People Ban: IL Soldier Field

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Smoking banned at Bears home games

August 1, 2007
By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah | Tribune staff reporter
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A puff on a stogie—a quintessential part of Da Bears subculture—has been snuffed out at Soldier Field.

Bears officials announced Wednesday that a smoking ban will go into effect starting Aug. 25. The new rule follows a state law passed last month that prohibits smoking in indoor public venues like sports arenas.

Smoking areas have been limited inside the stadium for a while now. When the newly renovated Soldier Field reopened in 2003, the stadium bowl was smoke free. Smokers, back then, were allowed to light up in six designated areas.

Under the new ban, there will be no designated smoking areas inside or outside the stadium. And those who exit Soldier Field for a quick smoke won’t be allowed back inside.

With more than 61,000 fans visiting on game day, it would be difficult to monitor people re-entering and prevent them from passing tickets to others, Soldier Field General Manager Tim LeFevour said.

Count on the new no-smoking policy to be strictly enforced. Ushers and security guards will be the ones cracking down on smokers.

First-time violators will be asked to hand over their ticket for a “smoking card.” If they refuse, they’ll be shown the exit.

If a smoking card holder gets caught a second time, that person, too, will be asked to leave the building. Repeat offenders stand to lose their season-ticket privileges.

The stadium’s staff has not yet received any calls on the ban, LeFevour said. But on a Bears message forum, some fans grumbled over the new rules.

One fan said that after 55 years of rooting for the Bears, he would not attend another game at Soldier Field.

The Chicago Park District, which owns the stadium, was in talks with Bears officials to make the stadium smoke-free before the statewide ban became law, parks spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner said.

“I don’t think this will come as a shock to anyone,” she said. “It’s very much what entertainment venues and restaurants have been moving toward in the entire city.”

Chicago’s smoking ban went into effect in January 2006, affecting public areas like CTA train platforms and bingo halls. Free-standing bars and restaurants with bar areas had been given until July 1 of next year to eliminate smoking.

Bears officials said that while they want to give fans a great experience, they have no choice but to follow the law.

Illinois’ smoking ban, which was signed into law July 23, will go into effect across the state Jan. 1. It prohibits smoking in workplaces, bars, restaurants, casinos and bowling alleys and within 15 feet of entrances or open windows of buildings where smoking is not allowed.

Park officials decided that it would be easier to begin the new season with the ban in place, rather than switching in the middle of the season. Bears officials will be sending letters to all season ticket holders reminding them of the new policy. The ban will be announced in the fan guide and on stadium signs and video boards.
nahmed@tribune.com

PRESS RELEASES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPORTS MOVEMENT
August 01, 2007

Chicago Bears
SMOKING AT ALL CHICAGO BEARS HOME GAMES TO BE PROHIBITED
LAKE FOREST, IL — In order to be compliant with the Smoke-Free Illinois Act, smoking will be prohibited at Soldier Field during all Chicago Bears home games beginning with the preseason contest on August 25 versus the San Francisco 49ers.?
There will be no designated smoking areas inside or outside of Soldier Field and re-entry is prohibited for those who choose to exit the stadium premises to smoke. Violators of the strictly enforced policy are subject to ejection from the stadium; repeated violations can result in the loss of a patron’s personal seat license and forfeiture of season ticket privileges.?

S3 ushers and Monterrey Security officers will be enforcing the new smoke-free policy.? First-time violators of the smoking policy will be asked to exchange their ticket for a “Smoking Card.”? Any patron refusing to exchange his or her ticket will be ejected from the stadium.? If a patron with a smoking card is then smoking in the stadium for a second time, he or she will be ejected.?

To help communicate the policy change to fans the Chicago Bears will be sending out a letter to all season ticket holders. Also the policy change will be noted in the Fan Guide, stadium signage and announcements, videoboard and LED board messages, the team’s official website, sponsorship promotional stadium giveaways and comments by on-air talent.

The Illinois Smoke Free Act passed the State Legislature during the beginning of the month of July and it was signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Monday, July 23. The act bans smoking in indoor public venues, workplaces inside and outside such as bars, restaurants, casinos and bowling alleys, sports arenas that are “enclosed or partially enclosed”, and smoking within 15 feet of entrances or open windows of buildings where smoking has been banned. The ban will become effective on Jan. 1, 2008, but the policy will be implemented for all Bears games at Soldier Field this season, rather than change the policy for any potential home playoff contests in January of 2008.

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