Discover Sports Venues in Illinois

Several sports venues around Illinois host major league baseball games, basketball games, and other popular sporting events. You can cheer on your favorite sports teams and enjoy easy access to some of the best sports bars and restaurants within a short drive of the venue. You’ll find the home of the Peoria Chiefs at Dozer Park in north-central Illinois and the home of the Kane County Cougars at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. This ballpark also hosts the WitchCRAFT Beer Fest and other special events.

Legendary sports venues include Soldier Field, the United Center, and Wrigley Field. You can take a tour of these sports venues to learn about their rich history and impact on the sports world. Multi-purpose arenas like the iWireless Center feature hockey games, concerts, and host performing arts events. Destinations like US Cellular Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, provide a range of amenities and the venue’s central location makes it easy to explore the area.

Dozer Park

Originally O'Brien Field, Dozer Park was established in 2002 in downtown Peoria of north-central Illinois. Found by Interstate 74 near cities like East Peoria and Morton, Dozer Park is owned and operated by the Peoria Chiefs Community Baseball LLC.

Dozer Park is home to both MWL's Peoria Chiefs – the St. Louis Cardinals' Class A affiliate team – and the Bradley Braves college baseball team from Bradley University. The 7,500-seat ballpark also features 20 luxury suites, concessions, and more in downtown River City.

Eastside Centre

Eastside Centre, located in the central Illinois community of East Peoria, is a go-to venue for sports tournaments and competitions on the national, regional, and local levels. Travel in with your youth or club team and check out the premier athletic facilities at the Eastside Centre.

The expansive grounds have the ability to host softball, baseball, volleyball, and soccer tournaments, track meets, and frequent football and basketball games. Visitors will also find the Eastside Fitness Center, complete with an array of machines and personal trainers, as well as dietician and nutrition services.

Fifth Third Bank Ballpark

Home of the Kane County Cougars, Fifth Third Bank Ballpark is located in in Geneva in northern Illinois – just west of the Chicago metro area. Opened in 1991, the former Philip B. Elfstrom Stadium, this Illinois ballpark is owned by the Kane County Forest Preserve.

FTBB hosts the Midwest League’s Kane County Cougars Baseball Club – an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliated Class A minor league team. With a capacity of up to 10,923 baseball fans, Fifth Third Bank Ballpark also hosts events like the WitchCRAFT Beer Fest.

iWireless Center

With a capacity of up to 12,000 people, the iWireless Center is a multi-purpose arena located in northern Illinois in the city of Moline. Formerly the MARK, i wireless Center was opened in 1993 on the Mississippi River. Make plans to explore the northern region of IL and enjoy an event at the iWireless Center.

Owned and operated by the Quad City Civic Center Authority, i wireless arena features hockey games with CHL’s Quad City Mallards, concerts, and other forms of performing arts. For concerts and other staged events, the iWireless Center seats 12,000 fans, while at hockey games the capacity drops to 9,200.

Peoria Civic Center

Constructed in 1982, the Peoria Civic Center is located in downtown Peoria in central Illinois near the west banks of the Illinois River. Owned by the City of Peoria, the convention center features the Carver Arena, 10 meeting rooms, a ballroom, a 2,244-seat theater, and the 108,668-sqaure-foot Civic Center Exhibit Hall.

Tenants of the Peoria Civic Center include the SPHL Peoria Rivermen, the NCAA Bradley Braves of Bradley University, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, and the Peoria Ballet. The center also hosts numerous conventions, trade shows, and special events.

Rent One Park

Built in 2007, Rent One Park is located in southern Illinois in the city of Marion. A 7,000-capacity, open-air baseball stadium, Rent One is home to the Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League. Plan a visit to southern Illinois and make sure you check out some of the very best minor league baseball in the state.

Rent One Park features 3,400 seats, four concession stands, 14 suites, the Southern Illinois Miners General Store, and two picnic areas – Budweiser Bullpen Bar-n-Grille and the Rent One Picnic Garden. The first ever game at Rent One Park was played on May 29, 2007 – the Evansville Otters fell to the Southern Illinois Miners.

Soldier Field

Built in 1924, historic Soldier Field is the oldest stadium in the NFL. It has been the proud home of the NFL's Chicago Bears since 1971. After some modernization in 2003, Soldier Field seats over 63,000 rabid Bears fans every Sunday.

Apart from the stadium's extensive history with Da Bears, Soldier Field has been a terrific host for many different sporting events in the Chicago area over its extensive history. Most recently, a outdoor NHL hockey match was played in frigid weather between the Chicago Blackhawks and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

United Center

Launching its legacy in 1994, the United Center is home to the NBA's Chicago Bulls and the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks during months of October to April. The arena is located in downtown Chicago and is structurally the largest arena in the United States.

The United Center is known locally as "The House that Jordan Built", due to the success of the Chicago Bulls during Michael Jordan's tenure on the team. The arena can seat up to 23,000 fans for a variety of versatile events – famed concerts, NCAA tournament games, and Ultimate Fighting Championship matches frequent the illustrious arena during the offseason.

US Cellular Field

Formerly know as Comiskey Park, MLB's Chicago White Sox take the field at US Cellular Field every summer. Opened in 1991, the ball park can seat over 40,000 baseball fans on game day – centrally located in Chicago.

After many renovations, the ball park now houses many different modern amenities like the two-level Bull Pen Sports Bar – featuring a full range of food and drink options while fans enjoy the game. Come cheer on the Sox this summer at US Cellular Field.

Wrigley Field

Wrigley Field has been the home field for the Chicago Cubs baseball team since 1916. The field was built in 1914 and is the second-oldest ballpark in America.

Over 41,000 fans pack the stadium to watch the Cubs play at Wrigley, and it's a premier attraction in Chicago. The field was originally named Weeghman Park for the Chicago Whales. This was before being renamed Wrigley Field for the chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr., the owner of the team.

While in the Chicago area, visit the ballpark for a guided tour to learn more about its rich history and beginnings. The ballpark, nicknamed, "The Friendly Confines," also offers educational tours for kids.

Baseball fans can partake in a behind-the-scenes guided tour of the stadium to better understand its 97 year history. Be sure to bring your camera to capture the beautiful ivy-covered outfield walls.