Sports

How do Bears fans feel about the team moving? Depends on who you ask

Published

6 hours ago

August 16, 2026

qasimgillani

CHICAGO — Jim Hoff grew up on Ave. F in Chicago’s southeast side, not far from Wolf Lake across the state line.

Did he ever pause to think, “You know what, a Bears stadium would look really nice here?”

“We used to ride our bikes there,” he said with a smile. “Never would imagine there’d be a stadium.”

I don’t think he’s alone.

I talked to the 51-year-old Hoff, who was rocking a Chris Zorich jersey, and his teenage son, Jimmy, while in line for Chicago-style hot dogs in Soldier Field’s open-air atrium before the Bears’ lone home preseason game Saturday. Rain poured from the sky before the game, proof of concept for the team’s plans to build a domed stadium either in Hammond, Ind., or Arlington Heights, Ill.

Hoff lives in southwest suburban New Lenox these days. He’s not a season ticket holder, and for the few games he attends each year, he said he’s amenable to driving to either potential stadium location. Still, like many fans I talked to Saturday, and throughout this interminable stadium process, he’s skeptical of the Hammond plan.

“I’ve got to think cooler heads prevail and they find a way to stay somewhere in Illinois,” he said. “But I don’t know. You never know.”

Jim Hoff (right, with his son, Jimmy) finds it hard to imagine the Bears move to Hammond, Ind. (Jon Greenberg / The Athletic)

On Thursday, Bears chairman George McCaskey and president/CEO Kevin Warren made their annual training camp address to reporters, and every single question was about the stadium. I would call this years-long process a “debacle,” but Warren said it’s all been a “learning opportunity.” While the Bears’ product on the field is positive these days with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, the team’s off-field pursuits are a cause for conflict, confusion and consternation.

So before Saturday’s 34-10 preseason win over the Cleveland Browns, I walked around and talked to some fans about their feelings on their never-ending story.

Where should they go?

Top Plays from Browns @ Bears

“Keep it!” said Cheryl Plaxico, a Homewood native at the game with her teenage son, about Soldier Field. “We need to stay here!”

She goes to a couple of games a year and said if the Bears do have to move — and they don’t, really — she’d be fine with Hammond because it’s closer to her house.

“Hammond is still like Illinois,” she said.

Others disagree.

“Indiana’s a no,” said Joanna Garcia, who was sitting in the United Club with her husband, Steven. They live near Midway Airport, also not far from Hammond, but they were both adamantly opposed to the idea of the Chicago Bears playing in Indiana.

“I mean, at that point, you might as well just stay at Soldier Field,” Steven said. “Indiana sucks. We’re working in South Bend, and we pass by Hammond. There’s nothing there for us.”

Steven and Joanna Garcia do not like the idea of the Bears moving to Indiana, despite living fairly close to the state border. (Jon Greenberg / The Athletic)

“If they go to Indiana, I’m never seeing a Bears game again,” said Bryan Ramirez, a 28-year-old Berwyn cop, who was at the game with his friend and co-worker Alberto Hernandez. Both were wearing Caleb Williams jerseys.

Hernandez wouldn’t go that far.

“It’s good to know Roger Goodell’s on our side though,” he said of the report that the NFL commissioner was meeting with Illinois politicians this week. “He’s out here speaking to the statesmen for us. So hopefully he gets it done and leaves them here. Even Arlington wouldn’t be bad. I’d prefer Arlington over Indiana.”

“Arlington, I would go,” Ramirez said.

“I live in Riverside, and it’s probably closer to go to Hammond than Arlington Heights, but I don’t want to go there,” said Pat Kearney, a longtime season ticket holder who was wearing a Brian Piccolo jersey and a Zubaz-style hat.

Sometimes it’s simple. People have state pride. Kearney referenced the Bears’ fight song, which declares them the “pride and joy of Illinois.”

Most of the fans I talked to said they’re not too annoyed about the stadium chatter. Of course, I was speaking to fans who chose to go to a preseason game in the rain, so they might be more even-keeled than the ones who rage on Twitter/X every time this situation is broached. But those fans count too.

