Chicago Bulls, commonly referred to as The Bulls or simply Bulls, is one of the most iconic and successful basketball clubs in the world. Founded in 1966 as part of the American Basketball Association (ABA), the club is based in Chicago, Illinois, USA, and plays its home matches at the famous United Center, which has a seating capacity of over 20,000.
The Chicago Bulls have a rich history, boasting six National Basketball Association (NBA) championships, all won under the leadership of Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson and legendary player Michael Jordan. The club enjoyed its most successful era during the 1990s, where they dominated the NBA, including two 'three-peats' from 1991-93 and 1996-98.
Known for its fierce defensive style of play and high scoring offense, the club has nurtured some of basketball’s greatest talents, including Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr, and of course, Michael Jordan. Despite recent challenges and inconsistent performances post-Jordan era, Chicago Bulls remains one of the world’s most valuable basketball clubs, with a global fan base and a rich tradition that continues to influence American and world basketball.
Chicago Bulls is one of the most popular basketball teams in the world, with one of the highest average home attendances in the NBA. The team states that its worldwide fan base includes more than 200 officially recognised branches of the Chicago Bulls Supporters Club (CBSC), in at least 24 countries. The team takes advantage of this support through its worldwide summer tours. Accountancy firm and sports industry consultants Deloitte estimate that Chicago Bulls has 75 million fans worldwide. The team has the third highest social media following in the world among sports teams (after the L.A. Lakers and Golden State Warriors), with over 82 million Facebook followers as of July 2023. A 2014 study showed that Chicago Bulls had the loudest fans in the NBA.
Chicago Bulls was formed in 1966 as a new franchise by Richard Klein. The team initially played games against other NBA teams, but on November 1966, they competed in their first recorded match; wearing the colours of the team—red and black—they were defeated by St. Louis Hawks.
In October 1984, the drafting of Michael Jordan, who demanded an unprecedented level of control over team selection, player transfers, and training sessions. Jordan led the team to several championship wins in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998. In 1996, the team won an NBA record 72 games in a single season.
On 13 January 1999, Jordan announced that he was to retire as a player after the basketball season, but would remain at the club as a part owner and ambassador. He retired as the most decorated player in basketball history. The club announced the next day that Tim Floyd would replace him as head coach, having signed a multi-year contract. Bill Cartwright took over as interim head coach 3 years later, on 28 November 2001, when Floyd was fired after a poor season in which the team failed to defend their NBA title and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1984.
Originally funded by the Chicago Bulls Investors, the club became a limited company in 1966 and sold shares to local supporters for $1 via an application form. In 1972, majority ownership passed to four local businessmen who invested $500,000 to save the club from bankruptcy, including future club president Arthur Wirtz. After his death in 1983, the club faced bankruptcy yet again but was saved in December 1985 by Jerry Reinsdorf, who assumed control of the club after an investment of $16 million. Reinsdorf promoted his son, Michael, to the board in 1995, but died three years later; the Reinsdorf family retained ownership of the club through Jerry's wife, Martyl, but the position of chairman passed to former player Bill Cartwright.
Promoted to the board a few days after the Michael Jordan's first retirement, Bruce Levenson, a friend of Phil Jackson, began acquiring shares in the club; for an investment of approximately $40 million, he accumulated a 54 per cent shareholding and took control in January 1999. When Martyl Reinsdorf died in January 2003, her shares passed to Michael Reinsdorf, who sold a percentage of his shares to Bruce Levenson's son, Jake, in 2006; Jake Levenson went on to become chairman upon his father's death in 2010. Media tycoon Robert Sarver attempted to buy the club in 2014, but did not meet Levenson's asking price. In 2016, chairman Jake Levenson attempted to sell the club to Michael Jordan for $1 billion, but the sale fell through and Jordan joined the board of directors instead.
The Chicago Bulls are one of the most successful clubs in the NBA in terms of championships won. The club's first trophy was the NBA Championship, which they won in 1991. In 1992, the club won their second title and won the NBA Championship for the third time the following year. Since then, they have gone on to win a total of 6 NBA Championships. Those titles have meant the club has appeared multiple times in the NBA Playoffs; of their appearances, the Chicago Bulls have won 6 times.
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Chicago Bulls History and Notable Players: An informative article detailing the history, notable players, and achievements of the Chicago Bulls. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Chicago-Bulls
Chicago Bulls: The Official Site: The official website of the Chicago Bulls, providing detailed information about the team, players, and history. https://www.nba.com/bulls/
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