Bears to play in London in 2024

[HisRoyalSweetness]

The Bears will play a game at Tottenham next season.

NFL announces designated teams for London, Munich 2024 International Games

The National Football League today announced the designated teams set to play in London and Munich as part of the 2024 International Games.

The Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars will each play international games in London during the 2024 regular season, while the Carolina Panthers will head to Munich, Germany. Each team's opponent, along with the dates and kickoff times will be announced when the 2024 schedule is revealed this spring.

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium -- the only purpose-built NFL stadium outside of the U.S. -- will host games featuring both the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings while the Jacksonville Jaguars will return to Wembley Stadium as part of their multi-year commitment to playing a game in the U.K, in what will be their 12th game in the capital.

Munich, Germany will again host a regular season game, with the Carolina Panthers set to play in Allianz Arena -- home of FC Bayern Munich.
...

All four designated teams playing in the U.K. and Germany are part of the NFL's Global Markets Program which awards international marketing rights to NFL teams in countries beyond the U.S. to build fandom, and realize brand and commercial opportunities. The Bears, Vikings and Jaguars have international marketing rights in the U.K., while the Panthers have those rights in Germany.
...

"Every game the Chicago Bears play is rich in tradition, culture and passion. And every year, game after game, we look forward to welcoming fans to experience that richness," said George H. McCaskey, chairman of the Chicago Bears. "This year, we will take our storied franchise and tradition back to London and share internationally what our fans locally experience at every game. We are excited to join the many NFL teams who are expanding internationally to play a game in London during our 2024 season."
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Full article: https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-announces- ... onal-games

[dplank]

While I'm happy for our friends who live in the UK - I absolutely, positively, beyond belief hate this shit. We just played a season where we had an additional road game (unfair - move to an even # of games FFS!!). Now we lost a home game next year when it's supposed to be unbalanced in our favor. This pisses me off more than it should I suppose, but I really, really hate it.

[UOK]

I hate overseas games.

The Bears 100% do this bullshit so they don't have to be on Hard Knocks.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

This is the first home game the Bears will play overseas and the International Series will have been going for 18 years with a total 49 games after this current slate.

Is one home game in 18 years really such a big deal to you guys?

[UOK]

This is the first home game the Bears will play overseas and the International Series will have been going for 18 years with a total 49 games after this current slate.

Is one home game in 18 years really such a big deal to you guys?

In the big scheme of things, no. Of course I'm delighted for anyone on that side of the pond to get the chance to see the Bears in person.

But losing a home game sucks no matter how you look at it.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

But losing a home game sucks no matter how you look at it.

I can understand that if you go to all the games at Soldier Field. Otherwise what difference does it really make?

Playing overseas has actually provided a boost to teams in the past.

The Bears will definitely be well-supported at Tottenham.

[G08]

This is the first home game the Bears will play overseas and the International Series will have been going for 18 years with a total 49 games after this current slate.

Is one home game in 18 years really such a big deal to you guys?

To placate you limey fucks? YES!!!

[HisRoyalSweetness]

You should be thanking us. Not only do we cheer on the Bears whenever they play over here but we make loads of noise whenever the Lions, Vikings and particularly the Packers come over and their offense is on the field.

I personally claim the credit for the Daniel Jones led Giants 4th quarter comeback over Aaron Rodger's Cheeseheads that not only condemned them to defeat in their only IS game to date but also contributed to them finishing the season with a losing record. I yelled myself hoarse that day!

[Boris13c]

I hate overseas games.

The Bears 100% do this bullshit so they don't have to be on Hard Knocks.

if true, that is a good trade off for them ... the Bears would be a laughingstock on Hard Knocks and they could go all in by having yakkety sax for their theme music

[wab]

I hate overseas games.

The Bears 100% do this bullshit so they don't have to be on Hard Knocks.

if true, that is a good trade off for them ... the Bears would be a laughingstock on Hard Knocks and they could go all in by having yakkety sax for their theme music

Weird take. Why would they be a “laughingstock”?

[Boris13c]

if true, that is a good trade off for them ... the Bears would be a laughingstock on Hard Knocks and they could go all in by having yakkety sax for their theme music

Weird take. Why would they be a “laughingstock”?

we all have our theories as to what the Bears are up to or what they might be thinking ... so what if what we think of them isn't even close? what if we are exposed to the Bears way and realize it is worse than we thought? a franchise can't have decades of futility to their credit without reasons for it ... so what if seeing the inner workings of the Bears scars us for life?

so perhaps you're correct and laughingstock is not the correct term ... maybe frightening?

