BEARS, ASK THE REPORTER
I’ve looked at every Tribune article regarding the Bears stadium move and I’ve never found an answer to this question: If they get the site, funding and OK to build, what is the seating capacity expected to be? When the city offered to build the indoor stadium away from the lake, the capacity quoted was around 83,000.
— Kevin, Chicago
If the Bears have shared a ballpark figure for seating capacity in their proposed domed stadium in Arlington Heights, I have not seen it. I have written about this topic a few times after speaking with Marc Ganis, president of Chicago-based sports consulting firm Sportscorp, who is an expert on these matters. His projection is something definitely larger than Soldier Field, which has the smallest capacity in the NFL at 61,500. But he doesn’t envision something as large as some have hoped.
“I doubt they will go that large,” Ganis said of the 81,441 capacity at Lambeau Field in Green
Bay, the second-largest in the league. “High 60s would be the right number. There’s an odd cost factor associated with the geometry of the stadium. The most expensive seats to construct are the seats furthest away from the field as you expand the building. As you increase the capacity, you have to expand the size of the entire building. So you add five rows at the top of the stadium to
add another few thousand seats. Those are the most expensive seats to build while being the seats that generate the lowest revenue.
“Is it 66,000? 69,000? Do they have an ability to have standing room to get it to 72,000? That is the general range.”
Here’s the seating capacity for NFL stadiums constructed since the Cardinals moved into State Farm Stadium in 2006:
Rams and Chargers, SoFi Stadium (2020): 70,000
Raiders, Allegiant Stadium (2020): 65,000-*
Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (2017): 71,000-*
Vikings, U.S. Bank Stadium (2016): 66,655-*
49ers, Levi’s Stadium (2014): 68,500
Giants and Jets, MetLife Stadium (2010): 82,500
Cowboys, AT&T Stadium (2009): 80,000-**
Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium (2008): 67,000
Cardinals, State Farm Stadium (2006): 63,400-*
* dome, ** retractable roof
Currently, 16 stadiums — including Soldier Field — have a listed capacity below 70,000. Fourteen are between 65,000 and 69,596.
It’s noteworthy that the
Buffalo Bills, who are building a new venue to replace Highmark Stadium, will have a smaller building. Highmark Stadium’s capacity is 71,608. The new openair stadium reportedly will have a capacity in the neighborhood of 62,000.