finance
Chicago's pro sports teams are handing small businesses a marketing playbook, here's what it means for you
From the Bears' 'Small Business All-Pros' to the Bulls' business summit, local teams are putting their marketing muscle behind neighborhood shops. Here’s how consumers can get involved.
How we reported this
The Chicago Bears and PNC are accepting applications through 11:59 pm CDT on July 29 for the 'Small Business All-Pros' program, which will give four winners a four-week marketing partnership during the 2026 season [1][2].
For Chicago residents who shop local, that means four neighborhood businesses will get the kind of TV time, in-stadium signage and social-media promotion that usually costs six figures. The program is free to enter, and you don't need to be a fancy Loop boutique, Tati's Floral on the South Side and Chocolat Uzma in Pilsen are the kind of shops that have been featured in similar University of Chicago Polsky Center spotlights [3].
Why this matters for shoppers and neighbors
The Bears aren't the only Chicago team trying to throw a spotlight on small business. The Chicago Bulls, during their 2024-25 season, ran a feature that highlighted businesses making a positive community impact and hosted a 'Bulls Business Summit' specifically aimed at boosting Black and Brown-owned businesses [5].
The city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection has also been pushing resources, with National Small Business Week typically held in late April to early May, though the application deadline for the Bears program lands squarely in late July [4][9][10].
So what's the takeaway for an everyday consumer? If you've ever walked past a mom-and-pop shop in Bronzeville or Humboldt Park and wondered how they afford to market themselves, the answer increasingly is: they don't have to foot the bill alone. The teams are doing it for them, often for free.
Who's eligible and how to apply
The Bears are accepting applications online now through July 29 at 11:59 pm CDT [2]. Four winners will be selected for the four-week marketing partnership during the 2026 season [1]. There's no cost to apply, and the program is run in partnership with PNC [1][6].
Beyond the Bears, the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago has been running its own Small Business Spotlights, profiling local entrepreneurs like Tati's Floral, which operates on the South Side, and Chocolat Uzma, based in Pilsen [3]. Those profiles don't come with stadium signage, but they do give shops exposure to the university's network.
For residents, the practical advice is simple: if you know a local shop that could use a marketing boost, or if you own one yourself, the Bears' application window is open now. And even if you don't win, the attention around these programs is itself a reminder that Chicago's major sports franchises are actively looking for neighborhood businesses to feature. The Bulls have already shown that interest with their own summit and season-long spotlight [5].
The city's BACP, meanwhile, keeps an ongoing list of business-support resources year-round, with National Small Business Week acting as a annual push point for workshops and networking [9][10].
None of this replaces a solid business plan or a good product. But for a small shop scraping by on word-of-mouth, a four-week marketing partnership with the Bears could be the difference between a slow summer and a packed fall.
This article is general information only and is not personal financial or investment advice. Consider your own circumstances and seek licensed professional advice before making financial decisions.