“We feel that anxiety, we feel that stress,” McCaskey said Thursday. “We talked about this in March. It’s going to require an adjustment. But when I’ve driven that route, other than a sign telling me so, I wouldn’t know that I’ve just crossed the state border. And as Kevin said, once people see the building, once they get in there, once they understand that our top priority from day one was a world-class stadium experience, we think we’ll make that adjustment. We think Bears fans are up for that.”

McCaskey, who I spotted taking pictures and talking to fans in the atrium, disputed that people would be upset about the team moving across state lines. I would say the same thing if I were trying to keep some leverage over Illinois politicians.

Bryan Ramirez and Alberto Hernandez both are against a move to Hammond, Ind. (Jon Greenberg / The Athletic)

Despite the bad weather and the obstacles getting in and out of Soldier Field, most fans I talked to would actually like the Bears to stay in Chicago, where they’ve played for more than a century at Wrigley Field and on the lakefront. Perhaps it wasn’t a representative sample, but I think many people are comfortable with the known. The Bears have always played in Chicago. There is also a vibrancy to playing in an open-air stadium in the city. A soulless suburban dome aimed at placating wealthy fans would lose some of that energy.

The ideal situation would have included the team, city and state not screwing up the renovation of the stadium just two decades ago. Soldier Field shouldn’t be so outdated. But that’s not reality, which fans seem to accept.

In the atrium, I talked to Arnie Holland, a luxury cabinet maker who lives in Wheaton. After more than 15 years on a waiting list and paying for a personal seat license, he finally got four season tickets this season. He turns 60 in September, so not a bad birthday present considering the expectations for this year’s team. He said the value of his tickets is tailgating and spending time with family and watching the team he loves, win or lose.

“I would love for them to stay in the city somehow, but I also understand maybe the money’s not there to support that,” he said. “I would like for them to stay in Illinois, but wherever they go, I go. So if they do go to Indiana, I’m going to go.”

The Bears will certainly lose season ticket holders if they move to Hammond or Arlington Heights, and not just because of geography or state pride. Plenty of fans don’t want to pay for another PSL. Holland, a superfan, realizes this will be his reality.

Holland said he prepaid for his PSL back in 2013. So if and when the Bears do move, he’ll likely have to pay for another one.

“My attorney warned me about it,” he said, “and I’m like, they’re never gonna move out of Chicago. But now here we are, 13 years later. I’ve heard of numbers … for comparable tickets for me, it’s going to be like 50 grand for two. So I told my wife we’d probably start saving now.”

Sports

How to watch Brewers vs. Dodgers: TV channel and streaming options for August 16

Published

4 minutes ago

August 16, 2026

qasimgillani

The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Milwaukee Brewers at 4:10 p.m. ET on Sunday. Tarik Skubal (7-6, 2.93 ERA) will start for the Dodgers, who are 74-50 this season and first in the NL West. Logan Henderson (6-2, 2.88 ERA) is the expected starter for the Brewers, who are 76-48 and first in the NL Central.

How to watch Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Brewers vs. Dodgers odds

Favorite Moneyline: Dodgers -189
Underdog Moneyline: Brewers +155
Total: 7.5
Total Over Odds: +105
Total Under Odds: -125

Injury reports

Dodgers

Dalton Rushing: 10 Day IL (Arm), Brock Stewart: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Will Klein: 15 Day IL (Elbow), Bobby Miller: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Gavin Stone: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jake Cousins: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Blake Treinen: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Will Smith: 60 Day IL (Neck), Brusdar Graterol: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Kris Bubic: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Tyler Glasnow: 60 Day IL (Back), Ben Casparius: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)

Brewers

Sal Frelick: 10 Day IL (Shoulder), Cooper Pratt: 10 Day IL (Hamstring), Abner Uribe: 15 Day IL (Forearm), JoJo Romero: 15 Day IL (Appendix), Joel Kuhnel: 15 Day IL (Shoulder), Brandon Woodruff: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Rob Zastryzny: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Brian Fitzpatrick: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Angel Zerpa: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Quinn Priester: 60 Day IL (Wrist), Brice Turang: day-to-day (Knee)

