Spectator Sports

While the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox have enormous fan bases and season-ticket holders who reside in the Chicago Southland, those professional franchises actually sit just on the outskirts of our region. But did you know there are actually three professional sports franchises that make their home in the Southland?

Founded in 2006, the Chicago Stars FC (formerly Chicago Red Stars) became a founding member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in its inaugural season in 2013. Playing their home games at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, although the franchise has yet to win a championship, they have been league runner-up on four occasions. Additionally, some of the biggest names in U.S. women’s soccer have played for the Red Stars including Julie Ertz, Carli Lloyd, Christen Press, Megan Rapinoe and current U.S. National Team Goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher.

In November of 2022, Major League Rugby (MLR) announced expansion with the addition of its 12th franchise, the Chicago Hounds. Like the Red Stars, the Hounds share SeatGeek Stadium as their home venue. Invented in 1845 in England, Rugby is one of the most popular sports in the world with over six million registered players. Fans love the game thanks to its fast-paced, aggressive physicality and diverse nature of its participants. The fans in the Chicago Southland fell so hard for the Chicago Hounds in their inaugural season last year, that the MLR selected SeatGeek Stadium as the site of its 2023 Championship Game. Unfortunately, the Hounds weren’t one of those teams, but don’t count them out in 2024 and beyond!

Finally, the rich history of the American Basketball Association (ABA) joined the region with the addition of the expansion Southland Saints for the 2022-2023 season. The ABA, and their trademark red, white and blue basketball started in 1967 and eventually merged with the NBA in 1976 but bounced back onto the hoops scene in 1999 with their official re-launch. Basketball Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, George Gervin, Connie Hawkins, Spencer Haywood and Dan Issel all got their professional starts in the ABA, and the players on the Southland Saints dream that they may be the next ABA or NBA star. You can catch the Southland Saints in 2024 at Moraine Valley Community College.

Visit VisitChicagoSouthland.com/Events?Sporting for more information.