BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears will hold training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in east-central Illinois into the next decade.
The team and school announced a nine-year deal Monday. The Bears have been at the university in Bourbonnais (bur-boh-NAY') since 2002. This season the Bears have housed their weight room, indoor walk-throughs and personnel meetings at the campus' new Student Life Recreation Center. The school plans to update practice fields and renovate locker rooms and training facilities in coming years.
About 100,000 fans visit Chicago Bears training camp every summer. Officials said the biggest crowd since 2002 was Sunday, when about 20,000 fans came to see camp.
Camp lasts for three weeks. It has a children's area, team shop, concerts and autograph sessions.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press