Illinois will play its next three home games against in-state rival Northwestern at Chicago's Soldier Field, beginning this season, the school announced Monday.
The Illini will host Northwestern on Nov. 28, and again during the 2017 and 2019 seasons. Illinois last played a home game at Soldier Field in 2013 against Washington.
"It's exciting to seize the opportunity to further engage our incredible number of Illinois alumni and fans in the Chicagoland area with these three football games coming to Soldier Field," Illinois athletic director Mike Thomas said in a prepared statement. "As the flagship university in the state we are committed to all Fighting Illini, and as part of that mindset, we will continue to bring a variety of athletics events to Chicago, where we have the largest alumni base of any Big Ten institution."
Illinois will offer a reduced price for season tickets after moving a home game to Soldier Field, and season-ticket holders will be able to purchase tickets for the Soldier Field game at a special reduced price. Illinois, which has faced declining football attendance for several years, received $946,019 in net revenue per home game in 2014 but received $1,969,800 for the 2013 Soldier Field game against Washington.
In a Q&A posted on Illinois' website, the school said positive fan feedback from the Washington game and a chance to play a Thanksgiving weekend game in Chicago -- when many students are in the area on break -- fueled the move. The Illini will have at least one appearance in Chicago in the next five seasons, as they will visit Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois, in 2016 and 2018.
Although it's possible other Illinois games will be moved to Chicago, the school said maintaining at least six true home games per season and flexibility for some "one-off" events are priorities.
Northwestern hosted Illinois at Chicago's Wrigley Field in 2010. Although Northwestern intends to return to Wrigley Field for a football game in the future, it likely will play those against out-of-state opponents.