Gies Memorial Stadium - Illinois Fighting Illini
Updated: Oct 5
Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey.
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Gies Memorial Stadium 1402 S 1st St Champaign, IL 61820
Year Opened: 1923
Capacity: 60,670
The Bigger & Better Illini Football Experience
Gies Memorial Stadium has been the home of Illini football since 1923. The 60,670-seat venue opened on November 3, 1923, and has retained much of its original structure. The stadium is named to honor the servicemen who lost their lives in World War I and Larry Gies Sr., a U.S. Army veteran and father of university alumnus Larry Gies Jr., who donated a $100 million gift to the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics in September 2025.
The stadium features a horseshoe shape with multiple stands on three sides. The east main stands hold close to 18,000, with a balcony for 10,000 more fans. The west main stand has a capacity of 13,000, with its balcony holding 5,000. The horseshoe end zone has close to 10,000 seats, and the north bleachers, reserved for students, have a capacity of 5,000.
The stadium has been renovated multiple times, including the addition of the biggest videoboard in collegiate football in September 2026. It includes 16 LED displays, measuring approximately 69 feet high by 250 feet wide in the south endzone.
The Illini football team has captured five national championships: 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, and 1951. They also captured 15 Big 10 Championships; the last one in 2001. The school has had 313 players make it to the NFL, with Red Grange, George Hallas, Ray Nitschke, and Dick Butkus being its most prominent alumni.
Food & Beverage 5
Two main food halls are enclosed and climate-controlled at the east and west ends of the stadium, plus additional kiosks in the back of the horseshoe south end and in a few areas on the ramps leading to balcony seats. The east end of the stadium also features multiple food trucks. The myriad of food options give fans at Illini games plenty to choose from.
The main halls feature the U of I Grill Zone, pulled pork topped on mac and cheese, nachos, and jumbo hot dogs, or served between two buns. Watson’s Chicken offers fried chicken sliders and tender baskets, and the Smith Burger Company sells smashed burgers between brioche buns.
Champaign Classics offers standard food options of hot dogs, fries, nachos, and brats. Chick-fil-A, Jersey Mike’s, and a Crumbl Cookie stand add to the variety of options. The stadium serves Coca-Cola products.
The east side food truck lineup includes Papa John's for made-to-order pizzas, Burrito King, JD's Smokehouse, and Juanita's Tacos. Nearby, the popular grab-and-go beer aisle stocks tall cans of Bud Light, Miller Lite, Michelob Ultra, and Yuengling, plus seltzers like High Noon, White Claw, and Surfside.
Atmosphere 4
The atmosphere begins several hours before kickoff with multiple tailgate tents and party zones set up in the lots surrounding the stadium. The grassy area on the west and southwest sides of the stadium is where you will find campers, mini-concert stages, and cookouts where, at one of them, anyone can donate a few dollars for a plate of food.
Beyond Grange Grove, fans find additional tailgating spots, just steps from the stadium. The main street is closed to traffic, creating a car-free zone where golf carts can shuttle fans who need assistance. The result is a festive football village atmosphere before kickoff.
Walking into the west side of the building is the giant statue of the Galloping Ghost himself, Red Grange. The Dick Butkus statue is on the east side of the stadium in front of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Football Center. Their numbers are the only two retired in the football program’s history.
The 69-foot-tall video board dominates the south endzone and is used for more than scoring, stats, and player information, but also for a free chicken nugget promo for when an opponent misses a field goal. It is also designed to increase crowd noise and sing-alongs as well, including “Sweet Caroline” during the 4th quarter.
The Marching Illini is the school band; their intricate formations and renditions of the school fight song are a spectacle unto themselves, both before kickoff and at halftime. Listen for the iconic ILL-INI chant echoing through the stadium as players take the field, and follow the cheerleaders' lead when they prompt the crowd to belt it out again during pivotal moments.
Neighborhood 4
The stadium is on campus and about a mile from downtown Champaign, and students walk back to their dorms, fraternity, and sorority houses to begin their night of activities. The rest of the fans might hit up one of the many well-known establishments downtown along Green Street that have supported the Illini fanbase for decades.
Joe’s Brewery is a beloved establishment with affordable prices and also a nightlife spot with live bands and a DJ. Joe’s also has a beer garden. Legends is a sports bar with its own outdoor beer garden. Murphy’s Pub is an Irish-themed restaurant with 25 beers on tap. Papa Del's Pizza serves deep dish, super stuff, and thin crust pizza with frozen options to take home. KAMS and Red Lion are popular student spots on the weekend.
The Illini basketball team plays next door to the football stadium at the State Farm Center, the volleyball team calls Huff Hall home, and the club hockey team plays downtown at the Illinois Ice Arena during the same time as the football team.
Fans 4
The stadium was a sellout during our visit, only the 84th time in its 100-plus-year history. However, it would be hard to imagine a better environment to be a part of before and during the game. The student section was packed for most of the game, and those who couldn’t make it to this section found themselves in the upper balcony of the east stand. The rest of the stadium was packed with fans in orange and blue gear, chanting ILL-INI when the opportunity arose, and enjoying a warm, fall day of college football.
Access 3
Illinois Athletics uses a lot-specific traffic-routing system 3.5 hours before the game to manage congestion. There are multiple lots, labeled 31-49, around the stadium that are managed and guided by staff and local police officers before and after the game.
The stadium was designed in 1923 and in many ways feels the same way over a century later. The seating in the east and west stands has obstructed views in the upper row by the balcony section. Moving around the stadium features an outer narrow concourse around the horseshoe south end section.
Return on Investment 4
Ticket prices vary based on the opponent and begin around $30 for the cheapest tickets. The price will fluctuate based on how the Illini are playing or when you purchase the ticket; the higher mark in price can reach close to $200 a game. Parking at the game is best served in the pre-paid lots for $30; find the coordinating color lot and show the attendant your pass on the phone.
Merchandise is sold outside and inside the building at typical stadium pricing. There was no special merchandise for the game, and the player jersey was $165. Food options are also at stadium pricing. A hot dog is $6.49, a souvenir soda in a 32-ounce cup is $8.99, a domestic beer is $13.29, and pulled pork nachos are $12.49.
However, you, as the stadium traveller, set your boundaries on how much or how little you want to pay for your ticket and food at the game. There are other options to arrive at the game for much less depending on your preferences.
Extras 3
Attending a Fighting Illini game earns several points, including the centralized location of its tailgating areas, the giant video board in the south endzone, and its food options outside of the main food halls.
Final Thoughts
Attending an Illinois football game during homecoming weekend proved to be an unforgettable experience. Arriving three hours before kickoff allowed plenty of time to explore the numerous tailgating areas and circle the stadium grounds. Conversations with passionate fans, the rich history embedded in the venue, and the palpable school spirit combined to create a thoroughly enjoyable debut visit.
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Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at Marc.Viquez@stadiumjourney.com
