Nathan Hannig’s Blog

I would like to share an essay from a group I was in that we wrote for a college class. The essay compares the Green Bay Packer and Chicago Bear franchises to find out which one is the best. These are the top two franchise in the National Football League. The essay compares many aspects of each franchise though out the paper. If you would like to read the summary, it is at the bottom of the essay. Click the “Read rest of this post.” to view the essay.

The Green Bay Packers and The Chicago Bears: An Analytical Comparison

By Nathan Hannig, Allen H, Gina L, Jessica N, and Stephanie S.

     This report is an analytical view of the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, and will draw a definitive conclusion as to which franchise is superior.

Statement of the Problem

     Which is the better franchise, the Green Bay Packers or the Chicago Bears?

Procedures

     This report has been written using the information gathered from secondary research. The web sites used included official sites of the National Football League and Professional Football Hall of Fame. These sites were chosen because of their objectivity, and there is no more definitive source of factual data than those sites themselves. The official sites of each team were also used as sources in this report. The information there is reliable, as it has been compiled by the franchises themselves. Financial information has been gathered from, among other sites, www.forbes.com. Forbes is a well-respected and valuable source of financial analysis and information for many types of businesses and industries.

Presentation of the Data

Brief Historical Overview of Both Teams

     On August 19, 1919, Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun and several others assembled at the Green Bay Press-Gazette to build one of the first football teams; the Green Bay Packers. (Birth of a Team) Curly Lambeau sought money from his employer, the Indian Packing Company, to provide the team with jerseys and football equipment. The Indian Packing Company provided the team with $500 for uniforms and also provided the company’s athletic field for practice. In return for the financial support, the team named themselves the Green Bay Packers. (History of the Green Bay Packers, 2006) The Acme Packing Company bought out the Indian Packing Company two years later in 1921, and the Packers applied to be a part of the new American Professional Football Association. (“Green Bay Packers”, 2006)

     The Chicago Bears were established as the Decatur Staleys of Decatur, Illinois, in 1919. The Decatur Staleys were backed by the A.E Staley Company, which hired George Halas and Edward Sternaman to lead the team in 1920. (“Chicago Bears”, 2006) On September 17, 1920, George Halas went to Canton, Ohio with representatives from other football teams to form the American Professional Football Association, of which the Decatur Staleys was one of the inaugural members. After moving the Decatur Staleys to Chicago in 1921, Halas and Sternaman bought the ownership from the A.E. Staley Company for one hundred dollars. Staley gave Halas $5,000 to maintain the company name for one year, and by 1922 it was renamed the Chicago Bears to rival the name of the local baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. (“History by Decades”, n.d.)

Financial Performance

     The early years of both teams were plagued with financial difficulties. After $18,000 of losses in 1932, Sternaman sold his share of the Bears to Halas, and the team has been privately run by the Halas family ever since. Only ten years earlier the Packers were faced with a combination of low funds, rained out games, and penalties for using college players. These circumstances led to their current form of ownership; they are the only small-town, publicly owned football franchise. There have been four stock sales since the 1923 decision to be publicly owned, leading to 111,967 shareholders with 4,750,925 shares. No one owner can own more than 200,000 shares to prevent takeover, and the stock will never appreciate, pay out dividends or give rights to season tickets. (“Stock & Financial”, n.d.)

     The local, small-town support of the Packers can be shown in numbers. The Green Bay Packers have the nation’s smallest market, while the Chicago Bears are the third largest market. The National Football League (NFL) deems that the market numbers should be in the millions to qualify for team representation, but with a population around 300,000, the Packers stand up financially to the Bears. As of August, 31, 2006, Forbes reported the Packers being worth $911 million while the Bears are worth $945 million. Although the Bears net worth is higher than the Packers, they also have a higher debt-to-value percentage of twenty-percent, while the Packers are more financially sound at only five-percent. (“NFL Team Valuations”, 2006)

Fan Support

     The financial success of any professional sports team is highly dependent upon the support of its fans. Without the fanatics buying merchandise, filling luxury boxes, buying season tickets and buying individual game tickets, franchises would not survive. The Packers and Bears both have large, loyal fan bases that would be the envy of many other professional teams.

      The Green Bay Packers are known for having die-hard fans. Many dedicated Packer fans are crazy about the team, and there are a few who stand out as being exceptionally crazy. Each year since 1998, the Green Bay Packers have added an exceptional fan into their Fan Hall of Fame. Those nominated are the people who stand out among the “regular fans”; fans who sit at home to watch the game, and those who go as far as body painting only to stand in the freezing temperatures for a game.

