Why Chicago Fire’s Title Caused Tons Of Confusion For Sports Fans In The Windy City

As one of NBC’s mainstay television dramas, “Chicago Fire” is the flagship installment of the One Chicago universe, the broadcast lineup that includes “Chicago P.D.” and “Chicago Med.” However, when the firefighting drama first premiered, there was some very localized confusion surrounding it. How could anyone be confused about the title? Well, sharing a name with a local sports team will make search engine optimization a nightmare, and spark some interesting conversation with the club that predated you for quite some time.

While Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide might be the face of “Chicago Fire” on NBC, for many in the Windy City, the Major League Soccer club, Chicago Fire FC, was the first thing that came to mind. The Chicago-based soccer club got its name from the infamous Great Chicago Fire of 1871, a historical event seared into the tapestry of the beloved Illinois community. It’s no wonder Kinney was consistently mistaken as someone from the “other” Chicago Fire when trying to bring Severide to life.

“If you [say], ‘We’re working on Chicago Fire,’ they ask if you’re a soccer player,” he quipped to the now-defunct RedEye (via The Chicago Tribune). Apparently, former MLS forward Chris Rolfe had the same trouble. “I think [it’s confusing],” Rolfe told the newspaper. “But I think it’s a good thing for the organization. If people are confused, at least it means they’re talking about the Fire.” That sentiment would only grow over time for both the soccer club and NBC’s fan-favorite drama.

When “Chicago Fire” — which just brought back Jack Lockett as Sam Carver — was gearing up for its series premiere, this conversation bubbled up to multiple levels of the production. Fortunately for the network and producer Dick Wolf, those discussions were positive. With heavy hitters in the Windy City like the National Football League (Chicago Bears), National Basketball Association (Chicago Bulls), the National Hockey League (Chicago Blackhawks), and two Major League Baseball teams (Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox), the Fire wouldn’t turn down any free publicity.

“There are plenty of potential opportunities,” former Chicago Fire president Julian Posada told the Chicago Tribune at the time. “We’re starting that dialog. We’re both working on the same thing — promoting in our own way.” Understandably, “Chicago Fire” producer and TV legend Dick Wolf shared a similar outlook. “I would hazard a guess it’s to our mutual benefit,” Wolf added. “All the soccer fans will tune in, and people outside of Chicago might know the soccer team, which I don’t think is really nationally top of the mind.”

With a brand-new stadium development freshly announced and a recent team-wide rebrand, the soccer club has embraced modern times. Perhaps that free advertising paid off after all. Likewise, NBC’s “Chicago Fire” is currently in its fourteenth season — with a new franchise-wide crossover underway — and remains a network favorite poised to keep audiences entertained when they’re not looking at scores or game highlights for their favorite Chicago team.