Iowa Hawkeyes Should Claim Soldier Field After Bears Departure
The Chicago Bears are packing up and heading to Hammond, Indiana, and that departure leaves a massive opportunity sitting on the lakefront. Soldier Field, one of the most iconic venues in American sports, will soon need a new tenant. For the Iowa Hawkeyes, the answer should be obvious. It is time to claim Chicago as a second home.
Chicago Is Already Hawkeye Country
Wander around Chicago on a fall Saturday, and you will see a sea of black and gold. The city is a melting pot of college football fandoms, but Iowa is always well-represented. According to the Chicago Iowa Club, the Chicagoland area is home to more than 30,000 Iowa alumni.
That number is staggering for a city more than three hours from Iowa City. Consider the other major cities near Iowa. Minneapolis is almost five hours away. St. Louis is over four hours away. Kansas City is four and a half hours away. Chicago is the closest mega-market to Iowa, and the fanbase is already entrenched.
The Chicago Iowa Club lists nine different bars and restaurants in the city and its suburbs for watch parties. Those suburban families, who cannot make the drive to Kinnick Stadium every weekend, are the exact audience this move would serve.
Following a Proven Playbook
Iowa basketball already uses this strategy. The Hawkeyes play Creighton in Des Moines to expand their footprint and give fans closer to central Iowa a chance to see the team. Playing a game at Soldier Field would be the same concept, just on a much bigger scale.
Neutral site games are becoming the norm in college football. Wisconsin and Notre Dame are playing at Lambeau Field this upcoming season. The landscape of the sport in 2026 rewards creativity. Pipe dreams are not as unrealistic as they used to be.
The Revenue Question
The biggest hurdle is whether Iowa would give up a home game at Kinnick Stadium. That is a massive ask. Kinnick generates serious revenue, and the Iowa fanbase fills it every Saturday. The athletic department cannot afford to simply hand that over.
There are workarounds. Iowa could keep its normal home schedule and turn a road game into a neutral site. The program could also alternate every year as the home team and the road team at Soldier Field. Creative scheduling can protect the bottom line while expanding the brand.
Who Would The Hawkeyes Play?
Not every opponent makes sense. The Cy-Hawk game is not moving to Chicago. The Black Friday rivalry with Nebraska stays put. Trophy games against Wisconsin and Minnesota belong on campus.
The right opponent makes all the difference. Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, or Indiana could all work. These matchups would give two fan bases a neutral site game in a major city within driving distance for everyone. It is a win for both programs and a win for fans who want access.
An Opportunity Iowa Cannot Ignore
The location, the support, and the stadium are all sitting there waiting. Iowa already recruits from the Chicago area. Playing a game at Soldier Field would only strengthen that pipeline and give the Hawkeyes a stronger foothold in one of the country's largest markets.
The legwork required would be significant, but the payoff could be enormous. In an era where college football programs are constantly looking for an edge, this is one Iowa should take seriously.