Section 243 at Soldier Field

(2026 Review) - Where it is: Second level of Soldier Field, sections 228–246.  Best shade in the house: Widely regarded as the best-shaded seats at Soldier Field, with the strongest overhead coverage near midfield.  Home side for Bears: This is the home sideline for Bears games, at an ideal height for seeing over the sideline players.  Concert caveat: For most concerts, the stage sits on the North end—skip sections 241–246 for their poor angle to the stage.  Who Should Sit Here  This zone is built for fans who want a comfortable, covered seat with a full view of the action. If you're attending on a hot day, in the rain, or when snow threatens, the overhead coverage makes Media Deck the smart pick. It suits Bears fans wanting the home side and Fire supporters who value an elevated, end-to-end sightline.  Media Deck Location & Layout  Media Deck spans sections 228–246 on the stadium's second level. Each section carries 6 to 12 rows, with the smaller sections positioned closest to midfield.  What You'll See  For Bears games, you're on the home side of the field with a great view of the whole field, and the seating height makes it easy to see over the players on the sideline. The same holds for Chicago Fire matches, where the elevation makes it easy to follow the play end to end. For most concerts, the stage is set on the North end per the Soldier Field Seating Chart. In that configuration, sections 241–246 have a poor angle to the stage.  Beating the Heat  The sections closest to midfield have excellent overhead coverage. On a hot day, sections 232–242 are ideal for staying out of the sun, and they'll keep you dry when rain or snow is in the forecast. 

- The media deck is the place to be if you are looking for decent views and good protection from the weather during a concert at Soldier Field. Located on the second tier of seating along the west sideline, sections here are also very small (no more than 12 rows in each) for easy access to and from the concourse. For the best protection from the elements, go with seats in Sections 232-242 where just about every row of seating is covered by the 300 level seats above. The coverage begins to get less extensive near the edges of the media deck, but if you stick to the upper rows you will have the best chance at being covered overhead. You can find some good views here, and most particularly in sections 240-241 which keep you close to a traditional end stage setup. However one word of caution is that some fans might comment that the views resemble tunnel vision due to the excellent coverage from the overhanging seating deck above. Luckily most performances don't feature extensive aerial pageantry, so you don't have to worry about missing much at all. 

- Fans looking for covered seating for a Chicago Fire game should look at tickets in the Media Deck. These cover section 228-246 and have great coverage from the 300 levels up above. The views to the game will be great as well. While not as close as 100 level sections, the Media Deck seats offer ideal raised views to the pitch. For the smallest sections look at sections 234-240 which are located at midfield and in front of the press box.