Soldier Field is the oldest standing NFL stadium. But the Bears are exploring a move to the suburbs with the purchase of the 326-acre Arlington Park.getty images
No. 9: Chicago
Score: 51.1
As one executive put it, “Chicago combines the East Coast grind with Midwestern sensibilities.” That seems like an apt description. Chicago has some of the most diehard sports fans in the country, and attendance numbers for all of its properties are among the best tracked in the study. Excitement is building for the NASCAR street race in July, which will showcase the city’s creativity.
Sports properties (17): Although the NBA, WNBA and MLS have all had all-star games in the city since 2017, the city lacks the volume of major events hosted by cities at the top of our rankings. The NCAA awarded the city just two postseason events in its most recent site selection round. Highlights include the BMW Championship (the second event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs) and the Big Ten (which is based in nearby Rosemont, Ill.) basketball tournament at United Center.
Sponsor footprint (59): Chicago has the third-most brand sponsors of any city in our survey, led by sports giants Gatorade, State Farm, McDonald’s, Allstate, United Airlines and Molson Coors. Servicing those brands are more than a dozen of the top sports marketing agencies, bested only by New York and Los Angeles for most in the country.
Facilities: Chicago’s market is geographically large and diverse. Chicagoland Speedway, former host to NASCAR races, in Joliet is 50 miles from downtown Chicago; the site for a proposed Bears stadium in Arlington Heights is 35 minutes away. And Northwestern, one of the market’s seven Division I schools, is planning an $800 million mixed-use stadium development.
Crime: Chicago does have a reputation for crime — it leads the nation in the number of homicides and the murder rate (29.3 for every 100,000 residents) is much higher than New York (5.7) or Los Angeles (10.2), according to FBI data. Fair or not, it was also a common theme among our survey respondents. As one said, “I can tell you for sure where a lot of people in our business don’t want to go right now — Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Portland — the crime thing is very real.”
Cost: The cost of living in Chicago is 25% higher than the national average, due mainly to the high cost of housing (60% over average) and transportation (25% over average).
Did you know … : Soldier Field is the oldest standing NFL stadium in the country, opening in 1924. However, the Bears did not start playing there until 1971.
What they’re saying: “I like Chicago for the robust agency and brand community. It’s still the hub of the Midwest for conferences, industry events and networking. It’s got the small-town vibes, some of the best food you’ll get anywhere and everyone gets through the worst of the weather together.” — D.M.
