Report: Chicago Fire considering name change, Soldier Field return

The Chicago Fire are considering revising the team name and moving back downtown to Soldier Field, sources told ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle.

Local attorney James Vlahakis claims there are plans afoot for the Eastern Conference side to drop Fire from its moniker and rebrand as Chicago City Football Club. One source told ESPN FC that no such decision has been made.

As for SeatGeek Stadium - formerly Toyota Park - the expected mass redevelopment of the area since the Fire took residence in 2006 hasn't occurred, so the site has been a huge financial drain for the venue owner, the Village of Bridgeview. The ground's location 15 miles southwest of downtown Chicago has also struggled to draw fans.

The Fire played at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, between 1998-2001 and 2003-2005. A move to the 61,500-seat stadium would place the Major League Soccer franchise in an easier-to-access location and hopefully make the club more relevant in a city with two MLB teams and one each in the NFL, NHL, and NBA.