A few lower-level seats near the Bears sideline were going for less than $100 before fees, virtually unheard of in the team’s generally robust secondary ticket market.
Saturday is expected to be marginally warmer with slightly calmer wind, but the weather service is still warning of "life-threatening" temperatures and wind chills."It’s a badge of honor for guys like us to say, ‘Hey, screw it, let’s go,’" said Tim Shanley, who runs the Chicago Bears Tailgating Club. "We know what we’re doing, and we’re gonna do it. It’s like a conquering thing.
"You’ve gotta be prepared mentally and physically to stick it out," said Shanley, who recommends putting cardboard under your feet inside the stadium to ward off some of the cold from the concrete.That goes for the team on the other side of the football, too. Diane Wilczewski, a lifelong Bills fan who lives in La Porte, Indiana, said the cold is old hat for a team used to playing in the snow.
Fellow seasoned Soldier Field pros Brian Anderson and Mike Fates — who have been hosting tailgates in their "Halas Hauler" for the better part of two decades — agreed it comes down to preparation and persistence."And if the Bears are getting killed, you leave in the third quarter," Fates said.