A new season of Illini Athletics is ready to get started in Champaign. Aside from Illinois fan-favorite venues like the State Farm Center and Memorial Stadium, Illini teams will have the chance to play in a few very cool places this season around the country. Here are some of the most intriguing venues your favorite Illini teams will set foot in this season.
Madison Square Garden: Men’s basketball
The bright lights, the celebrities, the aura — Madison Square Garden is one of, if not the most famous and highly regarded arenas in the world. For the third straight season, Brad Underwood and his team will travel to New York City for a high-profile matchup, this time against college basketball powerhouse Duke on Feb. 22, 2025. Illinois, in its own right, is starting to establish itself as a premiere program in college basketball, with an Elite Eight finish in last season’s NCAA tournament and a new class of high-profile recruits, including five-star Will Riley. The attention on the Illini will only grow, so there’s nothing more fitting for a fast-rising program like Illinois to play an established team like Duke under the brightest lights in the city that never sleeps.
Oregon’s Autzen Stadium: Football
Bret Bielema and Illinois football will take a trip to the West Coast on Oct. 26 to play the Oregon Ducks, who left the Pac-12 ahead of this season to join the Big Ten. This matchup marks the Illini’s fourth-ever game against the Ducks. The first two games were played in Champaign, with Illinois winning the 1970 game and Oregon taking the 1993 matchup. The last time the two teams faced off was almost 30 years ago in Oregon (1995), and the Ducks successfully defended their home turf. Now, for the first time as conference opponents, the Illini will have an opportunity to settle the all-time series against Oregon in one of college football’s loudest venues, Autzen Stadium.
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Wrigley Field: Football
Football at Wrigley Field? Yes, the home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs will play host to an in-state football rivalry, with Illinois taking on Northwestern on Nov. 30, 2024. While Northwestern rebuilds Ryan Field, most of their home games will be on a small, temporary stadium built on their lakeside practice field. However, with the amount of attention an Illinois-Northwestern game will attract, in addition to Thanksgiving weekend, Wrigley Field made the most sense to host the contest. The end zones of the field will be located at the right field bleachers and on the third base line in the left field. All seating will be open for fans, including the famous Wrigley Field bleachers. The capacity at Wrigley Field is almost 42,000, compared to the mere 15,000 spectators Northwestern’s temporary field would allow.
Las Vegas Ballpark: Baseball
Vegas, baby! Illinois baseball is headed back to Sin City for a second straight year to compete in the second annual Las Vegas College Baseball Classic, featuring Texas, Texas Tech and new Big Ten member Washington. Games will be played at the Las Vegas Ballpark, which hosts the Oakland A’s Triple-A affiliate, the Las Vegas Aviators. Las Vegas Ballpark will also play host to the Triple-A National Championship game for the third straight year in 2024. The stadium has a capacity of over 8,100 and even has a pool in the outfield for those looking to cool off in the Las Vegas heat. The event will be played in a round-robin format, meaning each team will play three games, one against every other team, from Feb. 28 to March 2, 2025.
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