Chicago Bears Training Camp Is Doing Something Increasingly Rare

Hearing about the Philadelphia Eagles training camp procedure should make one appreciate the Chicago Bears training camp methods even more. Not only have the Eagles cut the number of open practices available to fans, but they've also begun charging $10 per person for the privilege. As if a team worth over $2.5 billion as of 2017 needs that extra cash. The Bears remain true to their own and have kept tickets totally free.

However, some may not realize how accommodating the team has actually been to fans over the years. According to Robert Channick of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears are one of a decreasing number of NFL teams that go away to remote locations for training camp. More and more in recent years, teams have preferred to keep the events closer to their team facilities and stadium.

Yet the Bears have soldiered on down to Bourbonnais every year. Fans may not realize the primary reasoning behind this.

Remote training camps, once the norm, have recently become something of an anachronism in the NFL.

In 2000, two-thirds of teams went away to camp. This summer, only one-third are training in remote locations, meaning the Bears are one of only 10 teams continuing the practice. The Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys are among the other old-school teams still sending their players away to training camp.

“There’s a variety of reasons to do it,” said Scott Hagel, Bears senior vice president for marketing and communications. “A huge part of it is creating access for the fan base. We’re able to accommodate a lot of people at training camp.”

Chicago Bears training camp has benefit of space in Bourbonnais

Think about this for a second. Try to imagine having to drive down to Chicago or Lake Forest every day to watch Bears practices. Not only would the parking be an absolute nightmare, but it would also be infinitely more expensive, even if the team kept the actual tickets free. This is where going to Bourbonnais has such an advantage. Being further south in the wider country of Illinois presents the benefit of space.

Not just to have practices but for fans to come down and not have to worry about massive traffic jams or expensive parking. The Bears, like any other team, don't have to do this. They're free to hold their camps wherever they want. They could probably make a ton of money by keeping it closer to home but instead, they've continued to keep it where it's been for almost two decades.

No one can say the franchise always has the fans' interests at heart, but they go out of their way more often than a lot of others do.