Illinois Loyalty Location Census

Where do you currently live?

  • IL - Chicago

    Votes: 34 6.3%
  • IL - Chicago Suburbs

    Votes: 76 14.0%
  • IL - Northern Illinois (Not Chicagoland)

    Votes: 22 4.1%
  • IL - Central Illinois

    Votes: 112 20.7%
  • IL - Southern Illinois

    Votes: 37 6.8%
  • Another state in the Midwest (IN, IA, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, NE, ND, SD or WI)

    Votes: 77 14.2%
  • A Northeastern state (CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT or DC)

    Votes: 25 4.6%
  • A Southern state (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA or WV)

    Votes: 85 15.7%
  • A Western state (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY)

    Votes: 64 11.8%
  • Outside of the United States

    Votes: 10 1.8%

  • Total voters
    542
#51      

IlliniFan85

Colorado Springs, CO
Grew up in Taylor Ridge (near Quad Cities and same high school of Ethan Happ). Started rooting for the Illini during Cory Bradford and Kurt Kitner years. Messed around in school so never had the grades for Illinois and joined the Army instead. Got out in 13 and settled down near Colorado Springs, CO where I am one of biggest fans of Illini.
 
#52      

CAIllini

West Coast
Grew up in Naperville, lived in CA bay area ever since undergrad at UIUC....
 
#53      

MainelyIllini

uh, Maine
Champaign, IL native that has somehow found myself living in Maine surrounded by Moose and Bear. Actually, I live in Portland which is a decent sized city, but everyone thinks that when I say Maine.
Nice! I went to Urbana HS and graduated from U of I. I now live right outside Portland. Not too many of us around in these parts of the country!

I was called a townie when I went to U of I. :)
 
#54      
Grew up in So IL, went to Illinois and currently live in OKC. Also currently trying to figure out which current or former illini to name my first son after. The wife has already ruled out Kofi and Ayo
Giorgi it is!
 
#55      
Giorgi it is!

Pretty sure if I hadn't been born back in December of 1991, my dad might have made my first and middle names, "Lucas Johnson." :ROFLMAO:

Interesting perspective on the state. Noone anywhere near where I grew up in Illinois would call the area Chicagoland or downstate. Not even close.

It definitely depends on where you’re from ... while it seems odd, for example, to call Rockford “Downstate” and not Tinley Park, the traditional cultural definition I’ve always seen is meant to include all Illinoisans who aren’t part of the Chicago metro, and therefore includes everywhere except for Chicagoland.
 
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#56      

sacraig

The desert
I grew up in the STL area on the Illinois side. I did my 4 years at UIUC, went to grad school at Texas A&M, lived in New Mexico for a couple of years, and now I am in Arizona working for... ahem... a different university.

The Fighting Illini are and will always be my #1, no matter how many other universities I have attended or that have employed me.

EDIT: I should have also included that Mizzou will always be my number infinity no matter what other rivalries I take part in. That STL Metro East upbringing sticks with you.
 
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#58      

RedRocksIllini

Morrison, CO
It definitely depends on where you’re from ... while it seems odd, for example, to call Rockford “Downstate” and not Tinley Park, the traditional cultural definition I’ve always seen is meant to include all Illinoisans who aren’t part of the Chicago metro, and therefore includes everywhere except for Chicagoland.
Oh I understand. Just know that "downstate" is a "traditional cultural definition" only in Chicagoland. Outside the metro area, the term is pretty much an insult and also suggests that some folks are working with a compass that only has two directions.
 
#59      
The surprising lack of Chicago-based loyalty frequenters might point to why every bar has turned into a Michigan or Iowa bar recently. Really hoping that changes with more success, because I'm a bit tired of choosing between Schoolyard and Joe's on Weed when I want to go out and watch a game.
 
#60      
Nice! I went to Urbana HS and graduated from U of I. I now live right outside Portland. Not too many of us around in these parts of the country!

I was called a townie when I went to U of I. :)

Nice! May see me running around town in an Illini shirt sometime. Any Chicago/IL groups around here for sports watching? Wife and I went down to Boston to watch the Cubs when the series a few years back to be around fellow fans.
 
#62      

IlliniKat91

Chicago, IL
Grew up in the NW suburbs (near ORD), did my four years in Champaign, and now live in Chicago.
 
