ESPN’s next multi-part documentary, ‘We The Fans,’ follows Chicago Bears’ fans around for a season

After putting together a critically-acclaimed and award-winning multi-part documentary focusing on O.J. Simpson, ESPN is setting its sights on the fans of the Chicago Bears for its next big multi-part documentary effort. Titled We The Fans, the latest documentary will be aired in eight parts and follow fans of the Bears sitting in Soldier Field’s Section 250.

The new documentary followed fans of the Bears from the season opener through the offseason, and it brings the Chicago fan perspective from a number of different angles and experiences. In addition to following the life of a Bears fan on a typical Sunday at Soldier Field, cameras will go behind the scenes to see how fans continue their fandom during a family reunion, a wedding and more. While not mentioned, it would feel like there would be a terrific opportunity to follow Bears fans and their reactions when the Chicago Cubs were ending their World Series drought. The goal is to show how fans of all backgrounds come together to support the local NFL team, which feels like a story that could be told in most cities, not just in Chicago.

“ESPN excels at producing story-driven content and We The Fans uniquely showcases the creativity and collaborative spirit across several of our divisions,” said Chad Millman, vice president and editorial director, domestic digital content. “This multi-platform project gives us an opportunity to start a dialogue about fandom and opens the door to new possibilities with sections of fans nationwide.”

ESPN will provide unique content related to this documentary over its digital and print outlets as well, making this a full multi-platform experience. Here’s a trailer for it:

Considering how high the bar has been set by ESPN’s success with O.J.: Made in America, the expectations for this next multi-part documentary effort won’t be small. But how much national interest will there be in checking out the daily lives of Chicago Bears’ fans? As mentioned above, there may be some common stories that fans of any team may be able to relate, but following the lives of Bears’ fans over eight episodes doesn’t exactly sound like the kind of must-see TV that ESPN captured with its O.J. Simpson story. Who really has that much interest in everyday fans?

The nostalgia for O.J. Simpson was wild. The lives of Bears’ fans may need a little more push to draw viewers in.

We The Fans debuts on ESPN on April 11.

[ESPN Media Zone]