Wintrust Arena - DePaul Blue Demons
- Marc Viquez
- Dec 10
- 6 min read
Photos by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey
Wintrust Arena FANFARE Score: 3.71
Wintrust Arena 200 E Cermak Rd. Chicago, IL 60616
Year Opened: 2017 Capacity: 10,387
DePaul Blue Demon Basketball Review
Wintrust Arena is the home of the DePaul University Blue Demons and is situated near McCormick Place in Chicago's South Loop neighborhood. Opened in 2017, the arena has a distinctive design with a sweeping curved roof above four transparent sides. It has a capacity of 10,387.
DePaul played basketball sporadically since 1908, but it was not until 1923-24 that a full season record was kept. It coincided with the Blue Demons opening of University Auditorium, a former barracks for the Student Army Training Corp. during World War I.
In 1942, George Mikan and head coach Ray Meyer arrived on campus, leading the Demons to the 1943 Final Four and an NIT championship in 1945. Mikan would graduate in 1945, leading the Minneapolis Lakers to five BAA/NBA championships, and be considered one of the greatest big men of his time. Meyer would coach for 42 years and finish with a 724-354 record. He would lead them to the 1979 Final Four that featured rookie standout Mark Aguirre.
Before playing at the Wintrust Arena, the Blue Demons called the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois, home for 37 years. The switch to the South Loop moves the team much closer to campus, a little less than 7 miles. The arena is also home to the Chicago Sky of the WNBA during the summer months.
Food & Beverage 4
Although there are not many options at the arena, there are plenty that will satisfy the cravings of anyone in attendance. A few higher-level concession options add excitement, along with 25 percent discounts on beer before tip-off.
Windy City Burger Company and Big Chicken are located behind the student section on the main concourse. Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken serves deep-fried chicken strips and fries combo. They are all served with Shaq Sauce, a blend of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, and spices, with a tang from a touch of pickle juice.
Windy City offers brisket burgers in two wide varieties. The Jump Shot is the most popular and is topped with cheddar cheese, grilled onions, and special sauce. The Inferno Burger is a one-pound patty of beef, with pickled red onions, bacon, spicy pepper relish, and special sauce on a brioche bun. There is also a plant-based burger. All items are served with fries.
Fans can choose from the Demon Dog Combo Meal. Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey.
Other concession options include the hot dog combos and nachos. The Demon Dog Combo is a footlong with mustard, cheese, pico de gallo, and jalapenos. The shareable nachos come in a souvenir bowl with jalapenos, ground beef, pico, and sour cream. There are small options for these items as well. Popcorn is available by the bucket along with Garrett Popcorn Chicago mix, consisting of cheddar and caramel popcorn. Another Chicago favorite, Connie's Pizza, is available in personal pies.
Pepsi products are the drink of choice, and the alcoholic beverages include Coors Light and Banquet, Modelo, Topo Chico Seltzer, and Revolution Anti Hero IPA and Cold Time Premium Lager. Wine and cocktails are also available in the building.
Atmosphere 3
The arena is a basketball-first venue with ideal seating on all four sides, a wraparound concourse, and open areas to enjoy the game while away from your seats. The 10,000-plus venue features chairback seats with cup-holders and easy access to and from the seating bowl.
The arena is split into two levels and offers great sightlines with a majority of the seats in the lower bowl close to the action on the court. A giant videoboard hovers over center court that provides stats, replays, information, and promotions during the game. There are also ribbon scoreboards on each end of the court.
DIBS gets the crowd started before tip-off at center court, Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey.
The videoboard comes in handy during pre-game introductions, including DIBS (Demon in a Blue Suit) waving the team flag, and flanked by cheerleaders and fire. He revs the crowd up and can be found on the sidelines and in the stands throughout the game. Cheerleaders entertain fans during breaks in the action on the court, and the band adds the soundtrack to the game.
The Blue Demon Club Lounge is located between sections 106 and 112 on the main concourse. It offers ticket holders access to all-you-can-eat food, soft drinks, and a full-service bar. Non-ticket holders can also walk through the area. Most arenas restrict access to visitors, requiring them to walk around the lounge area.