#65      
Non-alum here....grew up in Pekin, went to school at Bradley (didn't go far), stayed in Peoria for a couple years after graduation, West Chicago burbs ever since (Wheaton, Naperville, Aurora, back to Naperville.)
 
#66      
Grew up sneaking into NW games in Evanston and fell in love with the Flyin' Illini when I was in 8th grade. Still live in Evanston, now a NW season ticket holder. Sure, I've grown to appreciate Northwestern in a podunk kind of way, but it's a great little venue for seeing EVERY B1G team up close and personal every year. Also coached Nojel Eastern as a kid and still know him well....still pulling for an Illini SWEEP though!!
 
#67      
Central/Southern Illini fan working with a full compass here...overseas, southern states, back to midwest, out to AZ now....repped ILLINI the whole way!
 
#70      
Grew up in New England. I've lived in eight states, (three of them twice), and four foreign countries. Currently in Mexico.

I'll give ten Delaney dollars to anyone who can guess either of the states where I lived twice, (aside from Illinois), or other country.
 
#71      
Grew up in Canton, IL. Went to school at WIU in the mid-late 90's. They had a good football team in those days, but obviously weren't competing with the U of I. Brad Underwood was an assistant there throughout my time in Macomb, but the basketball team was pretty lousy so I never really followed them. I just continued to watch Illini games. Currently residing in Morton, IL.
 
#72      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Oh boy....get yer' maps out....

From Dallas originally, moved to Nashville, TN til' teens...mom married a jerk that lived in Danville, IL (go Vik....nah screw em' hated that place) so we moved there for HS. School in Champaign, Palm Springs for a year, then Schaumburg, then Chicago(Streeterville and Lincoln Park), a year in the woods of Door County WI and finally out here in Algonquin/Lake in the Hills.
So much moving....
giphy.gif



Home is where the heart is?
Phew.
 
#73      
Oh boy....get yer' maps out....

From Dallas originally, moved to Nashville, TN til' teens...mom married a jerk that lived in Danville, IL (go Vik....nah screw em' hated that place) so we moved there for HS. School in Champaign, Palm Springs for a year, then Schaumburg, then Chicago(Streeterville and Lincoln Park), a year in the woods of Door County WI and finally out here in Algonquin/Lake in the Hills.
So much moving....
giphy.gif



Home is where the heart is?
Phew.
I love this gif where is the rest of it? I'm dying to know if that dude kept up. lol....
 
#74      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
I love this gif where is the rest of it? I'm dying to know if that dude kept up. lol....

I laughed so hard at this .gif that water came out of my nose. I would love to see the rest, but I'm afraid I'd pass out!
 
#75      
Oh I understand. Just know that "downstate" is a "traditional cultural definition" only in Chicagoland. Outside the metro area, the term is pretty much an insult and also suggests that some folks are working with a compass that only has two directions.

Fair enough ... know I was born in Peoria, though, and proudly identify as being from "Downstate." :cool:

The surprising lack of Chicago-based loyalty frequenters might point to why every bar has turned into a Michigan or Iowa bar recently. Really hoping that changes with more success, because I'm a bit tired of choosing between Schoolyard and Joe's on Weed when I want to go out and watch a game.

I actually heard someone tell me one time that there is a really interesting reason for so few Illini-themed bars given that we easily have the biggest fan base in the area (yes, pansies, including Notre Dame ... even if they're more passionate and louder). He said that there isn't as much of a market for an Illini bar because if Illinois is good (like in 2007), most "neutral" bars are going to play the Illinois game. In other words, "Joe Shmo's Sports Bar & Grill" will have its two TVs on Illinois, and if you are a Purdue or MSU fan, you need to know there is a specific bar that will play your game even if the time conflicts with Illinois' game. Illinois doesn't have quite as much demand in that same way, though I am surprised the presence is THIS low. We need more Illini fan bar owners! :p

However, I mostly agree. :( Just doing a quick Google search shows that there used to be up to 8-9 bars marketing themselves as Illini bars; now, I can literally think of three, IF you count the half-!!! support Brickyard gives us (pretty much sells itself out to the traditional "local" schools - UI, NU and ND). I think if we continue to show improvement and re-engage the CASUAL fan in meaningful numbers, the market will be there for more bars to start advertising themselves as Illini bars.