Report: The Bears stood alone in their vote against an expansion of international games.
The NFL owners, in a vote this week, decided to schedule eight games per year outside the United States starting in 2025. However, one owner expressed opposition to this proposal.
George McCaskey, owner of the Bears, cast the sole dissenting vote in a 31-1 decision, as reported by Jonathan Jones of CBS. McCaskey clarified that he doesn't object to the concept of international games but believes that teams should have the opportunity to safeguard their most significant home games to be played in their own stadiums. McCaskey pointed out that Bears fans wouldn't want to miss the rare opportunity to witness a star quarterback play in Chicago just because that game was relocated to Sao Paolo, Madrid, or London.
"We have exceptional talents coming in," McCaskey stated, as per the report. "Fans want to see players like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and even Tommy DeVito."
The mention of Tommy DeVito elicited laughter, but McCaskey's argument had merit: as the Bears work to garner local support for a new stadium, it becomes increasingly challenging if fans fear that the team's most important "home" game might not actually take place at home due to the NFL's efforts to expand its global presence. While the league's owners are enthusiastic about international games, they must also consider the concerns of their most dedicated supporters � the season ticket holders.
| POLL | ||
14 DECEMBRE | 46 ANSWERS Report: The Bears stood alone in their vote against an expansion of international games. Are you for an expansion of international games? | ||
| Yes | 14 | 30.4 % |
| No | 32 | 69.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
