memorial stadium

Memorial Stadium is a great place to attend football games,live music events & Fourth of July fireworks.It's a beautiful building,smack dab in the middle of the U of I campus.Renovated several years ago,it is much more "user" friendly. Better bathrooms & handicap facilities,plus a staff that seems proud to work there. Plenty of concessions to eat,mostly what you would expect. Hot dogs,brats.nachos,popcorn,chips etc. Parking can be a problem,so be prepared to walk. It's a beautiful building,steeped in tradition & I'm so glad they fixed it up,rather than tore it down to make a new "sterile" stadium. A real jewel in Champaign-Urbana!

Great visit to watch a not so great team. Heated bathrooms help a lot during cold games. Had a spill at the concession stand and workers were very helpful and not near as upset as I would have been if someone spilled that much soda near me. Would love to see more of a variety of concessions for people with dietary issues/needs

A better football team would help the overall experience. The Marching Illini are worth the visit even though the Chief is sadly no longer with us.

I should first say that I am not a connoisseur of stadiums. That being said, I had a great experience at Memorial Stadium. One of my family is in a wheelchair and we sat in the 'disabled' seating area. When we first arrived and asked where our seats were located we were pleasantly surprised that the staff person, instead of merely pointing the way, actually walked us all the way to our section (quite a long walk).The stadium appeared clean and well cared for. As stadium food goes, Memorial's was good. Everyone there had a good time and I saw no evidence of poor sportsmanship among the fans--even though I and some of my family were rooting for the visiting team.I almost forgot...there is shuttle service from the parking garage to the game ($2.00 per person round-trip).All-in-all a very positive experience. I would love to return for another game!

Easy to tailgate within close proximity. We enjoyed our trip. It can get very hot in the sun so be prepared.

The columns on the West and East sides are awe-inspiring and gives it a traditional historic look. The stadium underwent a massive remodel that retained its classic look but added suites and colonnade seats on the West side. The colonnades ($200-300 per ticket) have an excellent view and you can go inside if it gets too cold.The traditional main seating ($39-$60) gives you a close-up feel of the game. The Marching band has a long history back to John Philip Souza.Stadium Capacity: 60,670Constructed: 1923Suites and Club added: 2008-2010

It is a must visit - the size and scale are breathtaking ! It was built in the 1920's as a memorial to Illinois men and women who gave their lives for their country during World War I. Their names appear on columns that support the sides of the stadium.

nice stadium. just how a D1 school is supposed to be. the large crowds and tailgating. cannot go wrong with this.

I'll never forget the first time I visited Memorial Stadium in Champaign. I was a freshman in 1958 and I purchased a season ticket to attend all the home football games. I deliberately requested a seat in the top row of the bleachers in the upper balcony on the East Side. For the home opener, I was one of the first people to be seated for the game, almost two hours before kickoff. I had seen the Illinois marching band on television and my objective was to discover how Chief Illiniwek was able to weave between the band and run onto the field without hardly being detected. And, of course, sitting in the top row, I had a bird's-eye view of the game. Illinois' team wasn't very good during my four years as an undergraduate. But I was well aware of the history and the tradition. After graduating, I covered the team for four years, including the Dick Butkus era, for the Champaign-Urbana Courier. While working at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in 1966-68, I broke the story that Jim Valek was going to be Illinois' new football coach. Memorial Stadium may not receive the national publicity reserved for The Big House at Michigan or the Horseshoe at Ohio State. But they don't enjoy Memorial Stadium's rich history. Built in 1923, the beautiful colonnades on both sides of the stadium are dedicated to the 183 students and alumni who died during World War I. This is where Bob Zuppke, one of college football's legendary coaches, practiced his trade. This is where arguably the greatest college football player in history, Red Grange, gained immortality by scoring six touchdowns (four in the first 12 minutes) to beat Michigan 39-14 in the inaugural game. Grange's statue can be viewed on the West Side of the stadium. Perhaps Butkus' statue will join him one day. The stadium has changed considerably since I was a student and sportswriter. The green wooden shack at the top of the west balcony that passed for a press box is long gone, replaced by a modern facility and luxury boxes. I recall how thrilled high school players were when the Illinois High School Association moved the championship games of its postseason playoff from Illinois State to Memorial Stadium. To them, it was like moving to Yankee Stadium. Of course, there was something missing when I sat on the top row in 1958. Today, folks in the upper balconies can look to the south and see the marvelous State Farm Center (formerly Assembly Hall), which was built in 1963 and remains one of the engineering landmarks of the 20th Century. Among the most notable people buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, which is just across the street on the East Side of the stadium are Illini sports icons Bob Zuppke, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame who recruited Grange to Illinois and produced four national championship teams, and former coaches and athletic directors George Huff and Doug Mills.

