The league has continued to make a push to grow the game internationally, with the Chicago Bears being a part of this in the 2024 season, playing in London. Previously, teams had control of protecting certain games from the league putting on the international stage, whether for rivalry reasons or revenue concerns, franchises were afforded at least a small level of control. This has now been erased with NFL Insider Ari Meirov reporting the change that should have Chicago fans none too pleased.
As one of the league's most exciting young teams, there is no question that Chicago is going to be pushed into the rotation in the upcoming seasons. It introduces unquestionable frustration with international travel, putting extra miles on your team and forcing adjustments that simply present a clear disadvantage, no matter the league's good intentions.
In truth, those intentions are completely based on creating new revenue and growing new fanbases that will engage and invest in the league. While this is great in theory, the Bears could see this work to their detriment with a loss of control in the games the team can protect. This means one of Chicago's biggest home games could be stolen for the international stage.
Fans could be robbed of the chance to watch the Bears take on the Green Bay Packers or Detroit Lions in Soldier Field. This is a piece of the league's international push that could quickly grow troublesome for the more historic and popular franchises.
Bears Can't Help but Note Concerns After League's Latest International Push
Growing the game is a good effort, no matter the motivation, but not if it comes at the detriment of a historic fanbase just now getting to enjoy the team's return to relevance. While the Bears have been spared the hassle in the 2026 season, there are no such promises for 2027, with the league pushing its maximum number of international games up to 10.
This points to the fact that the exciting offense of Ben Johnson and the star that is Caleb Williams are likely to find themselves a part of next year's international schedule. It will be interesting to see how teams continue to navigate this new hurdle and whether or not any pushback is mounted among teams that deal with travel and rest disadvantages.
It is unquestionably worth keeping a close eye on as the Bears can't help but feel a bit frustrated at losing what little control the league offered. Leaving fans with reason to wonder what is ahead for a league that cannot afford to begin to forget its fans at home.
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