Chicago Bears fans are just as much in the dark about how this 2020 NFL season will play out as players and coaches. That is because the league and owners are still trying to figure out the financial ramifications. Much of that depends on the procedures to combat the spread of COVID-19. One way or another, sacrifices were going to be necessary.
Especially for season ticket-holders.
Longtime President and CEO Ted Phillips made a difficult announcement via the Bears website. Due to the ongoing uncertainty around whether fans will be allowed to attend games at Soldier Field, the team has decided to no longer allow season tickets or multi-game packages this season.
Season ticket-holders will be allowed first come, first serve if and when the team opens single-game ticket sales at a later date.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Chicago Bears won’t be the only team doing this
Nobody should be shocked by this announcement. Season tickets became untenable for the Bears as it became clear how serious COVID-19 was. There was just no way to accommodate those people while leaving out other fans in the process. This is the best option they could do. Rest assured that they won’t be the only ones doing it. Several other teams are sure to follow.
What the Bears aren’t yet sure about is whether fans will even be allowed. That decision falls to Mayor Lauri Lightfoot and her COVID-19 policies. She’s made it clear that large crowds won’t be allowed in the Chicago area for the forseeable future. Not until a vaccine of some kind is rolled out to the public. That of course took be months from now. Well into 2021 even.
This means the Bears might end up playing in front of an empty Soldier Field this year.