It is being reported that the Chicago Bulls recently won approval for a Development League team in the suburb of Hoffman Estates. And according to Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson, the team will begin playing in the 2016-17 season.
While the lease has not been finalized as of yet, the D-League affiliate team is expected to play 24 home games at the Sears Centre from November through April. The pending agreement is for five years, but offers additional renewal options up to 15 years.
This is a good news for suburban fans who don’t normally get a chance to attend Bulls games, as Ben Gibson, general manager of the Sears Centre told the Daily Herald:
"“There’s a lot of Bulls fans out here that either don’t have time to go downtown or don’t have the financial wherewithal so this will be a great option,” Gibbs said. “We know there’s an under-served market here, we see it at all the family shows, we always a good turnout so we assume that if you’re a basketball fan at any level that you’d want to check out what this team’s doing. We think the product will be great, it’s family-friendly, its affordable, it’s a great brand name and when you put those three things together its hard to miss.”"
Bill McLeod, the mayor of Hoffman Estates was just as happy about the Bulls having a D-League team in the area and added this sentiment:
"“It’s been a great pleasure working with the Chicago Bulls organization over the last quite a few months. I think it will be a good fit for both the Chicago Bulls and the village of Hoffman Estates and the Sears Centre arena.”"
So from a business standpoint, having a team in the suburb allows for branding and outreach opportunities within the local community. Another added bonus is that it will allow players such as Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio, who have not seen a lot of floor time up to this point, the opportunity to stay in game shape by participating in D-League games while still being able to practice with the Bulls.
Next: NBA: 15 Players Who Need To Bust Out Of Shooting Slumps
In addition to being able to develop their young players, the Bulls will also be able to send injured players to the unnamed affiliate to help them rehab their injuries. Simply put, the situation is a win-win scenario for all parties involved, especially for the fans who would not normally have a chance to see Bulls players in action.
Add us as a preferred source on Google