Chicago, Illinois ----
No matter what sport you’re into, Chicago has what you want. One of the greatest sports cities in the world is now in the international spotlight, as it is a candidate city to host the 2016 Summer Games! From NFL Football to NASCAR, this city is loaded with everything a sports fan could ever want. Not only does Chicago have some of the most historic and legendary sports franchises, but the event venues are in a league of their own.
Soldier Field
Serving as a memorial to American soldiers who lost their lives in war, Soldier Field is rich in history. Originally built in 1924, Soldier Field has been host to a variety of events including the 1927 Dempsey-Tunney boxing match, 1994 FIFA World Cup matches, religious events, and various concerts. Serving as the home of the Chicago Bears since 1971, it has been host to many memorable football games including 3 NFC Championship games.
Soldier Field also played host to the infamous "Fog Bowl", which was held on December, 31st, 1988. The NFC Divisional playoff game was between the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. The game was impacted greatly by a dense fog, and reduced visibility down to less than 20 yards. The Bears won the game 20-12 and advanced to the NFC Championship, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champions, the San Francisco 49ers.
Following the 2001 NFL season, the $600 million renovations on Soldier Field began. The renovations were controversial because of the history of the stadium, and many felt the original stadium should be kept in tact. Many referred to the Soldier Field renovations as "the mistake by the lake." On September 29, 2003, "new soldier field" opened its doors. The first game at the newly renovated stadium was a Monday Night Football contest, between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. Despite its strange exterior, the interior of the stadium has been an overwhelming favorite among fans. The New York Times ranked New Soldier Field as one of the top five new buildings of 2003.
Soldier Field is located on Museum Campus Drive, right off Lake Shore Drive. This location adds to the atmosphere of the stadium, as it is in the heart of downtown Chicago.
Wrigley Field
One of the most recognizable venues in the United States, Wrigley Field has been then home of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. Located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, the area around the stadium has an abundance of bars, and restaurants, which fans typically refer to as "Wrigleyville".
Wrigley Field was built in 1914, and was originally called Weeghman Field, which was built for the Federal League team, the Chicago Whales. In 1916, the park became the home to the Chicago Cubs, and was renamed Cubs Park, which lasted until 1927 when Cubs owner, William Wrigley Jr. renamed the park "Wrigley Field". Wrigley Field was also the home of the Chicago Bears from 1921-1970, before moving to Soldier Field.
Throughout the years, Wrigley Field has had major renovations, including: adding a 2nd deck for the grandstands, adding bleachers to the stadium, and planting the now famous Boston Ivy in 1937. In addition, after a long battle with residents of the Lakeview are, Wrigley Field added lights to the stadium in 1988, when they played their first home night game.Wrigley Field is a must see for any sports fan, and is one of baseball's greatest landmarks.
U.S. Cellular Field
U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox was opened in 1991. The park was originally named (New) Comiskey Park, a tribute to original Comiskey Park, which opened in 1910. The park changed its name to U.S. Cellular Field in 2003, when U.S. Cellular bought the naming rights. Also in 2003, U.S. Cellular Field was the host to the MLB All-Star Game. "The Cell" as it is often referred to, is located on 35th street and Shields Avenue, in Chicago's Armour Square neighborhood.
U.S. Cellular Field was built in the parking lot of old Comiskey Park, which was torn down to build a parking lot for the new stadium. Due to complaints from fans, U.S. Cellular Field has had many renovations since 2001. These renovations include building a multi-tiered concourse beyond center field, adjusting the fences to make the outfield less symmetrical and, most significantly, the removal of over 6,000 seats in the upper deck. In recent years the White Sox have also added murals to the interior concourses, a prominent feature of the old stadium.
The stadium houses 84 luxury suites, as well as thousands of "club seats" on the 300-level mezzanine between the lower deck and upper deck. The club seats receive in-seat wait-staff and benefit from an enclosed concourse with multiple television viewing areas and bar-style concessions. After the most recent renovations, the stadium capacity was reduced to 40,615.
United Center
In addition to these fantastic outdoor venues, Chicago is also home to the largest indoor arena in the United States. The United Center is the home of both the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL and the 6 time NBA Champion Chicago Bulls. The United Center first opened in August of 1994. It seats 20,500 (not including standing room) for hockey, 21,711 for basketball and up to 23,500 for concerts.
It is commonly referred to as "The UC" or "The house that Jordan built." Before the UC was built, it's predecessor was the Chicago Stadium, which was extremely popular among sports fans, because of the amount of noise that was generated inside the arena, mostly at hockey games. This reputation gave the Chicago Stadium the nickname "The Madhouse on Madison."
One of the trademarks of the Chicago Stadium was the legendary sound of the Barton Organ. During hockey season, a replica of the Barton Organ, the Allen Organ is still used to duplicate the sound of the Chicago Stadium.
A major attraction at the United Center, is the now famous Michael Jordan statue. The statue is located on the east side of the arena and features Michael Jordan's classic pose. On the opposite side of the arena, a Chicago Blackhawks statue featuring hall of fame left wing Bobby Hull can also be seen. The United Center is located on Madison St. in the near west side of Chicago.
One of the greatest experiences in professional sports is the national anthem at a Chicago Blackhawks game. A Tradition among Blackhawks fans that began in 1985, where fans cheer loudly throughout the entirety of the Anthem. The National Anthem helps create one of the best atmospheres in all professional sports, and gives the Blackhawks one of the best home-ice advantages in all of the NHL.
Other Points of Interest
Chicago also has auto racing fans covered. The Chicagoland Speedway is home to many auto races throughout the year, including both IndyCar and NASCAR races. Located in Joliet, Illinois, the Chicagoland Speedway is home to the Lifelock.com 400.This Sprint Cup race is typically held in early to mid July.
Chicago’s public transit system makes traveling to Chicago a breeze. Every major sports venue in the city is easily accessible via the CTA train system. Soldier Field is within walking distance of the Roosevelt Red/Orange/Green line stop; Wrigley Field can be found steps away from the Red Line Addison stop; U.S. Cellular field is minutes away from the Red Line Sox-35th stop; and the United Center is a block away from the Blue Line Illinois Medical District stop.
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