Stats to know

Shohei Ohtani is hitting for a .289 BA, .389 OBP and .542 SLG with a 23.2% strikeout rate and a 13.4% walk rate. His OPS is .931, which ranks 2nd in MLB, and he has scored 77 runs. In 521 plate appearances, he has hit 27 home runs (9th in MLB) and driven in 75 runs (14th in MLB). Ohtani has been crafty on the base paths, recording seven steals on 10 attempts.
In 529 plate appearances, Andy Pages is hitting .269/.335/.455 with a .789 OPS and 12 steals on 19 attempts. He has hit 20 long balls, driven in 77 runs (10th in MLB) and scored 68 times.
Brice Turang has hit 16 home runs this season. He has also tallied 76 RBIs (12th in MLB) and has scored 74 runs. In 523 plate appearances, he has recorded a .268 BA, .360 OBP and .450 SLG with a 12.6% walk rate and a 25.2% strikeout rate. He has been effective on the base paths, recording 16 steals on 21 attempts.
In 443 plate appearances, Jake Bauers has slashed .267/.377/.492 this season. He has hit 21 long balls and driven in 68 runs with a strikeout rate of 25.1% and a walk rate of 14.4%. He has stolen nine bases on 13 attempts and has scored 70 runs.

This watch guide was created using technology provided by Data Skrive.

Betting/odds, ticketing and streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

Photo: Jamie Squire, Ishika Samant, Scott Taetsch, Alika Jenner / Getty Images

Sports

Rangers host Celtic in League Cup quarter-finals

Published

10 minutes ago

August 16, 2026

qasimgillani

Rangers’ reward for knocking out Premier Sports Cup holders St Mirren is a mouth-watering quarter-final against Old Firm rivals Celtic.

Derek McInnes earned his first win as boss with a thumping 5-1 victory on Sunday and will now host Celtic.

Stenhousemuir, who stunned Motherwell in extra time, will host last season’s Scottish Premiership runners up Hearts.

Aberdeen will go to Kilmarnock in an all top-flight tie, while Ross County welcome Hibernian to the Highlands.

The games will be played across the weekend of 12-13 September.

More to follow.

Sports

Why the Mets wanted Jefry Yan and how their relievers are exploiting a lost season

Published

17 minutes ago

August 16, 2026

qasimgillani

NEW YORK — The New York Mets eyed Jefry Yan for years.

After Yan struck out 39.1 percent of the batters he faced in Double A in 2023, the Mets targeted him as a minor-league free agent. The lefty reliever instead opted for Japan, where the Mets continued scouting him. Then, ahead of the 2025 season, Yan signed with the Colorado Rockies, who later released him halfway through the year.

With Yan, known for his celebratory leaps, available at last, the Mets jumped at the opportunity.

At the recommendation of assistant director of player personnel Jason Stein, the Mets signed Yan to a two-year minor-league deal, an unusual contract for a healthy pitcher. New York put Yan on the development list. He spent the final months of last season working at the Mets’ complex in Port St. Lucie, Fla., never appearing in a minor-league game.

Then Yan, who turns 30 Monday, took off in 2026, pitching well enough in the minors to warrant a callup this month, immediately after the Mets’ trade deadline selloff.

“He unlocked a new gear this year, especially in recent months,” Mets senior director for player personnel Nate Horowitz said. “He kept his velocity up. He improved the sinker, both breaking balls. We saw something in him on the acquisition side, but he’s also gotten a lot better from that point.”

We’re goin’ up, up, up pic.twitter.com/znK7q268Nq

— New York Mets (@Mets) August 15, 2026

With closer Devin Williams on the injured list, the Mets are carrying a full bullpen’s worth of tryout relievers. Yan is one of them. There’s also Kodai Senga, Daniel Duarte, Nate Lavender, Jonathan Pintaro, Chayce McDermott, Jack Weisenburger and Dedniel Núñez. For years, the Mets have struggled to develop homegrown relievers. Some of baseball’s best teams tend to pull it off.

