Illinois State Representative Bob Morgan has proposed a new bill called the BEARS Act, which stands for Balanced Earnings And Record Standards. The bill requires any professional sports team in Illinois seeking public funding for a stadium to have achieved a winning record in at least three of the last five seasons they have played. The bill also requires teams that have been in existence for fewer than five years to have a winning record in at least two of their first five seasons before applying for additional public financing.
The bill aims to ensure that public money is not used to fund stadiums for underperforming teams. If passed, teams that intentionally misrepresent their performance records could face fines and a ban on applying for public financing for five years. The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority would be tasked with confirming a team’s eligibility before any consideration of public financing.
While the bill specifically mentions the Chicago Bears, it would apply to all professional sports teams in the state, aiming to hold teams accountable for their performance on the field. The proposal has sparked discussion and debate, with some viewing it as a way to prevent bad teams from leveraging public money for stadium projects. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell commented on the Bears’ search for a new stadium, emphasizing the importance of community impact and thoughtful decision-making in the process.
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