Neighborhood 4
The Wintrust Arena is located in the South Loop at the McCormick Place Convention Center. The arena benefits from multiple dining options, tourist attractions, and convenient transit connections.
The neighborhood doesn’t suffer from pregame or postgame dining options. Fans can head a mile west into Chinatown for standout spots such as MingHin, Triple Crown, and Joy Yee—ideal destinations for anyone looking to explore one of the city’s most flavorful neighborhoods.
Closer to the arena, Chef Luciano Kitchen and Chicken serves up some of the city’s best fried chicken and seafood, while Windy City Ribs & Whiskey offers rib tips and links, and Pizano’s for deep dish and thin-crust pizza. A mile away from the arenas is the Pleasant House Pub, specializing in British-inspired fare such as meat pies, bangers and mash, and happy hour specials. Additionally, Fatpour Tapworks has a full menu and a tasty array of cocktails, spirits, and beer.
A few miles south of the Arena is Rate Field, the home of the White Sox, and just a Metra stop north is Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears and Chicago Fire. The stop also provides access to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum along the banks of Lake Michigan.
Fans 3
The fan base for Blue Demons games is a collection of students, family members, alumni, and casual fans converging for college basketball in Chicago. The arena is around 7 miles south of the DePaul campus, perhaps making it a little inconvenient for the student base to attend regularly.
The game we attended was less than usual, due to final exam schedules and the holiday season. However, the crowd reaction was lively and made the half-empty building come alive during certain moments of the game.
Access 5
Regardless of your mode of transportation, accessing the Wintrust Arena is rather simple. Public transportation options include the CTA bus, CTA elevated train (The “L”), and the METRA commuter train.
The METRA Commuter Train has a stop a couple of blocks north of the building at the 18th Street exit. Commuters can purchase a one-way or an all-day pass. The CYA Green Line has a McCormick Place stop two blocks west. The Red Line (Cermak/ Chinatown) stop is four blocks west of the arena. No. 3 King Drive is the most convenient CTA bus route, running north and south along Michigan Avenue. It has a stop at the corner of Michigan and Cermak.
The arena has two main entrances, one from the Skybridge that leads fans directly to the main concourse and the main exterior entrance at the corner of Indiana Avenue and Cermak Road. This entrance provides access to the venue’s ground level and offers escalators to the main concourse.
Return on Investment 4
Ticket prices on the website TickPick this season are as low as $2 and as high as $19 against some of the best from the Big East. That is an incredible value for any Division I basketball program, let alone one that is located in the city of Chicago.
The best places to park for games would be in the McCormick Place parking lot. The closest lot is A, and that will cost anywhere from $27-$40 for the night. Check prices on the website SpotHero for the best prices for Blue Demon games.
The concession prices tend to be on the higher side, but also along the lines of other arenas and stadiums in the heart of Chicago. With that being said, beer prices are slashed 25 percent before tip-off and
Extras 4
The Wintrust Arena earns a point for offering 25 percent off beer before tip-off. The arena earns a second point for the skybridge that takes fans from the parking lot across the street and into the arena. The third point is allowing access to fans to walk through the Blue Demon Club Lounge without having to walk around the entire section. The final point is for the Windy City Burger Company and Big Chicken concession stands that offer premium food options at the game.
The Skybridge from the McCormick Parking Garage leads directly into the arena, Photo by Marc Viquez, Stadium Journey.
Taking a Bag?
The bag policy is similar to that of other venues. Bags that are allowed at the Wintrust Arena include plastic, vinyl, or PVC that do not exceed 12” x 6” x 12”. They include fanny packs, backpacks, or sling bags. Non-clear purses or bags of 10” x 6” x 2” and one-gallon clear plastic freezer bags are also allowed.
Final Thoughts
The Wintrust Arena is a comfortable, modern arena that is ideal for college hoops. The price of tickets, easy access, and the neighborhood make it a nice option for sports fans visiting Chicago. There are many other sporting options, but many can't compete with the pricing at Blue Demons men's basketball games.
----
Follow all of Marc’s stadium journeys on Twitter @ballparkhunter and his YouTube channel. Email at marc@stadiumjourney.com
Comments