Whenever the Super Bowl comes around we think of the NFL's past and the great history that surrounds this game we love. We think of the Hall of Fame players, great teams, and historic performances. While thinking of that history you can’t ignore teams that either moved cities or simply dissolved. One of those teams that moved were the Chicago Cardinals, which moved to St. Louis and are now in Arizona, and in Super Bowl XLIII. Chicago Mayor Daley recently said “We should have a second team in Chicago”, but is it possible and is it even a good idea?

Before I make my case for whether Chicago should have two NFL teams or not, let’s look at both sides of this debate.

Arguments Against: Chicago Sun Times writer Neil Hayes contends that it would take generations, if ever, for Chicago to embrace a second NFL team. Here are the other questions that Neil Hayes has to add to this debate:

Who would invest in a stadium in Chicago? Would fans buy the tickets necessary to fill it? Even if the Bears were forced to share Soldier Field, would there be enough support from the corporate community to sell the luxury suites necessary to make such a team viable?

I agree with Hayes that the biggest problem surrounding a second windy city team would be gaining fan support in a die hard Bears fan haven. Whether Chicago acquired a current NFL franchise or started an expansion team, fan support would still be the biggest issue.

Arguments For: The Mayor of Chicago is behind it, and that’s a start. The Chicago Cardinals played at Comiskey Park, which could solve the temporary problem of a new team not having a stadium to play in. Chicago is thought of as, if not the best, one of the top football markets in the world. Chicago loves the Bears, and is hungry for more football. Population continues to grow, which is always a positive for new sports teams. New revenue for the city of Chicago and for the NFL would also be a positives for both parties.

Opinion: Yes, Chicago should have another NFL team. The Chicago sports market is a very lucrative one that should be taken advantage of by the city and the NFL. The Chicago Bears sell out every game and have a long waiting list for season tickets. There is no doubt in my mind that if Chicago brought in another NFL team, they would sell tickets and eventually gain support from the city and the state of Illinois.

To answer the questions raised by Neil Hayes; Investors for a new stadium would come with time. The new team would play their games either at Soldier field (sharing with the Bears obviously), or at Comiskey until there would be a demand and enough support to build a new stadium. Fans would immediately buy tickets for the new team. Even with the tough economy the NFL is at its best and fans are still coming to the games in high numbers. In a market like Chicago, I don’t think there would ever be a problem filling up seats for a NFL contest. As far as the luxury suites are concerned, those may need to be discounted for the first year or so, but the big wigs of Chicago would be sure to purchase suites for a NFL team in Chicago.

It might not happen anytime soon, but I think a second NFL team in Chicago is a good idea, and would benefit both the city and the NFL.