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

This is tremendous news

[Arkansasbear]

Great with my luck it will be TN as that was the game I was coming to Chicago for with by buddy who lives in Nashville.

These games are BS IMO.

[wab]

Fields seems to think he'll be there.

[Arkansasbear]

Fields seems to think he'll be there.

Hope he is!!!

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Fields seems to think he'll be there.

I’ll go and shake his hand if he is. Maybe a knowing nod of the head too.

I’ll take my stop watch so I can time his TTT.

[UOK]

I wouldn’t read anything into that.

[WagonForce]

Will you be trying to pick up tickets for this one @HisRoyalSweetness ?

I've always wanted to visit the UK and taking in a Bears game on top sure would be sweet. That said, some cursory research shows tickets are quite prized.

It'll be interesting to see how the Bears approach this international game. I'm hoping they travel early to get acclimated to the time change.

[dplank]

But losing a home game sucks no matter how you look at it.

I can understand that if you go to all the games at Soldier Field. Otherwise what difference does it really make?

Playing overseas has actually provided a boost to teams in the past.

The Bears will definitely be well-supported at Tottenham.

The Bears were 5-3 at home this year, and just 2-7 on the road. The travel needed vs being able to stay home an entire week and rest more is a definite negative for the "home team" in these games. The away team would have been traveling anyways.

[wab]

I wouldn’t read anything into that.

Yeah, I’m not. At all.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Will you be trying to pick up tickets for this one @HisRoyalSweetness ?

I've always wanted to visit the UK and taking in a Bears game on top sure would be sweet. That said, some cursory research shows tickets are quite prized.

It'll be interesting to see how the Bears approach this international game. I'm hoping they travel early to get acclimated to the time change.

I will be, definitely.
Bucket list opportunity

[malk]

Given the state of transport in the UK its probably easier to get to London from Chicago than from where I am but I'll give it a go eh.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Will you be trying to pick up tickets for this one @HisRoyalSweetness ?

I've always wanted to visit the UK and taking in a Bears game on top sure would be sweet. That said, some cursory research shows tickets are quite prized.

I have season tickets for both Tottenham and Wembley and have had since they introduced them WagonForce, so I'm expecting to go to all the games. I've managed to make every one since the Bears first came over in 2011.

They keep hiking the prices though. Last year I moved my Wembley seats from the 50 yard line in the lower tier on the visiting side to the 50 yard line near the front of the upper tier on the other side, which worked out about 50% cheaper. I'd like to try and move my Tottenham seats, but unlike Wembley you first have to give up the seats you have before you can select new ones so there's a huge risk you won't be able to get better seats or even seats at the same price.

Tottenham Stadium has a much lower capacity than Wembley (about 62k versus 85k) so it's much harder to get tickets. I was fortunate to get season tickets because when Tottenham Stadium was late opening the NFL reneged on the commitment they'd made that Wembley season ticket holders would get first dibs. Instead it was open to all. As you can imagine there were a lot of very disappointed and angry Wembley season ticket holders who missed out.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

Will you be trying to pick up tickets for this one @HisRoyalSweetness ?

I've always wanted to visit the UK and taking in a Bears game on top sure would be sweet. That said, some cursory research shows tickets are quite prized.

It'll be interesting to see how the Bears approach this international game. I'm hoping they travel early to get acclimated to the time change.

I will be, definitely.
Bucket list opportunity

Good luck DD. I hope you get yourself a ticket.

It will be interesting to see what else they have going on other than the game. It's been getting worse every year. The old "tailgates" were great but now pre-game activities have all but vanished at Wembley and there's really nothing at Tottenham. Instead they have events during the week at the designated team pubs in London I believe, which is probably great if you live in London and can get in but useless to everyone else.

The last couple of years they've had a free event at Battersea Power Station on a Saturday. (Do the Bears have a giant inflatable Bear they can tether above it? ) I couldn't go in 2021 due to rail strikes but did this season. There wasn't a huge amount going on, but there were some alumni interviews and they did do some signing/photos immediately afterwards but it wasn't organised and therefore very chaotic in contrast to previous years where you could queue up, meet a player, get a signed photo, get other items signed if you wished, and have your picture taken with them.

Ndamukong Suh was one of the former players. Another was Maurice Jones-Drew who spotted a little girl wearing his jersey and had her parents pass her up to him. He spent the whole of his time on stage holding her hand, which was sweet. At one point the interviewer asked her if she was a Taylor Swift fan and she said "No!", which had everyone laughing and caught the interviewer out because it obviously wasn't the answer she was expecting.