The marathon ended on the 50 yd line in the stadium. Being in the stands it was easy to see the runners cross the finish line.

Very good experience! We planned to attend a game and my family and me were all very pleased. We will be doing it again.

I've had the good fortune to see nearly all of the great stadiums in North America and many in Europe, some of which date to antiquity. This one, however, is particularly close to my heart. It's out in the middle of the East Central Illinois prairie and far off the beaten track. If you're passing anywhere near it, however, (on I-57, I-55 or I-74) take a detour and see it. Built in 1923 and dedicated in 1924 it features beautiful colonnades on both sides of the stadium with each column dedicated to one of the 183 students and alums who died fighting during World War I. Walking along the colonnades is a truly beautiful and moving experience. And keep in mind while you're inside the stadium Illinois' 39-14 victory over Michigan on the day when the stadium was dedicated. Red Grange scored six touchdowns that day in one of the greatest single-game performances in football history.On the east side of the stadium (adjacent to the football practice field and Fourth Street) one enjoys a view of Mt. Hope Cemetery and a view south toward the outdoor athletic complex and the South Farms, which house the experimental agricultural facilities for the University as well as some splendid examples of round barns unique in the United States. On the west side the colonnades look out over First Street, the memorial statue of Red Grange and across playing fields and the railroad tracks toward the city of Champaign. One of my favorite spots, during the four years when I lived across Peabody Drive from the stadium as an undergraduate at Illinois, is at the top of the east balcony. The view of the west side, now renovated with sky boxes and a new press box, and to the south with the splendid, spaceship-like Assembly Hall and some of the richest farmland on earth stretching away to the horizon to the south, is just gorgeous. Assembly Hall is itself a landmark. Built in 1963 it was the largest edge-supported dome in the world at the time, and the first concrete-domed arena. It's one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century.Standing atop the east balcony, one can imagine what the landscape looked like when European settlers migrated west onto the tall-grass prairie that existed here. And one can imagine the decades of sweat and toil it took to turn that prairie land into productive farmland. Reaching farther back, contemplate the native tribes that formed the Illinois confederation, also known as the Illiniwek or Illini (after which the University's sports teams are named), traversing the prairie in search of game.Many people will dismiss this landscape as flyover land. They're missing a great deal. I've been around the world during the past 20+ years and this remains among the most beautiful places I know. Seek out the stadium and the University, as well as the splendid Allerton Park in nearby Monticello, if you're in the vicinity. These are lovely, inspiring places that will stick with you long after you depart.

a trip to Memorial Stadium on the University of Illinois campus is awesome!Right out front (west side) is an amazing statue of Red Grange - The Galluping Ghost who was a star football player at the U of I.the recently remodeled suites are a great place to view the game in inclimate weather otherwise the place to be is in the stands with the fans!

We went to the Illinois vs Ohio State game on 11/16/13. This was our first trip to Memorial Stadium, and I came away quite impressed. I've been to many stadiums and this one was one of the nicest for college football. Our seats were in section 129, row 32 and gave us a great view of the game. I don't believe there are really any bad seats in the place, unlike many of the stadiums I've been to. The stadium staff was very friendly. The restrooms were nice and clean. The food was good, but overpriced (thats expected though). Ticket prices were quite reasonable, much less than it costs to go to some of the other college football games I've attended. Parking and traffic was a breeze too. It was a great game day atmosphere inside and outside the stadium. We will definately go back next time the Buckeyes are in town.

holds around 60,000. Nice facility. But windy. Parking within easy walking distance. Fans polite to visiting team.