The Big Ten Commissioner Search

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#104      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
Even the history gets overstated. The Bears didn't play there until 1971. Gale Sayers literally played 1 game at Soldier Field.
To put it another way, Soldier Field has a long and storied history of which the Bears are only one piece.

And to answer your earlier question, for the Arlington Heights project to truly succeed it needs to become a hub of activity a lot more than 8 days a year.

That marketplace gets more competitive all the time. Sure concerts visit every town but there are only so many UFC cards and Wrestlemania's and the like to go around.
 
#105      

redwingillini11

North Aurora
Hiring Gene Smith would be a sign that the Big Ten Conference is really the Ohio State and the Rest Conference. Even if he promised he would be neutral, how could we really feel comfortable that that was true?

There is no need and no upside to hiring him.

The only people suggesting him are people in Ohio State fans and beat writers, because of course they want the Big Ten to be even more Ohio State-centered.
 
#107      

Mr. Tibbs

southeast DuPage
The 49'ers play in Santa Clara--43 miles from downtown SF.

There's an existing Metra stop at the Arlington Park location (granted, getting there from any line other than the NW requires a transfer, most likely downtown), Arlington Heights is near the confluence of I-90 and I-290 which makes it extremely accessible from almost anywhere, and also helps avoid the logjam traffic associated with getting to Soldier Field. There are many hotels and restaurants nearby and I'd expect that there may be some re-development plans to make the area more amenable to walking around (think Ballpark Village in St. Louis). I'm all in on Arlington Heights, the only drawback being that there's so much history at SF and the exterior is so iconic.
and Patriots play 45 miles from Boston
and Dolphins play 20 miles from Miami and Ft Laud
and Cardinals play in Glendale
and Cowboys basically play in Ft Worth
and Giants/Jets play in new jersey
etc etc etc

due to the new model of the need for stadium surroundings, you wont be seeing downtown complexes anymore

traffic will not be an issue with AH despite what Gritty is saying. at least not anymore than it was at SF. or anymore than it is with Cubs or Sox on weeknights
That parcel of land in AH is just about perfect in most aspects
 
#108      

Mr. Tibbs

southeast DuPage
To put it another way, Soldier Field has a long and storied history of which the Bears are only one piece.

And to answer your earlier question, for the Arlington Heights project to truly succeed it needs to become a hub of activity a lot more than 8 days a year.

That marketplace gets more competitive all the time. Sure concerts visit every town but there are only so many UFC cards and Wrestlemania's and the like to go around.
after they borrow the Rams builders manual for the next 6 years , they can borrow the owners operating manual from Jerry Jones. Hes figured it out
that place is busy ALL THE TIME
Various industry Conventions, concerts , rodeos, basketball games, college games , high school games etc etc etc.
There are not too many weeks from Feb-Aug that its dark. They have events in the parking lot for goodness sake. lots of rental streams .
 
#109      

Illinir1

Camdenton, MO
Can I ask what we all hate about Kevin Warren? I am not defending him or anything, but do we feel tue Big Ten or a worse off than when he started? Because personally, I don’t.

I’d rather be a Big Ten team right now more than any other conference team in the country.
He did such a good job that the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors chose not to extend his contract.....

Chicago Bears hire Big Ten's Kevin Warren as president, CEO
"Warren had been with the Big Ten since June 2019 but recently was not given a contract extension by the conference, sources told Thamel."
 
#110      
Arlington Heights is too far away. It's farther from the central city and sits amid more low-density suburban development than any major pro sports facility in the country. BUT, the Arlington Park parcel of land is absolutely perfect for this sort of project and while the overall traffic/transit connectivity isn't ideal, the existing Metra stop on the property is a pretty big plus. It's a risk, but you can see why the team believes it has brighter prospects out there.
We can debate the far away part, Gritty, but you'll win. Still great for anyone in the NW corridor. What is it about the transit you don't like? Connections to the CTA? Because as you say Metra will handle anyone from the city and anyone driving can connect 290 or 355 to 53 to a direct exit to the stadium. As you say elsewhere, this spot is absolutely perfect in so many aspects - might be unique in the country in that respect - lots of land in an already-developed area, highway access, train access, etc.

Edit: basically repeats @Ransom Stoddard post, apologies for not reading ahead.
 
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#112      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
What is it about the transit you don't like? Connections to the CTA?
Right, exactly. SF has kinda deceptively faraway CTA links. Arlington Heights has none. Plus it is not right off the highway. It's right off 53, but that's different.

And it's not an already developed area at all. It's like Ryan Field out there, you're in a John Hughes movie a football's throw away from the property in every direction. That's nothing like Jerry World in Arlington.

