The newly named Gies Memorial Stadium plays host to Illinois’ football team, which has grown into a legitimate postseason threat throughout the past several seasons. The Illini have won two straight bowl games and had at least nine wins in back-to-back seasons — a first in program history. With the success of recent alumni in the NFL as well, Illinois is using Gies Memorial Stadium as a building ground for the best of the best in football.
As the Illini have improved and invested more into the product on the field, the athletic department is doing the same with the facility that houses them. Gies Memorial Stadium will also receive the largest video board in college football next season, thanks to a $100 million donation from billionaire alum Larry Gies to the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.
It’s hopefully the first of many upgrades that Illinois fans can expect to the historic home of a premier college football team. Four sellouts in a row last season and the fifth-straight year in which attendance has increased under head coach Bret Bielema also bode well for the future atmosphere of Gies Memorial Stadium.
