CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — University of Illinois students who purchase Fighting Illini football season tickets will receive priority access to men's basketball season tickets, the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Wednesday. With football season ticket totals on the rise and momentum building at both Memorial Stadium and State Farm Center, purchasing a football season ticket will be the only way for students to increase their chances of getting men's basketball season tickets.
Student season tickets for the 2023 Fighting Illini football season are on sale now. Tickets, priced at $85 for the third straight year, give Illinois students guaranteed access to all seven home games at Memorial Stadium and offer a savings of $30 off student single-game pricing. Priority access for men's basketball student season tickets will begin in September for all football student season ticket holders.
"We are excited to reward our most loyal famILLy members," said head coach Bret Bielema. "Since coming here to Illinois, it has been very clear that our student section passion is second to none. I can't wait to see the North End Zone full of our students seven times this fall and set the standard for years to come wearing the Orange and Blue. I-L-L"
The football team returns 10 All-Big Ten performers, the most in the Big Ten West, after last year's team produced a program-record 19 All-Big Ten selections. The Illini return 12 starters on offense and defense, including All-American DT Jer'Zhan Newton, Freshman All-American OLB Gabe Jacas, and three offensive linemen from the program's first ever Joe Moore Award semifinalist group.
"Our students create the atmosphere that carries throughout the fan base and impacts games," said head coach Brad Underwood. "We love the atmosphere Krush provides at State Farm Center, and it's exciting to go to Memorial Stadium and see that same passion coming from the end zone packed in orange with Block I. Our teams feed off that energy."
Illinois Men's Basketball is the Big Ten's winningest team in conference play over the last four years with a 55-25 record. The Illini have made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, own four straight 20-win regular seasons, and have recorded four straight top-five Big Ten finishes highlighted by a league-best 16 wins in 2021 and 15 wins en route to the Big Ten title in 2022. Men's Basketball student season tickets have sold out each of the last two years, with the 3,000 student allotment selling out in just 36 minutes last season.
