Conference network
Big Ten Network carries the early windows that national bundles treat as an add-on tier.
Big Ten football
Illinois Fighting Illini
Champaign, Illinois - Memorial Stadium - Orange and Blue - None official
A value ticket in the middle of the conference footprint, with grass-lot tailgating at Grange Grove and frequent weeknight windows.
The most affordable weekend in the conference and the easiest one to plan on short notice.
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- Stadium
- Memorial Stadium
- Capacity
- 60,670
- Opened
- 1923
- Conference
- Big Ten
How to watch
Broadcast and streaming
Most home games land on the conference network or a mid-tier national window, with a handful of Friday or Saturday night slots each year.
National windows
Marquee matchups move to national broadcast partners, usually announced 12 days out.
Out-of-market
A live TV bundle that includes the conference network is the simplest single subscription.
Related: Best sports streaming services / How to watch Big Ten football
Subscribe to B1G+
Stream Illinois games on Fubo
Fubo carries conference networks, national windows and NFL Sunday action with cloud DVR. Try it free for the games you cannot get over the air.
Tickets
What tickets actually cost you in planning
Evergreen demand patterns, not a live price feed. Verify current inventory at the source before you book travel.
- Single-game inventory is usually available into game week outside of the Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern dates.
- Weeknight kickoffs are common here, which softens demand and drops hotel rates against a Saturday.
- Visiting allotments sit in the south end; secondary inventory is often cheaper than the allotment for non-marquee games.
Where to sit
The west stands hold the shade in the afternoon and face the press box side. The horseshoe end has the cheapest seats with a full view of the field.
Traditions
What makes a Illinois Saturday different
Grange Grove
The tree-lined lawn west of the stadium named for Red Grange is the pregame center of gravity, with the band marching through roughly two hours out.
Three-in-One
The Marching Illini medley of Pride of the Illini, March of the Illini and Hail to the Orange closes pregame and is worth being in your seat for.
Attend
Games to plan around
College Football
Value Ticket Saturday
- When
- Home Saturdays, September through November
- Venue
- Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
Coverage: Conference network coverage, including weeknight windows for some games
These are the most affordable Big Ten trips. Weeknight kickoffs cut hotel costs further if you can take the Friday.
Tailgating
- Grange Grove on the west side is the center of the pregame day.
- Bring your own shade for September kickoffs; the lots have almost none.
A pop-up canopy is close to mandatory for September in Grange Grove. Stake it: the lots are open and windy.
Travel and stay
- Champaign (CMI) is small; Indianapolis and Chicago are both under three hours by car.
- Weeknight games mean Thursday or Friday hotel nights, which are cheaper than Saturdays.
Weather: September afternoons run hot with almost no shade in the lots. November games in Champaign are wind games more than cold games; a shell matters more than bulk.
Around the game
Beyond the stadium in Champaign, Illinois
- CampustownGreen Street is walkable from the stadium and is the default postgame stop.
- Allerton ParkTwenty-five minutes south, an easy Sunday morning before the drive home.
Rivalry weekends
Illinois game-day packing list
6 itemsSaved on this device so you can check it off the morning of the game.
Stadium
Memorial Stadium
Capacity 60,670Opened 1923Champaign, Illinois
Colonnades on both sidelines and grass-lot tailgating a short walk from every gate.
- - Grange Grove tailgating opens on the west side and is the social center of the day.
- - Weeknight kickoffs are common here; confirm the window before booking a hotel.
FAQ
Illinois questions
What channel is Illinois on?
Most home games land on the conference network or a mid-tier national window, with a handful of Friday or Saturday night slots each year.
How hard is it to get Illinois tickets?
Single-game inventory is usually available into game week outside of the Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern dates.
Where should I sit at Memorial Stadium?
The west stands hold the shade in the afternoon and face the press box side. The horseshoe end has the cheapest seats with a full view of the field.
What is the weather like for a Illinois home game?
September afternoons run hot with almost no shade in the lots. November games in Champaign are wind games more than cold games; a shell matters more than bulk.
Where should I tailgate at Memorial Stadium?
Grange Grove on the west side is the center of the pregame day.
What is the best airport for a Illinois game?
Champaign (CMI) is small; Indianapolis and Chicago are both under three hours by car.
Next
Keep reading
- Game day guideHour-by-hour plan for a home Saturday
- Northwestern Wildcats game dayRivalry weekend planning
- Purdue Boilermakers game dayRivalry weekend planning
- All teamsEvery program in the conference
- AttendTickets, parking and travel planning
- How to Watch Big Ten FootballBroadcast windows and streaming options