Are the Bears the worst big market franchise in professional sports?

[Ares]

Bears are mediocre as fuck, so I can agree they are not truly the worst run franchise in a major market.

I would argue they are probably near #1 in terms of how much they frustrate their own fans.

They obviously make money, so they are getting that right whether we like it or not.

But I'd be interested to see if any other big market (top 3 cities) franchise in any sport frustrates their fans as many ways as the Bears do, and as badly, and for 30+ years.

Can you think of any component of the franchise that hasn't frustrated you in some way in your life as a fan the last 30 years?

Fan experience at Soldier Field?

Soldier Field itself (including renovation)?

Owners? GM? Coach? OC? DC? ST?

Roster management? Draft? Players?

I recognize every fan base will say they have had frustrations with these things, but I'd argue they don't experience it in such a consistent way, year-in-year-out, almost as if they figured out how to run a franchise on a pattern of behavior designed to continuously give the impression they might suddenly become winners, so you may hate them, but you cannot truly stop watching.

I think the Bears figured out after that first Super Bowl, so long as they kept "rebuilding" on a regular cycle, it never matters if they win another Super Bowl.... sure it'd be a nice bonus, but not required.

It only matters that they present the façade that they are a QB away from a reboot of that 1985 Super Bowl.

The 2006-2007 season was the perfect almost-repeat of that same defense-wins-championships which allowed them to keep doing it for another 20 years.

 

[Penny Traitor]

No. The Jets are ran pretty poorly. Knicks too

It's pretty close, but I think Chicago may do a little better than New York if you go:

Knicks
Jets
Mets

....against.....

Bulls
Bears
Sox

 

[DammitFullerTurnUrHead!]

They are on the list, but the Jets, Mets, Lions, Sacramento Kings, Knicks, Orioles, Marlins, Pirates, and insert NHL team here are above them.

That’s just off the top of my head.

The kings, orioles, pirates and Marlins are not big market organizations. None are even top 20 in market size.

 

[abegibronlives]

New York Jets

I'd have to agree - As long as the Jets are the way they are, they are the titleholder.

The Bears have done their best to get into the conversation, however.


Now Houston as a city:

Harden got out, Watt got out, Hopkins got out, Watson wants out, and the baseball team has a permanent asterisk next to its World Series win for cheating.

So, there's that.

 

[JoJoBoxer]

Up until recently, the Clippers were the standard for inept franchises with 7 50%+ winning percentage seasons from 1970 to 2010 and 3 50%+ winning percentage seasons from 1979 to 2010.

The Bulls, as an example, had 6 50%+ winning percentage seasons from 1998 to 2010 (or Post-Jordan).

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

The Bears are just pure mediocrity.

I would find them a lot more tolerable if there was something more interesting than basic ineptitude going on. Like how the Texans are basically run by a charlatan who has McNair under his spell.

 

[DrGonzo]

No they aren't number one at anything including sucking. They suck just enough to be hard to completely ignore.

 

[Montucky]

No they aren't number one at anything including sucking. They suck just enough to be hard to completely ignore.

This is true. The Bulls you can just forget about, the Bears keep you hooked.

 

[bearmick]

The Jets and Bears when it comes to football then. Overall yeah the Knicks are bad. Some of the places mentioned I wouldn't consider among the "big markets".

 

[Sparks500]

They are the blob.

 

[Montucky]

The Los Angeles Chargers barely even exist. The Texans are honestly the biggest dumpster fire in pro sports.

 

[Anytime23]

In pro sports? No. But in terms of market size/being the only show in town at their sport. Yeah, i'm having trouble finding a one worse in the NFL. The Jets at least compete with the Giants.

 

[ThatGuyRyan]

I think the Texans are clearly carrying this torch for football.. the jet’s handed it off to them back in January

 

[Canth]

The Los Angeles Chargers barely even exist. The Texans are honestly the biggest dumpster fire in pro sports.

The Chargers should be a case study in how an owner's ego outweighs reality and a good situation. To on purpose leave San Diego to go to LA where you never had any real presence was mind boggling. Spanos also did not really have the cash to make that move like Kroenke did.

 

[Monster]

Top 5.... But that keeps them out of top picks.
Just stay good enough for mediocrity.

 

[Sparks500]

They’re not the worst, not the best, but they sure are the unluckiest.....

 

[Leomaz]

No.

 

[Calabis]

I think it's arguable.

Holy hell u live....although I'm probably blind...haven't seen u post much recently. Good to see u on here

 

[Alpha Male]

New york and la each have more teams. So chicago looks worst by comparison.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

I think the Texans are clearly carrying this torch for football.. the jet’s handed it off to them back in January

I just don't understand what they are doing. I'm not even sure they understand what they are doing.