Sports in Chicago
[8] Some notable former players include Cuauhtémoc Blanco from Mexico, Brian McBride from the U.S., Peter Nowak from Poland, and Bastian Schweinsteiger from Germany – a demonstration of the team's international flavor.
The Stars began their second stint at the venue now known as SeatGeek Stadium in 2016, having played there previously as a member of the now-defunct Women's Professional Soccer.
Chicago is one of three metro areas in the United States that has two Major League Baseball teams, the others being Los Angeles and New York City.
The White Sox have played on the South Side continuously since 1901, with all three of their home fields throughout the years being within mere blocks of one another.
In 2011, led by league MVP Derrick Rose, the Bulls made it to the Eastern Finals, losing to the Miami Heat.
The Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers dates back the 1920s, and is one of the most intense in American professional sports.
[19] The Bears play their home games at Soldier Field, named after "The men and women of the armed forces".
In 2003, the stadium re-opened after an extensive renovation, which increased the number of luxury boxes and dramatically improved the game day experience for Bears fans.
[21] The Blackhawks receive national attention for the intense rivalries with the Detroit Red Wings, also an Original Six team.
[22] Other rivalries include the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues (former Norris Division rivals), and the Nashville Predators.
Some well-known players include: Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Bobby Hull, Keith Magnuson, Glenn Hall, Denis Savard, Steve Larmer, Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, Ed Belfour, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Marián Hossa, Corey Crawford, Jonathan Toews, and Duncan Keith.
The Chicago Wolves have been successful, making numerous playoff appearances and winning the Turner and Calder cups many times.
The Chicago Hounds of Major League Rugby began play in 2023 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Chicago Stockyarders rugby league team played in 2010's AMNRL's War at the Shore in a 7s match against the Northern Raiders.
[28] In international rugby union, Soldier Field was the site of the first-ever victory by Ireland over New Zealand, with the Irish defeating the All Blacks 40–29 on November 5, 2016.
Chicago has also hosted major professional wrestling matches, including WrestleMania 22, and several other pay-per-view events, such as Money in the Bank in 2011, Extreme Rules in 2012, and WWE Payback in 2013.
[31][32][33] The northwest suburb of Hoffman Estates hosted All In in 2018, the first U.S. wrestling event not sponsored by WWE or the now-defunct WCW in 25 years to have sold more than 10,000 tickets.
During this show, CM Punk debuted for AEW, marking his first appearance as an active wrestler since his acrimonious departure from WWE in 2014.
[34] Then, during Labor Day weekend on September 5, the All Out pay-per-view saw AEW visit the same Hoffman Estates venue that had hosted All In.
The DePaul Blue Demons, Loyola Ramblers, Chicago State Cougars, and UIC Flames, none of which sponsor football, are all within the city limits.
The Northwestern Wildcats, Northern Illinois Huskies, and Valparaiso Beacons are all programs that play in the surrounding area.
The football program of Notre Dame, which is located in South Bend, Indiana, which is an hour and a half to the east, also has a huge following in the Chicago Area, especially in its southwest suburbs.
[45] The International Olympic Committee eventually shortlisted four of the seven applicant cities, where Chicago remained, before Rio de Janeiro was elected as the host in 2009.
Chicago was selected to host the 1904 Summer Olympics, but they were transferred to St. Louis to coincide with the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.
The track hosts drag racing events.Due to geographical proximity and a long history, Chicago and Detroit have developed a rivalry throughout the big 4 sports and even at the collegiate level.