     Kathy Lazzaro, the inductee for 2005, is a 60-year-old woman from Milwaukee who never misses a game. It is said that her home is a complete shrine to the Packers. She never misses a home game, not even when her husband died five years ago. Kathy felt that her husband would have wanted her to be at the game. She never leaves the TV during a game. (“Kathy Lazzaro”, 2005)

     Dorothy Hanke of Milwaukee, 2004’s inductee, is just as crazy about the Packers. Dorothy prefers to watch the games at home, which does not make her any less of a fan. She makes it a point to teach all of her family members about football. It is a rule that family gatherings must wait to take place until after the game. On Sundays after church, she literally rushes through the door to get home for a noon game. She then surrounds herself with her lucky Packers items, including a Packer rock she rubs when the score is down. (“Dorothy Hanke”, 2004)

     Perhaps one of the most infamous Packer fans is Ralph Bruno. Ralph is the creator of the Cheesehead. After the Bears victory in Super Bowl XX, Illinois fans started to call Wisconsinites “cheese heads.” (“Cheesehead”, 2006) Ralph then destroyed his sofa by ripping out some foam, painting it yellow, and creating the cheese hat that is so well-known today. He first wore his Cheesehead hat to a Brewers and White Sox game in 1987, and the hat was a hit. Ralph then got the idea to market the hat, and today there are numerous Cheesehead products such as ties, jewelry and cup holders. The hat has since become a symbol for the Green Bay Packers and their fans.

     The Chicago Bears fans are every bit as loyal and eccentric. Bears fans brave the harsh cold to cheer on their team as well. Fans have made a tradition of tailgating each game day outside of Soldier Field. Fans who cannot make the games typically meet at local bars to enjoy the game together.

     An unknown man dubbed “Rocky” is revered as one of the Bears craziest fans. He wore a Bears jersey, carried a megaphone, and started chants at many games during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He in essence became an unofficial mascot. No one knows who “Rocky” really was, and he disappeared from Soldier Field in the early 1990s. It is presumed that he lived in Northwest Indiana. (Taylor, 2005)

     Don Wachter, aka “Bearman”, was another die-hard fan who became an unofficial mascot. Don is a long-time season ticket holder that wrote to the Bears in 1955, asking them if he could be of assistance on the field cheering the team and the crowd on. “Bearman” ran across the field waving a giant Bears flag during player introductions and after each touchdown. His costume consisted of face paint, bear arms and head and a number 46 jersey. Don unfortunately had to return to the status of regular fan when Stanley Da Bear was introduced in 2003. (Taylor, 2005)

     Season Ticket Holders. Large and loyal fan bases create a high demand for season tickets. Season tickets for the Green Bay Packers are extremely difficult to get with every game being sold out since the 1960s. (“Season Tickets”, 2006) The Packers have one of the longest waiting lists for season tickets in professional sports. The list was composed of about 71,500 people as of early 2006. When being added to the waiting list, a person can look forward to waiting approximately 35 years for those tickets. Many Packer fans even designate who will get their tickets in their wills.

     Chicago Bears season tickets are divided into two groups, Permanent Seat License (PSL), and Non-Permanent Seat License (Non-PSL). Ticket buyers can pay a one-time fee that gives them control of the rights to the season ticket for a specific seat. These PSL seats usually sell out. The Non-PSL seats do not usually sell out for a season, but there is a waiting list. (“Tickets & Stadium”, 2006)

Comparing the Coaches

     The fans may be a big part of a team’s success, but it is also important to look at the backbone of the teams: the coaches. A trip back in history reveals many well-known names for both the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. The Bears have had eleven head coaches since their start in 1920, while the Packers have had fourteen as illustrated below in Table 1.
Table 1:
Coaches Throughout History
Green Bay Packers                 
Earl (Curly) Lambeau* 1921-49
Gene Ronzani 1950-53
Lisle Blackbourn 1954-57
Ray McLean 1958
Vince Lombardi* 1959-67
Phil Bengtson 1968-70
Dan Devine 1971-74
Bart Starr* 1975-83
Forrest Gregg* 1984-87
Lindy Infante 1988-91
Mike Holmgren 1992-98
Ray Rhodes 1999
Mike Sherman 2000-05
Mike McCarthy 2006-

Chicago Bears
George Halas* 1920-29
Ralph Jones 1930-32
George Halas* 1933-42
Hank Anderson, Luke Johnson 1942-45
George Halas* 1946-55
John “Paddy” Driscoll* 1956-57
George Halas* 1958-67
Jim Dooley 1968-71
Abe Gibron 1972-74
Jack Pardee 1975-77
Neill Armstrong 1978-81
Mike Ditka* 1982-92
Dave Wannstedt 1993-98
Dave Wannstedt 1993-98
Dick Jauron 1999-03
Lovie Smith 2004-
* Member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame From http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.html
     The Packers’ head coach Vince Lombardi is considered an NFL legend, and has even had the Super Bowl trophy named after him since 1971. Notable interesting facts about Vince Lombardi include: named NFL Man of the Decade (1960s), never had a losing season as a head coach and was named ESPN Coach of the Century in 2000. The Packers also had Bart Starr as a memorable player and coach. He was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowls I and II, and was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1977. (Alder, 2006)
     The Bears also have some memorable coaches in their history. Mike Ditka coached the team for ten years. In 1988, he was the first tight end inducted into Professional Football Hall of Fame. George Halas was also an outstanding coach for the Chicago Bears, with highlights such as: voted NFL Coach of the Year twice (1963 and 1965), won 320 games as an NFL head coach, coached the Chicago Bears to a 73-0 win over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL title game and won six NFL championships as a head coach. (Alder, 2006)
Statistical Comparisons
     The success of the coaches can be judged by the success their teams have on the field, and by the accomplishments of their players. A comparison of two professional football franchises could not be done without a basic statistical analysis of their success over the years. Success can be measured by, among other things, win and loss record, members of the Professional Football Hall of Fame, annual most outstanding player awards, and championships won. The Bears have the advantage in win and loss record (“Packers All-Time Records”, n.d., “Records: All-Time Series”, n.d.) and members of the Hall of Fame (“Hall of Famers by Franchise”, n.d.) and the Packers have the advantage in Most Valuable Player Awards (“NFL Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year”, n.d.). However, the goal of every team is to qualify for the playoffs and ultimately win the championship.