For the Mets, seeing just one or two relievers from their unheralded group emerge as a viable option next season would qualify as a win.

“A lot of this is kind of shots on goal,” Horowitz said, “and some are going to work out, and some of them aren’t.”

Within the Mets’ cast of relative unknowns, Yan attracts the most attention because of his must-see celebrations and can’t-miss strikeout numbers. But others warrant consideration over the season’s final six weeks.

Although Williams hopes to return before the end of the season, he said Friday he wasn’t sure when he would resume throwing. In the meantime, Senga has converted both of his save opportunities, relying more on his forkball and four-seam fastball.

Senga is averaging 97.3 mph with his fastball as a one-inning reliever, more than a full mph higher than a couple of months ago, when he was struggling as a starter. As a reliever, he is nibbling around the strike zone less often.

“The only difference that I see is a guy who is enjoying what he’s doing,” bullpen coach José Rosado said. “He feels like he can contribute to the team doing what he’s doing right now. It’s less thinking. That’s something that I could see hurting him in the past. With Kodai, he knows that it’s do or die at that moment.”

Senga is also improving his preparation. It’s an adjustment. Over his career as a starter, dating back to his time in Japan, he mostly pitched every sixth day. The Mets haven’t yet used him in back-to-back games, though manager Andy Green said they intend to. When it comes to knowing what they have in Senga as a reliever, the club remains in discovery mode.

“He’s doing awesome,” Rosado said. “The first couple of times, we needed to make a call earlier so that he could get ready. But now, I kind of like when he doesn’t have time. It’s less thinking. I could see his game face in that situation. So far, so good.”

The early results are strong for others, too. Duarte is throwing more strikes, particularly first-pitch strikes, than ever. In 18 1/3 innings, Duarte holds a 0.98 ERA. A right-hander, he has held left-handed batters to a .466 OPS. In 2023, the last time Duarte spent more than two innings in the majors over a full season, lefties had a .654 OPS against him.

The way Rosado sees it, the role changes are key for Duarte and others. In a lost season for the team, they’re not expecting to return to the minors after a bad performance or long outing — not nearly as much as they did earlier in the season, anyway. Instead of throwing the final two innings of a lopsided game, Duarte is working as a late-inning setup reliever.

The same is true for others such as Pintaro, who logged two scoreless innings Friday and stuck around for Saturday. Earlier in the season, a multi-inning outing for Pintaro, who has attracted interest from other teams over the past couple of years, would’ve meant a trip back to Triple A; the Mets would’ve needed to swap him for a fresh pitcher. It’s no longer a necessity. The situation helps the relievers throw with more freedom and confidence.

“It’s a different mentality,” Rosado said.

Identifying helpful relievers from the lower rings of free agency, through the farm system or on the waiver wire, is not easy. Núñez is an example of the challenges: He burst onto the scene in 2024, got hurt and has since struggled to reclaim his footing.

Still, having a relative unknown pop as a contributor helps the Mets rely less on free agency and avoid continuously remaking their bullpen. That’s why one or two such players go a long way. Perhaps it’s someone such as Lavender, who attacks with strikes. Or Austin Warren, who was a revelation earlier in the season before an injury for which he is on a rehab assignment. Or someone else entirely.

Perhaps it’s Yan, who Saturday covered 1 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and performed one extra jumping celebration when he mistakenly thought he had a called third strike.

Jefry Yan does his signature jump celebration thinking it’s strike three, challenges the call, and ABS shows it’s a ball.

Gary Cohen: “Now that was funny.” pic.twitter.com/5iRZCHXmYg

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) August 15, 2026

No, Yan’s ritual did not come up much while the Mets were exploring a deal with him, Horowitz said, outside of communicating to top brass that it was part of his identity.

If Yan sticks around long enough to make his celebrations old news, plenty of others within the Mets might join him in jumping up with joy.