Fans at Wrigley Field broke into a “Green Bay Sucks” chant during a rain delay Monday night, as the Cubs and White Sox played the second leg of this year’s Crosstown Classic series. Cubs and Sox supporters rarely find common ground, but hatred of the Packers cut through that divide once again.
What Happened During Monday’s Rain Delay at Wrigley Field
As rain swept through Wrigleyville, fans gathered behind home plate for the ballpark’s “Tarps Off” tradition, mostly shirtless and singing along to stadium staples like “Seven Nation Army” and “Dancing Queen.”
Somewhere in the mix, the crowd shifted into “Bear Down, Chicago Bears,” then “Green Bay Sucks.”
It’s the second time this year Cubs and White Sox fans have united behind the chant.
Back in May, the same moment played out at Guaranteed Rate Field during the first Crosstown series of the season, when a foul ball struck the home-plate umpire and fans filled the stoppage with chants of their own.
Why This Rivalry Suddenly Has Teeth Again
For over a decade, this wasn’t much of a rivalry at all.
The Bears went 5-25 against Green Bay between 2011 and 2023, a stretch so lopsided that Packers fans stopped expecting a fight.
That changed when Caleb Williams arrived in 2024 and Chicago beat Green Bay in the season finale, snapping a six-year drought against their oldest rival.
The turnaround accelerated once Ben Johnson took over as head coach. Johnson made his dislike for the Packers and their coach, Matt LaFleur, clear from the jump.
The Bears backed it up with an overtime win at Soldier Field on a Williams-to-D.J.-Moore touchdown, then a stunning 31-27 playoff comeback from a 21-3 deficit.
How the Rest of the League Reacted
The May chant traveled well beyond Chicago at the time, with Pro Football Network’s Tanner Cappellini rounding up reactions from across social media, including Wisconsin-based editor Dave Radcliffe, who framed it as proof the Packers live rent-free in Chicago’s head.
Even Milwaukee got pulled in. Brewers players Joey Ortiz and Trevor Megill were asked about the chants after hearing them from their own dugout, and the team posted a tongue-in-cheek video dedicating a win “to the beautiful city of Green Bay.”
Monday’s rain-delay repeat suggests this has become less a one-off moment and more a running bit.
The Betting and Fan Interest Angle
This isn’t just noise for Bears bettors and fantasy managers tracking Chicago’s trajectory.
A fanbase this locked in on a division rival, weeks before kickoff, tends to translate into inflated ticket demand and lopsided public betting on Bears-Packers spreads once lines open.
Sharp bettors should expect Chicago to draw more public money against Green Bay than the numbers alone would justify, given how personal this rivalry has become across multiple Chicago fan bases, not just football season ticket holders.
What Happens Next for Bears-Packers
Chicago and Green Bay meet twice in 2026, first on October 11 and again on Christmas Day.
Both dates carry extra weight now that the Bears have flipped the emotional script after years of one-sided results.
Expect the chants heard at Wrigley this week to sound a lot louder, and a lot more organized, once the regular season actually kicks off in September.