    The Packers have the advantage when playoff win/loss records are compared, and also in total championships won. The Packers’ overall playoff record is 24-14, for a .632 winning percentage. (“Playoff Games”, n.d.) The Bears playoff record is 14-15, for a .483 winning percentage. (Records: All-Time Series”, n.d.) The Packers have won a total of twelve National Football League championships, including three Super Bowls, while the Bears have won nine NFL championships, including one Super Bowl. (‘NFL Champions (1920-Present)”, n.d.) The edge in total championships and the large advantage in the playoffs winning percentage, show that the Packers have been the more successful postseason franchise on the field.

Summary

     This report has analyzed the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears in the four following areas: financial performance, fan support, success of Hall of Fame coaches, and a statistical comparison of championships won. In terms of financial performance, the Packers have the advantage. Despite the higher net worth of the Bears, the Packers have a much smaller debt-to-value percentage while operating as a publicly owned franchise in the nation’s smallest professional sports market. The Packers also have the advantage regarding fan support. They have shown great appreciation and tribute to their fans by inducting an exceptional fan into the FAN Hall of Fame each year. While the Packers’ season ticket waiting list has about 71,500 names, the Bears non-PSL season tickets usually are not sold out each year.

     When it comes to Professional Football Hall of Fame coaches, the Bears trio of George Halas, John Driscoll and Mike Ditka has not enjoyed the same success as the Packers quartet of Curly Lambeau, Vince Lombardi, Forrest Gregg and Bart Starr. Halas (five) and Ditka (one) combined for six total championships won as coaches, while Lambeau (six), Lombardi (five), Gregg (zero) and Starr (zero) have combined for 11. Finally, the ultimate success of a football team is defined by whether or not it wins the Championship. The Packers have done this twelve times, including three times in the Super Bowl, while the Bears have won nine, including one Super Bowl. Thus, the edge in championships goes to the Packers.

Conclusions & Recommendations

       The Packers have the superior performance in all four areas discussed in this report. They have the superior financial performance considering their success in a small market, superior fan support and recognition with their season ticket waiting list and FAN Hall of Fame, better coaching success from their Hall of Fame coaches in terms of their championships won, and have won more overall championships. As they have the advantage in all four areas covered in this report, the superior franchise is the Green Bay Packers.

Works Cited

Alder, J. (n.d.). Legends of the Game. Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://football.about.com/od/legends/index_a.htm

Birth of a Team and a Legend. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://packers.com/history/birth_of_a_team_and_a_legend.

Cheesehead. (n.d.) Retrieved November 4, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesehead

Chicago Bears. (2006, November 4). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Bears.

Dorothy Hanke Named Seventh Honoree For Packers FAN Hall Of Fame. (2004, December 14). Retrieved November 1, 2006, from http://www.packers.com/news/releases/2004/12/17/1/.

Green Bay Packers. (2006, November 2). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Bay_Packers.

Hall of Famers by Franchise. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.html

History by Decades. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/HistorybyDecades.html.

History of the Green Bay Packers. (2006, November 2). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Green_Bay_Packers.

Kathy Lazzaro Named Eighth Member Of Packers FAN Hall Of Fame. (2005, December 15). Retrieved November 1, 2006, from http://www.packers.com/news/releases/ 2005/12/16/1/.

National Football League Championships History. (2006, November 2). Retrieved November 2, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_/League_/championships#List_of_NFL_champions.

NFL Champions (1920-Present). (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/a/nflchampions.htm.

NFL Team Valuations. (2006, August 31). Retrieved November 4, 2006, from http://www.forbes.com/lists.

NFL Most Valuable Player/Player of the Year. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/l/bl_awardsmvp.htm.

Packers All-Time Records. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://www.packers.com/history/record_book/results_and_rosters/all_time_records/.

Records: All-Time Series. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://assets.chicagobears.com/assets/tradition/2006_seriesrecords.pdf

Season Tickets. (n.d) Retrieved November 4, 2006 from http://www.packers.com/tickets/season_tickets/

Stock & Financial History. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2006, from http://www.packers.com/history/fast_facts/stock_history/.

Taylor, R. The Honey Bears, “Rocky”, and “Bearman”. (2005). Retrieved November 5, 2006, from http://www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx.

Tickets & Stadium. (2006, October 10). Retrieved November 3, 2006, from http://www.chicagobears.com/tickets/.

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 3rd, 2007 at 3:47 pm and is filed under School. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.