A Few Soldier Field Fun Facts

The history of Soldier Field is arguably is one of the most fascinating of any stadium for any sport in the country. Soldier Field sits on Chicago lakefront where it currently plays host to the Chicago Bears, but in its past, it has seen many influential events in Chicago and American History.

Think you know everything about Soldier Field? Here are some fun facts about the history, events, and renovations of our beloved stadium, presented by SportsWorldChicago.com.

Facts You May Not Know About Soldier Field

We'll start with a few simple bits of information that you probably have heard before:

• Soldier Field is the oldest stadium still being used for NFL games. It was first built in 1924.
• The Bears actually didn't call the stadium home until 1971. Before that, the team shared Wrigley Field with the Cubs, as it was a common practice at the time for baseball and football teams to share playing surfaces.

The early years of Soldier Field were marked by huge events with record-setting crowds:

• 1926: 110,000 came out to watch the annual Army-Navy football game
• 1927: A crowd of 123,000 came to Soldier Field to see Notre Dame play USC, the largest crowd in college football history
• The next three decades would see Soldier Field events getting larger and larger, including a crowd of larger than 260,000 visiting the stadium for the Catholic Eucharistic Congress.

When the Bears moved in 1971, Soldier Field capacity was dropped to 57,000 in order to create better viewing opportunities for season ticket holders. The Bears first game at Soldier Field was a 17-15 win in front of a packed house of over 55,701. Here are some highlights of the Bears football era of Soldier Field:

• The Bears brought money into the stadium, which spurred plans for wide-spanning Soldier Field renovations in 1978. Upgrades included a new, AstroTurf playing surface (which was the fad of the time), rebuilt stadium seating, updated lighting, new locker rooms, and expanded capacity.
• By the end of the renovations, the Soldier Field capacity was 66,950.
• The Bears have won one NFL Championship since moving into Soldier Field, in 1986. During the glory days of Bears football during the 80s, few players were more influential than Walter Payton, the team's record-setting running back. Get your commemorative Walter Payton replica jersey, only at SportsWorldChicago.com.

Since this time, Soldier Field has continued to be a showcase for what an NFL stadium can and should be. From being recognized as an environmentally friendly structure to hosting one of the largest Grateful Dead concerts on the planet (212,000 came out to see the band's Fare Thee Well tour), there's no shortage of influence in Soldier Field's long history.

Honor Soldier Field the Right Way

Want to show your respect to the venue that hosted a Bears championship and countless winning seasons (with many more to come)? Go to SportsWorldChicago.com today and view a wide variety of memorabilia, from official Soldier Field artwork to cold weather gear so you can be prepared the next time you visit this historic stadium in Chicago's cold winters.

Want to learn more fun facts about your favorite Chicago teams? Check out or blog post written on the Wrigley Field Fun Facts, the History of Wrigley Field, and our Chicago Bears Fun Facts today!