State Farm Center
State Farm Center is a basketball arena in Champaign, Illinois, home of the Illinois Fighting Illini (Big Ten, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1963, making it 63 years old in 2026 and seats 15,544 for basketball. That makes it the 18th-largest arena in D-I.
Its record crowd is 17,087 vs. Michigan (2015). The closest NBA arena is Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, about 115 miles away.
Arena facts
- Location
- Champaign, Illinois
- Home of
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- School
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Conference
- Big Ten
- Opened
- 1963
- Capacity
- 15,544
- Former names
- Assembly Hall (1963–2013)
- Record crowd
- 17,087 vs. Michigan (2015)
- Also home to
- Illinois women's basketball
Illinois wrestling - Size rank in D-I
- 18th of 360
Famous games at State Farm Center
- Dec. 3, 1990: Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Von McDade scored an arena-record 50 points and Andy Kaufmann had 46 as Illinois won 120-116 in double overtime.
- Dec. 1, 2004: No. 5 Illinois routed No. 1 Wake Forest 91-73, launching a season in which the Illini went 15-0 at home and reached the title game.
- Feb. 12, 2015: A building-record 17,087 fans watched Illinois beat Michigan 64-52 before renovation shrank capacity.
- Dec. 2, 2015: The first game in the renovated arena ended in an 84-79 loss to Notre Dame.
- Nov. 11, 2025: Illinois beat No. 11 Texas Tech 81-77 early in a season that ended at the Final Four.
Game night
Tradition. The Orange Krush student section surrounds the court, and fans wear orange to every home game; the court is named Lou Henson Court.
Getting there. The arena is served by Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District (MTD) buses.
Seating & views at State Farm Center
The 1963 saucer-domed arena seats 15,544 for basketball after the $169.5 million renovation finished in 2016, about 1,000 fewer seats than before. The single sloping bowl was rebuilt with new orange and blue seats, four levels of premium seating including suites and clubs, and air conditioning. The Orange Krush student section moved closer to the floor and grew to about 1,200 seats wrapping three sides of the court, which is named Lou Henson Court.
Parking & tailgating at State Farm Center
State Farm Center sits at 1800 South First Street in Champaign, ringed by four surface lots that open about two hours before tipoff; Illinois Athletics posts a basketball parking map in its game-day guide. Buses can park on St. Mary's Road south of the arena or in Lot E-14. Champaign-Urbana MTD buses serve the arena, a good option from campus or downtown. Students use the north upper entrance. Tailgating is mostly a football tradition here, not a hoops one.
Plan your trip to State Farm Center
Arenas near State Farm Center10
- 1D-ILantz Arena — Eastern Illinois Panthers 44 mi
- 2D-ICEFCU Arena — Illinois State Redbirds 47 mi
- 3D-IHulman Center — Indiana State Sycamores 65 mi
- 4D-IMackey Arena — Purdue Boilermakers 75 mi
- 5D-ICarver Arena — Bradley Braves 83 mi
- 6D-IAthletics–Recreation Center — Valparaiso Beacons 113 mi
- 7D-ISimon Skjodt Assembly Hall — Indiana Hoosiers 114 mi
- 8NBAGainbridge Fieldhouse — Indiana Pacers 115 mi
- 9D-IHinkle Fieldhouse — Butler Bulldogs 115 mi
- 10D-IJames T. Morris Arena — IU Indy Jaguars 115 mi
Questions about State Farm Center
Where do the Illinois Fighting Illini play home games?
The Illinois Fighting Illini play at State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.
How many people does State Farm Center hold?
State Farm Center seats 15,544 for basketball.
When did State Farm Center open?
State Farm Center opened in 1963.
What is the attendance record at State Farm Center?
The record crowd at State Farm Center is 17,087 vs. Michigan (2015).
What other arenas are near State Farm Center?
Lantz Arena in Charleston is about 44 miles away. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.