CHICAGO, IL – (February 28, 2023) – NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Chicago’s new original documentary Bear Down and Out: Chicago’s Team Moves to the Suburbs will debut Wednesday, March 1 on NBC Sports Chicago after Bulls Postgame Live. Encore presentations will follow on Thursday, March 2 through Sunday, March 5 after each postgame show on NBC Sports Chicago.
Bear Down and Out will dive into the bitter battle over the future home of the Chicago Bears. As the NFL team embarks on a new vision to build a state-of-the-art stadium in Arlington Heights, Mayor Lightfoot and others aren’t backing down in their efforts to keep the Chicago Bears in Soldier Field. Money, politics and fans are at the heart of the story. The documentary will take a closer look at the complicated relationships between the Bears, the city and the suburb, leaving viewers wondering, “Who is the real winner?”
“When news broke that the Chicago Bears were considering leaving Soldier Field, the reaction was polarizing,” said Kevin Cross, President and General Manager of NBCUniversal Local Chicago. “With so many layers to this story, our goal was to examine every angle to help viewers better understand the motivation from each side. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, Bear Down and Out is a compelling documentary of a showdown that continues to dominate conversations.”
Bear Down and Out includes interviews with former Chicago Bears players Jerry Azumah and Tom Waddle, as well as former head coach Dave Wannstedt. Mayor Thomas Hayes will address the growth opportunities for Arlington Heights, as well as the strong pushback from some residents. Award-winning journalist Phil Rogers, NBC Chicago sports anchor Leila Rahimi and Chicago sports personalities David Kaplan and Laurence Holmes will share their perspectives on the Soldier Field drama. Sportscorp, LTD. President Marc Ganis will also weigh in. In California, Mayor of Inglewood James Butts and LA Rams Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff will walk viewers through SoFi Stadium and detail how they were able to reimagine an unprecedented event space.
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NFL
About NBCUniversal Local Chicago
NBCUniversal Local Chicago, a division of NBCUniversal, is the home of NBC 5 (WMAQ-TV), Telemundo Chicago (WSNS-TV) and NBC Sports Chicago. Together, the triopoly serves the incredibly diverse English and Spanish-speaking audiences in the third largest U.S. television market. The NBC and Telemundo owned stations deliver the latest local news, consumer and investigative reports, Chicago’s most accurate forecast and lifestyle content on “Chicago Today.” NBC Sports Chicago, in partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago White Sox (MLB) and the NBC Sports Group, covers more than 275 live pro games each year with extensive pre/post-game coverage. All original content is available on-air, across streaming platforms, on NBCChicago.com, on TelemundoChicago.com, on NBCSportsChicago.com and on each station’s mobile app.