Buy Tickets Now: State Farm Chicago Legends – Illinois Block
Illinois has been selected to compete in the inaugural State Farm Chicago Legends at the United Center on Saturday, Dec. 17. The Fighting Illini will take on BYU in the double-header event in Chicago, with Northwestern facing Dayton in the other match-up.
Unlike previous years when Illinois hosted a game at the United Center, this is a traditional neutral-site event in which Illinois has been invited to participate. Fighting Illini fans are encouraged to purchase tickets directly through the Illinois Ticket Office to reserve a spot in the Illini block. Tickets include both games of the double header and are on sale now at FightingIllini.com. Exact seat locations will be allocated based on priority points determined through I FUND membership level and season ticket holder status.
Chicago has provided the game of basketball with countless legendary players, coaches, teams and moments. From the playgrounds in Jackson Park to the hardwood at the famed Chicago Stadium and now the United Center, many legends of the game have called Chicago home.
To honor this heritage, the inaugural State Farm Chicago Legends will have a decidedly local flavor with Illinois and Northwestern matching up against perennial NCAA tournament schools BYU and Dayton, respectively. Chicago is home to more than 230,000 alumni from the combined universities, creating a natural fan base for the first-time event.
"The University of Illinois has many connections to Chicago. Countless players from the city have lasting legacies within our program, so it's a great chance for our team to be part of the State Farm Chicago Legends, an event that recognizes the many contributions of so many to the game of basketball," head coach John Groce said. "Not only are we excited to be part of this new staple in the Chicago sports calendar, we look forward to returning to Chicago and competing against a talented BYU team in front of a great Illini fan base."
In recognition of the players and coaches who have made Chicago a hot bed for hoops, a selection committee will annually recognize former standouts as Legends of Chicago Basketball. The newly named Legends will be honored on the court during the doubleheader.
"The State Farm Chicago Legends will be an impactful event not only in Chicago, but also in college basketball and we are excited to be part of it," said Ed Gold, advertising director at State Farm. "State Farm is a proud supporter of college basketball and to help launch a fixture event in Chicago that will annually honor the city's basketball heritage and feature great hoops competition is a fantastic opportunity for us."
"Chicago is a great sports town and has a special place in basketball history," Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "We are excited to welcome a new college basketball doubleheader to town that will highlight Chicago's rich history and provide fans with a great day of college hoops. We look forward to hosting the inaugural State Farm Chicago Legends college basketball doubleheader and welcoming fans from throughout the Midwest and across the country."
"When it comes to basketball, Chicago has a tradition that is second to none," said Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperLesnik, a Chicago-based sports marketing agency that will produce the event and also manages the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and the CBS Sports Classic. "Our goal is to build the State Farm Chicago Legends into an annual event that will celebrate the City of Chicago and its basketball heritage."
About The State Farm Chicago Legends
The State Farm Chicago Legends annually recognizes the tradition, history and passion of Chicago basketball. It will serve as an annual event in the Chicago sports calendar, and feature some of the nation's top college basketball programs for a weekend of exciting competition and celebration of the city's contributions to the game of basketball. For more information on the State Farm Chicago Legends, log on to chicagolegends.com and follow the event on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @ChiLegends.
About State Farm
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 18,000 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve more than 82 million policies and accounts – nearly 80 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 41 on the 2015 Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com.
About KemperLesnik
KemperLesnik is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency. Ranked by Crain's Chicago Business among Chicago's top PR agencies, KemperLesnik produces integrated communications programs and manages major national events, including the Maui Jim Maui Invitational, the CBS SPORTS Classic, the McDonald's All American Games, the POWERADE Jam Fest and activation for KitchenAid and its PGA of America partnership. KemperLesnik has operated the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 1990. For more information, visit kemperlesnik.com.
