After 25 years in Peoria, the tournament is headed back to Champaign, at least for the next three years, which is kind of a huge deal. Find all of the details in the press release:
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and their Board of Directors announced that the IHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament will return to the State Farm Center in Champaign for three years: March 11–13, 2021, March 10–12, 2022, and March 9–11, 2023.
“We are ecstatic to welcome the IHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament back to its original home at the University of Illinois,” exclaims Jayne DeLuce, President & CEO of Visit Champaign County. “Our community has evolved into a much broader vision incorporating sports, education, technology, and a place of diverse culture that will provide incredible experiences for all involved. We are ready to embrace a new tradition of welcoming teams, families, fans, officials, and media for the experience of a lifetime.”
“We are thrilled with today’s news that the Illinois high school boys basketball state finals will return home to the campus of the University of Illinois,” Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman said. “We are grateful to the IHSA and its leadership for choosing State Farm Center and Champaign-Urbana to host the state finals. We are humbled by their confidence in our community, which I know will come together to provide the players, families, and fans of the state’s best teams a once-in-a-lifetime experience. My thanks to the many people and organizations locally who collaborated on a compelling bid and proposal. We look forward to showcasing the state’s flagship university, celebrating the many virtues of Champaign-Urbana, and maximizing the full spectrum of amenities in State Farm Center to visitors from all across Illinois. The relationship between the IHSA and the University of Illinois extends back more than 100 years, and we are excited to continue this longstanding, positive partnership many years into the future.”
The IHSA opened up the basketball tournament bid after 25 years of playing in Peoria. Visit Champaign County, University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, State Farm Center, cities of Champaign and Urbana, along with area municipalities and business leaders joined forces to create a comprehensive and compelling bid package.
The bid focused on the student-athlete experience at the State Farm Center as a superior competitive environment. Through state-of-the-art technology to create an atmosphere worthy of a championship, competing teams will receive the experience of a lifetime. The tournament also provides fans with opportunities to engage further in the history of IHSA Basketball through an unique exhibit, to immerse themselves in the latest technology with the TechHub, to enjoy interactive play through activity areas hosted by chambanamoms.com and to provide students and families the opportunity to take part in an academic fair to not only learn about possibilities with the University of Illinois, but also colleges across the country.
Visit Champaign County and the State Farm Center will begin preparations for the return of the IHSA Boys State Basketball Tournament immediately. The IHSA will be contacting current state final season ticket holders in the near future to work with them on seating at the State Farm Center. Individuals interested in becoming new state final season ticket holders can submit their info online at https://fightingillini.com/ihsabb. The University of Illinois ticket office will follow-up with anyone who submits a season ticket inquiry form in the near future to let them know available seats, pricing and more.
Area businesses looking to get involved in creating a successful tournament experience should contact Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement at 217-351-4133 or terrir@visitchampaigncounty.org.
Photo provided by Visit Champaign County.
