This Guy Is Suing The Bears So He Can Dress Like That On Soldier Field

By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 19, 2017 8:20PM

Russell Beckman (right) / Russell Beckman vs. Chicago Bear Football Club

Free-speech champion? Diehard fan with a masochistic streak? However you choose to cast Russell Beckman—a Green Bay Packers mega-fan living in Chicago—he's "plaintiff" as far as the Chicago Bears and the courts are concerned: Beckman is suing the team after they allegedly wouldn't allow him to wear his Packer regalia on the field during pregame events.

Beckman apparently earned the "perk" of being allowed to stand at the edge of the field before games while the opposing teams do their warmups. It's all part of something called "STH Experiences," extra little pseudo-enticements that the team offers to season-ticket holders. Beckman, who's bought season tickets since 2003, pulled the stunt of going full yellow-and-green while on the field for two consecutive seasons; but he got a stern no-no from the team last year. “No opposing team gear will be allowed," the team reportedly told him in an email.

Knowing some Bears fans (ahem), it seems like a bit of a reckless move on the part of Beckman, who is reportedly merely seeking the right to Cheesehead where he pleases, per the constitution, rather than any damages. But we say let the man troll, Bears. Not out of some sense of free-speech absolutism, but because this is the nature of pro-sports fandom and all its requisite ribbing.

Plus after these last several seasons, Bears fan should by now have developed a thick enough skin.

You can read more, including a copy of the lawsuit, at Crain's or at the Sun-Times, which first reported the story. Honestly, he sounds like a dude who just likes his team.