Illinois has seen an uptick in interest in other sports, and with its previous interest in hockey, why not try it again?
College hockey is in a growth phase right now, and the potential for expansion is as good as it’s ever been. Many schools that put money into and have success in other sports may entertain the idea of hitting the ice.
This mini-series breaks down the most feasible programs to become a Division I hockey program based on that school’s other sports, their market, and the money that school has. The countdown starts at five, with the University of Illinois.
Illinois football went 9–4 in 2025. And the program has experienced a major attendance and revenue surge under Bret Bielema: Illinois says football attendance increased 65% from 2021 to 2025, season tickets sold out for the first time in at least 20 years, and football ticket revenue reached a program-record $15 million in 2025. They went from a program trying to get by to a program that’s now thriving.
Illinois has tried to pursue hockey before. The original hockey project ran into financial problems, mainly because arena costs rose during the pandemic. Illinois said construction cost projections for the proposed facility had increased by 30%, contributing to the decision to stop trying for a hockey team.
The interest was there before COVID as well. In 2017–18, Illinois worked with the NHL, NHLPA, and College Hockey Inc. The study concluded that there was significant potential for a Division I program.
At the time, Illinois had 22,373 youth hockey participants. The state ranked sixth nationally in youth participation. Illinois produced the fourth-most D-I hockey players in the country. 85 Illinois-born players were playing D-I hockey elsewhere. Illinois had zero D-I men's hockey programs, so they already have a built-in top-five pipeline within their own state; that’s insane considering they don’t have a team.
You can see the interest in hockey away from the youth as well. The Chicago Blackhawks are a mainstay in the NHL and have been for some time; the attempt from Illinois in 2017-18 was likely due to the recent success of the Blackhawks winning a Stanley Cup in 2015.
The school has shown interest in the past and has built the financial foundation in their other sports to give hockey a go, and I think they would become a great program extremely early.
