Bears franchise value has increased significantly, per Forbes

LAKE FOREST – To the frustration of some fans, the performance by a team on the field doesn’t always have a direct effect on the finances of the franchise.

The Chicago Bears are an example of this, especially over the last year, where the team won just six games yet saw a major increase in their value as the 2022 season approaches.

Per Forbes’ annual franchise rankings, the value of the team owned by the McCaskey family has risen 42 percent to $5.8 billion dollars. This makes them the fifth most valuable franchise in the National Football League.

The Bears are one of four teams in the league to have their value increase by 40 or more percent in 2022, joining the Buffalo Bills (50 percent), Las Vegas Raiders (49 percent), and Cleveland Browns (48 percent).

Currently, the team has an operating income of $155.7 million dollars.

Per the publication, the Bears could pique the interest of a potential buyer trying to break into the NFL since they are in the third-largest market in the United States along with their potential stadium change.

At the moment, the team could end up following through on building a new stadium on the old Arlington Park site, which they signed a purchase agreement for in 2021. If that doesn’t work out, they could also accept one of the remodeling proposals presented by the City of Chicago that would get Soldier Field dome-ready in the future.

Forbes calculates team revenue through media, sponsorship/advertising, premium seating, general seating, along with other factors like non-NFL stadium events, merchandise sales, and parking revenue.

While the team’s value has gone up, their prospects on the field have not after undergoing a major overhaul after a 6-11 2021 season. New general manager Ryan Poles completely restructured the team on the field for first year head coach Matt Eberflus, who brought with him a new coaching staff.