Foxborough is the best comparison in terms of the facility's isolation from its metro area. But New England is weird (it's far from Boston, but closer to Providence, Worcester, Hartford, what have you. Chicagoland isn't like that) and that stadium is hardly a rip-roaring success. A dome will do better, but still.

I don't feel super strongly that it's some disaster waiting to happen, but I'm skeptical.

(As a Crystal Lake native and longtime Metra NW line rider, I am also of course upset this didn't happen when I was a Bears-obsessed kid)
 
#113      
She has 11 kids, is the thing. And the entire wealth of the McCaskey family is their ownership stake in the Bears, they have no independent wealth at all.

It's not as if they haven't had many years to think about and plan for this, but by far the easiest, simplest, cleanest and most remunerative option for the family at large upon Virginia's passing is to sell the team.
Kevin Warren has one job with the Bears...get a Stadium deal teed up so when Virginia is not among us, they can sell the team and extract full value. Any new owner will want to bring in his own guys so Warren is a 3 to 5 year solution tops, total hired gun to get the Stadium deal structured and inked
 
#114      
Right, exactly. SF has kinda deceptively faraway CTA links. Arlington Heights has none. Plus it is not right off the highway. It's right off 53, but that's different.

And it's not an already developed area at all. It's like Ryan Field out there, you're in a John Hughes movie a football's throw away from the property in every direction. That's nothing like Jerry World in Arlington.

Foxborough is the best comparison in terms of the facility's isolation from its metro area. But New England is weird (it's far from Boston, but closer to Providence, Worcester, Hartford, what have you. Chicagoland isn't like that) and that stadium is hardly a rip-roaring success. A dome will do better, but still.

I don't feel super strongly that it's some disaster waiting to happen, but I'm skeptical.

(As a Crystal Lake native and longtime Metra NW line rider, I am also of course upset this didn't happen when I was a Bears-obsessed kid)
Well hi from Cary. Wonder how many times we rode the same train!

Agree to disagree on the above, Gritty. 53 is a 6-lane highway there and every bit a major road. If this is not 'right off the highway' (and between two close exits to boot), then what is? I can think of Miller Park (or whatever they call it now), which does indeed have a highway exit pretty much right to the parking lot, but this is pretty close.

And I'm pretty sure the western boundary of the parcel does directly abut 53, as there are practice / warm-up tracks for the horses. In my fantasy world, the development plan includes a dedicated exit. Probably just a dream...

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#115      

ChiefGritty

Chicago, IL
In my fantasy world, the development plan includes a dedicated exit. Probably just a dream...
I mean that would be really helpful.

As McHenry County fellows it may be difficult for us to register the reality that 60k of the 70k at the game are heading south and east home, and virtually all of them will want to go south on 53 toward the tollway. Getting out of the property itself is gonna be the problem, once you get to 53 you're fine.

Ever go to a Chicago Fire game in Bridgeview where every single person wants to go north on Harlem back to the highway all at the same time? Triple that, and that's what they're putting together here.

Soldier Field is the easiest of the Chicago stadia to drive in and out of, IMO. Maybe Comiskey, but I don't have much experience driving there.
 
#117      
it may be difficult for us to register the reality that 60k of the 70k at the game are heading south and east home
Depending on the Bears performance that game, might be the highlight of the day for me
 
#118      
He did such a good job that the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors chose not to extend his contract.....

Chicago Bears hire Big Ten's Kevin Warren as president, CEO
"Warren had been with the Big Ten since June 2019 but recently was not given a contract extension by the conference, sources told Thamel."
OKay, can I follow up with this: when is the last time we all applauded decisions made by the "Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors"
 
#120      
Well hi from Cary. Wonder how many times we rode the same train!

Agree to disagree on the above, Gritty. 53 is a 6-lane highway there and every bit a major road. If this is not 'right off the highway' (and between two close exits to boot), then what is? I can think of Miller Park (or whatever they call it now), which does indeed have a highway exit pretty much right to the parking lot, but this is pretty close.

And I'm pretty sure the western boundary of the parcel does directly abut 53, as there are practice / warm-up tracks for the horses. In my fantasy world, the development plan includes a dedicated exit. Probably just a dream...

View attachment 22763 View attachment 22764
The plan is for that exit to go right into the stadium, which will be right at the practice track
 
#121      
"And you're right, an actuary would tell you Virginia's chances of living to see the new stadium open "
Not knowing anything about her health ... assume she doesn't smoke. life expectancy is 1.95 years, 11.8% chance of living 5 years, and 0.6% chance of living 10 years. so do you take the over/under
 
#124      
The Packers fan in me loves this hire! Kidding aside, I hope he does well because football is far more enjoyable when the Packers and Bears are both competitive.
 
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