Goodell was also interviewed (he got booed as is tradition!) and there were performances from some of the cheerleaders who'd stuck around from the previous week's game and an opportunity to have your photo taken with them too (again not very well organised). Osi Umenyiora and Jason Bell put in an appearance although they didn't hang around for autographs/photos. (For you guys in the US, those two present the NFL Show on ITV over here having previously done so for the BBC.) In between all that they had youngsters who play flag football running through WR drills.

Away from the stage there were the usual inflatables for throwing, kicking, and catching a ball from a Juggs machine. There were also giant helmets for each team and mannequins dressed in various team kits that you can stand behind and place you head on the necks, for you to have a photo with if you wanted.

When the Bears came over last time for the first ever Tottenham game there were signing events on the Saturday beforehand, but they don't publicise them much. I went up to the stadium where Charles Tillman was putting in appearance along with Jim Plunkett. I got my Peanut jersey signed and a nice photo of the two of us holding it up. I was then planning to head off to a cap shop elsewhere in London where Tarik Cohen was due to appear, but found out that Akiem Hicks and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix were going to turn up at the Tottenham shop so stuck around there instead and met those guys. Due to the queue they were limiting people to either a photo or a signed item, however I managed to get both a football signed and a picture with them both at the end because I'm special! (There was a reason but I won't bother going into that.) The Raiders cheerleaders turned up too. From what I heard, the queues for Tarik Cohen stretched around the block so I definitely made the right decision. I then headed off to the Bears' designated pub and spent a couple of hours there. Staley turned up and they must have played "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" a couple of dozen times just in the time I was there. I heard Zach Miller had been at the pub on another day, but unfortunately not while I was there.

I hope they'll be opportunities to meet some players, past and present, this year but who knows? If there are I hope they're not free-for-alls because I detest being jostled in crowds.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I’m a bit concerned about going to London these days with the safety issues.

But I’ll risk it for a chance to see the Bears

[HisRoyalSweetness]

I’m a bit concerned about going to London these days with the safety issues.

But I’ll risk it for a chance to see the Bears

There's a lot of security around the stadium itself, but even on the trains/underground there's never any trouble. Everyone going to the game is very good natured and there's just the occasional bit of banter between fans of different teams. It's a world away from a "soccer" game DD.

Last year was the first time I've ever seen any altercation at an NFL game. At the end of the row I was in a guy got annoyed with a bunch of drunk guys sitting in the rows behind him. I'm not sure what it was about but it really kicked off and one of them went ballistic. I honestly thought he was really going to lump the other guy; he looked totally out of control and the others were holding him back. Security eventually turned up and surprisingly didn't eject anyone. The drunkards still kept goading the other guy for the rest of the game though. It was really annoying to be honest.

The long and the short of it though is there's little to worry about DD. If you go where will you be travelling from?

[spudbear]

Drunks usually make games here in the States not fun to attend. I don't understand how someone can spend the big $$ to get tickets for a game and try to be a big man showing how much they can drink and "party". I suppose it's the same for soccer fans in the UK.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

It obviously depends on the type of drunk. One of the funniest things I saw at a Wembley game was this guy who'd disappeared for ages and finally turned up so wasted he barely knew where he was. He staggered up and down the aisle and his mates had to go get him. He swayed his back up with this broad smile on his face. Man he looked so happy! It was honestly hilarious watching him even though you had to wonder why someone would pay so much money for a ticket only to get so drunk he missed most of the game and probably won't have remembered anything about what little he did see.

[Noots]

I was in Spain on a wonderful vacation when the Bears played the Raiders a few years ago. One of my last trips before Covid came the following spring. Took forever to find a pub where I could get the game. Put it up on one tv for me, all the rest was “futbol.” I recall that, and recall how we got it handed to us, and seeing A. Hicks have his arm mangled between two other players. Season over for him. Pretty much for the Bears, too.

[HisRoyalSweetness]

The first half was an unmitigated disaster. The defense had been playing so well that season and then came out totally flat in the first half before rallying after half time and playing great again. Robinson made an amazing catch on the sideline and a comeback was on the cards. But of course they had to do what the Bears so often do and break our hearts when the game was there to be won with Chase Daniel throwing an INT. I was absolutely gutted. Hopefully this time around they'll turn up ready to play and will put on a show.

Losing Hicks and so early was such a disappointment, especially having met the guy the day before. He was as massive for the Bears as he was massive in size. I've never met someone so broad! It was also the only time I've worn the jersey of a current player to the game. It was Kyle Long's number 75 and it proved to be his last game for the Bears.