WEST ALLIS, Wis. — As the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers renew one of the NFL’s most storied rivalries Saturday night at Soldier Field, one West Allis bar owner is getting ready for a packed house.
Watch: Bears-Packers rivalry bar owner gears up for Saturday night football
It’s the game everyone is talking about. While many fans will make the trip to Chicago to watch the Packers face the Bears, others will stay closer to home to cheer on their teams.
Markus Gorsic, the owner of Da Bar, says there’s nothing that would keep him from being part of the rivalry — even as he recovers from recent surgery on his rotator cuff.
“It doesn’t matter if I lose a hand, if I lose a leg, if I lose ... I don’t care. If I’m alive, I’m going to be here ... I would never miss that game,” said Gorsic.
Gorsic lives for Bears-Packers football, and his bar reflects it. Da Bar is decked out in blue and orange and green and gold, featuring Packers and Bears blowups that have become popular photo spots.
“Fans come here and take pictures with them,” Gorsic said.
Inside, big screens are set up to showcase every moment of the game.
“This is a holiday. When Bears and Packers play, even in a regular season, for me, this is like a holiday,” Gorsic said.
Gorsic moved from Slovenia to Chicago in 1999, where he became a die-hard Bears fan. When he opened Da Bar in 2020, he made a point to welcome Packers fans as well — embracing the rivalry rather than dividing it.
“The Bears-Packers rivalry is a family. There’s nothing else,” Gorsic said.
With kickoff approaching, Gorsic expects the bar to be filled with fans from both sides. Although his recovery means he won’t be drinking or doing heavy lifting, he says maintaining a fun and respectful atmosphere is his top priority.
“In my bar, it’s always the rule: If you cross the line, and if you come to the point that you have to fight, you’re not allowed here. It’s just how it is. It’s all about fun,” Gorsic said.
While Gorsic is hoping for a Bears win, he says what matters most is a competitive game that brings fans together for one unforgettable night.
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