The Chicago Bulls' on-court product may not always be the most palatable experience for Bulls fans. Yet the franchise is consistent in creating fan experiences off the court that rise above the competition.
Whether it’s the emerging summertime tradition of Bulls Fest or the creative ways the franchise announces its regular season schedule on social media, the Bulls do put forth great effort to show appreciation to Bulls fans.
Case in point, an Easter egg within the Bulls' 2026 training camp media release is the announcement that the team will hold an open practice at Chicago’s Horner Park on Friday, Oct 2, 2026, between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. local time, as first reported by The Bigs' Drew Stevens.
The essence of Chicago basketball - the park
In a city like Chicago, pickup basketball in a park is a way of life. The common DNA of any Chicagoan who rose through the ranks of the sport of basketball, such as hometown frenemy Isiah Thomas, hometown hero and Bulls legend Derrick Rose, or crossover king Tim Hardaway Sr., is the mastering of their craft in playground hoops runs at Chicago city parks.
Horner Park. My freshman year at Gordon Tech we used to practice a few times on saturdays. If i remember correctly, the Bulls used to practice there too in the 80s. https://t.co/FivBQcxdi4
— Coach Corey Moses (@coachmoses) September 18, 2026
Another opportunity to refresh Bulls fan vibes
Giving Bulls fans another immersive experience to see Bulls players up close before the start of the 2026-27 NBA season is a wise tactic to supplement the positive energy the franchise captured via their 2026 NBA Draft luck in selecting forward Caleb Wilson fourth overall in the draft.
Bulls fans are starved and thirsty for a legitimate winning Bulls roster, and that’s not a realistic expectation for the 2026-27 Bulls; at the same time, the fans at least want to feel a meaningful connection to their NBA franchise.
Putting the players together with fans in an environment so integral to the culture of Chicago’s style of basketball is a well-orchestrated move to maximize Bulls fan enthusiasm for the upcoming season. One might imagine this experience being akin to a high school or college pep rally, and that dynamic is a great way to bolster the community connection among local Bulls fans.
What can’t be lost in this experience is the requisite accountability that Bulls players, coaches, management, and ownership should submit to Bulls fans when the 2026-27 NBA regular season tips off, to make earnest efforts to build a competitive, winning basketball team.
Otherwise, even the most well-intentioned Bulls fan event will look like shallow window dressing to hide basketball underachievement.
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