Bears fans will be getting screwed in the parking lots surround Soldier Field this season.   First, we get the news that the Chicago Bears will be offering alcohol-free tailgating in the upcoming season.  This from Cheryl Jackson’s Sun Times article:

Teetotaling tailgaters with kids, there’s a now spot for you outside Soldier Field. About 100 parking spaces will be set aside this season for alcohol-free tailgating outside Chicago Bears games.

The “Family Friendly” spots, in the parking lots south of the Adler Planetarium, are an experiment in response to fan comments, said Soldier Field General Manager Tim LeFevour.

“We decided to try it for families who might want to enjoy a sandwich and setting up a grill and not have to deal with a lot of alcohol-related issues around them,” he said.

A 10-game parking pass costs the same as it will for most of the other booze-friendly tailgating spots this season: $460, plus a $15 administration fee.

Those found with booze in the area could lose parking privileges and might have to give up their game tickets.

Here’s a quick question – WHY???

First off, a great majority of people that are tailgating are responsible and safe in their pre- and post-game rituals.  Just check out these fans:

Do they look like they’re troublemakers? I don’t think so either.  Besides, do you really think that you’ll be able to keep the idiots – and I mean the true idiots -  clear of the “Family Friendly” lot?  There’s no shortage of ‘em and they’re always swarming around.

Here’s my suggestion – if you’re that concerned about “alcohol-related issues,” leave the kids at home or skip the tailgating.  And while you’re at it, unplug the TV and internet.  Home school them so they don’t come across any bad influences.

Isn’t it bad enough that the Bears cut down the number of tailgating spots when the remodeled a few years ago?   Now they’re cutting back normal tailgating spots even more?

Parking for the season in the family friendly lot will set you back $460 for the season, but that’s cheap compared to the premium spots.  In this separate article from the Daily Herald, they’re reporting that premium parking will set you back a pretty penny:

According to a letter sent to ticket holders, one pass for premium parking at the Adler Planetarium, the East Museum or the South Lots on game days could cost as much as $1,010, plus a $15 administration fee – a total of $1,025 – for eight home games and two preseason games. That’s about $102 per game to park.

If you’re a season ticket holder, you should really sign up for the raffle, which will cut your price in half.  Check this:

Those are the expected prices for ticketholders who bypass an Internet raffle to obtain parking spots. The raffle prices are considerably lower, though still attention getting.

Ticketholders selected in the raffle and assigned to purchase season parking passes at the Adler, the North Garage, the South Lot or the Waldron Deck, will pay $460, plus a one-time $15 administration fee, for the season – a mere $47.50 per game average.

If you need info or to sign up for the raffle, go to the official Soldier Field Parking site starting June 11th.  Registration runs thru July 2nd.

It’s sad when nearly $50 is a bargain for parking!  If you’re not getting screwed out of your God-given right to booze it up while tailgating, you’re getting screwed in the wallet.  Either way, Bears fans are getting screwed in the parking lot.

BEAR DOWN!!!

As Bears fans, we’ve put up with viewing our favorite team on one of the worst surfaces in the NFL or years.  When news broke this morning about the Chicago Park District rejecting the Payton family’s request to place a Walter Payton statue for outside of Soldier Field, I couldn’t be silent any more.

The Bears are the Chicago Park District’s primary tenant for Soldier Field.  When the Bears aren’t using it, which amount to about 355 days a years, the CPD is free to host other events there.   Last weekend, U2 kicked off their North American tour with 2 sold-out shows at Soldier Field last weekend.  Sounds great, right?  I’m a huge U2 fan and to think that they were playing in my home town was an exciting prospect until you see what they did to the playing surface.

Soldier Field looked amazing with the "War of the Worlds" looking stage for U2.

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