Which teams could score under state bill that would ban stadium subsidies for losing teams?

You don’t have to read past the title of state Rep. Bob Morgan’s legislation — the Balanced Earnings And Record Standards & Stadium Oversight Expectations Act — to know which Chicago sports teams he’s talking about.

The Deerfield Democrat is calling his bill “The BEARS Act.” He almost has an acronym for “Sox,” too, but “expectations” is close enough.

Ownership for the Bears and White Sox have asked legislators for billions in public subsidies to help pay for new stadiums. And though they struck out on their initial pitches last year, Morgan proposes changes to the rule book that would make scoring public dollars even more of a long shot this legislative session.

House Bill 2969 would tie any professional sports team’s request for state or local government financing for stadium construction, renovation or maintenance to the team’s on-field performance, requiring at least a .500 record in three out of the last five regular seasons.

For the Bears, who haven’t hit that mark since the 2020-21 season, it’s a no.

Same for the Sox, who set the Major League Baseball record for most losses in a single season last year.

They went .500 in 2022, and had winning records the previous two years, but 2020 was a pandemic-shortened season and thus not a “regular” season as defined in the legislation, Morgan said.

The Bulls and Blackhawks wouldn’t be eligible, either, though they’re not asking for any upgrades to the privately owned United Center they share. (The teams last week got Chicago City Council zoning approval for a privately financed $7 billion plan to transform the area surrounding the stadium with a music hall, hotel, housing and green space.)

The Cubs and the Sky — who won the WNBA Championship in 2021 — do meet the bill’s eligibility requirements, but seem to have settled in at their homes. The Cubs’ owners were rejected by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel for help with their $550 million face-lift of Wrigley Field, but now want Mayor Brandon Johnson’s help to tighten security in and around the historic ballpark to host the 2027 All-Star Game. And after departing Rosemont’s Allstate Arena in 2017, the Sky now rent out Wintrust Arena in the South Loop.

The Chicago Stars — of the National Women’s Soccer League — would also be eligible under Morgan’s bill. The team has a lease at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview through this year, but owners — which include Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts — have asked state lawmakers for a seat at the table in discussions about new publicly funded stadiums.

The BEARS Act, filed Feb. 6, is still in the House Rules Committee — where legislation often goes to die in Springfield. But Morgan denies filing of the bill was a stunt, saying he’s received more positive feedback on it from colleagues and constituents than almost any other piece of legislation he’s sponsored since he was elected six years ago.

He hopes to move the bill this spring.

“The fact we’ve had this conversation over the last year, where in particular the Bears and the White Sox continue to come to Springfield with hat in hand, is why this legislation was so necessary,” Morgan said. “If we’re going to talk about financial priorities for taxpayer dollars, this is not going to be in the top 50 of priorities. And if at some point we’re going to have a conversation about supporting sports teams, let’s support winning teams like the Chicago Sky and Chicago Red Stars — women’s teams who are investing in their own teams and winning.”

It’s been a year since Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf walked the corridors of the state Capitol to lobby lawmakers for a new ballpark at The 78 redevelopment in the South Loop.

Last April, Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren touted plans for a new domed stadium as part of a three-phased, $4.7 billion lakefront redevelopment. The NFL franchise has pledged $2.3 billion, but wants taxpayer help for the rest.

Warren hasn’t closed the door to developing the 326-acre Arlington Park property purchased by the team two years ago. Lawmakers similarly balked at overtures for a massive tax break that could make a $5 billion redevelopment in Arlington Heights happen.

A Bears spokesman declined to comment on Morgan’s bill. Though formal legislation hasn’t been filed in Springfield, the club has maintained its “focus” is on the lakefront.

Morgan, whose 58th District includes the Bears’ Halas Hall practice facility in Lake Forest, said he hasn’t talked to Bears brass since he filed the bill, or even when the team made its initial push for public subsidies in 2023.

“The response is consistent from all legislative leaders that this is not the right time to be talking about these kinds of issues, in terms of stadium rebuild that’s leveraging taxpayer money,” Morgan said. “And I don’t have any reason to think that’s going to change.”

Chicago sports team records

Chicago Bears: 5-12 (2024-25), 7-10 (2023-24), 3-14 (2022-23), 6-11 (2021-22), 8-8 (2020-21)

Chicago White Sox: 41-121 (2024), 61-101 (2023), 81-81 (2022), 93-69 (2021), 35-25 (2020)*, 72-89 (2019)

Chicago Cubs: 83-79 (2024), 83-79 (2023), 74-88 (2022), 71-91 (2021), 34-26 (2020)*, 84-78 (2019)

Chicago Bulls: 22-35 (2024-25)**, 39-43 (2023-24), 40-42 (2022-23), 46-36 (2021-22), 31-41 (2020-21), 22-43 (2019-20)*, 22-60 (2018-19)

Chicago Blackhawks: 17-32 (2024-25)**, 23-53 (2023-24), 26-49 (2022-23), 28-42 (2021-22), 24-25 (2020-21)*, 32-30 (2019-20)*, 36-34 (2018-19)

Chicago Sky: 13-27 (2024), 18-22 (2023), 26-10 (2022), 16-16 (2021), 12-10 (2020),* 20-14 (2019)

Chicago Stars: 10-2-14 (2024), 7-3-12 (2023), 9-6-7 (2022), 11-5-8 (2021), 14-2-8 (2019)

* = Pandemic-shortened season

** = Season in progress