CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Boys Baseball State Tournament returned to Illinois Field this weekend for the second consecutive year, bringing teams and families from across Illinois to East Central Illinois.
Eight teams traveled from across the state to compete in the Class 1A and 2A semifinals and championships, from neighboring St.Joseph-Ogden to Elgin from the north in the Chicago suburbs.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Illinois Field serves as the tournament’s new home under a five-year contract, according to Experience Champaign-Urbana.
Mark Brown, director of event services at Experience Champaign-Urbana, said in a news release the tournament was expected to have an economic impact of $400,000 in economic impact for the area, including money that flows through hotels, restaurants and local businesses as teams and their families make the trip to Champaign.
“Teams will have at least one overnight stay, generating more revenue for the community,” Brown said. The revenue, he added, also produces tax dollars that get reinvested back into the community.
Tremont High School from Tremont, IL won the 1A championship, and local team St. Joseph-Ogden won the 2A title.
For families traveling in, the weekend was an opportunity for more than just baseball.
Nicole Beets drove from Jacksonville, Ill. to support her son, freshman Brody Beets. She said he is considering applying to U of I for college, and the tournament was a great opportunity for him to see the campus.
Beets also said coming to Champaign carried personal meaning. She previously attended Parkland College and worked at Orchard Lanes and Links in Savoy, and now she gets to share those places with her family.
“Seeing my old stomping grounds and experiencing them with [Brody] has been fantastic,” Beets said. “Old Orchard is one of our favorites. We hit up Jarling’s Custard Cup [Friday]…It’s been such a good experience for them all.”
Experience Champaign-Urbana also partnered with the Village of Savoy to host a banquet for competing teams ahead of the tournament and staffed a welcome tent inside Illinois Field on Friday to greet visitors.
The IHSA Boys Baseball tournament is one of three IHSA events now hosted in the Champaign-Urbana area, alongside the Individual Wrestling Tournament in February and the Boys State Basketball Tournament in March.
The three events generate more than $13.3 million in revenue for the region annually, according to Experience Champaign-Urbana.
Experience Champaign-Urbana is a financial supporter of Illinois Public Media.