibly take place.
“So to see that happen, and then to see it grow in the UK, and then to see it grow in other markets subsequently in Mexico, in Germany, and Brazil this year, Spain next year, and other markets to come, the NFL’s international ambitions have significantly grown over that time period.
“It’s been definitely an interesting journey, but I don’t think at any point over that 21 years that there’s been more momentum behind international expansion than there is today.”
Midwest meets London
At 3-2, the Bears have an opportunity to extend their winning streak to three games on Sunday. But irrespective of the on-field result, the Bears are poised to keep winning hearts on this side of the pond.
“You can live anywhere and be a fan, an we want to make sure even if you’re not within a 20 minute driving distance, that you still feel like we’re speaking to you as a fan,” Dreesen believes.
“So this outreach is going to continue, and that happens here in the US, and it’s going to continue in England as well.”
If you enjoyed this feature, subscribe to the Sport Industry Daily for the latest stories on the world of sport business.
