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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced a new outreach program dubbed the "Fighting Illini Tour". This comprehensive initiative will kick off in late May and focus on traveling throughout all 102 counties of the Land of Lincoln on an annual basis.
"We're excited to launch this new effort to engage Fighting Illini fans from Chicago to Cairo, Champaign to the Quad Cities, and all points in between" said Director of Athletics Mike Thomas. "As the top institution of higher learning in the state of Illinois and the flagship intercollegiate athletics program, we are committed to getting out into every one of the 102 Illinois counties each year to share the excitement associated with our 21 team athletics program."
The tour will be staffed by the "FIGHTING ILLINI Street Team," comprised of current University of Illinois students who will travel throughout the state and attend top local events each year.
A list of initial tour stops have been selected based on suggestions from radio affiliates associated with Fighting Illini Sports Network and engaged corporate partners that are active in major events. A listing of these events can be found at FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour.
Initial Fighting Illini Tour Events
Date Location Event Details
May 22 Peoria, Ill. Peoria River Jam
June 5 Aledo, Ill. Aledo Rhubarb Fest
June 6 Chicago, Ill. Beach Slap
June 16 Chicago, Ill. Chicago Northerly Island (Barenaked Ladies)
June 20 Chicago, Ill. Wine and Swine
June 26 Danville, Ill. Danville Dan's Baseball Game
July 10 Moline, Ill. John Deere Classic
July 22 Chicago, Ill. Illini Day at U.S. Cellular Field
July 25 Chicago, Ill. BTNBig10K
August 3 Georgetown, Ill. Georgetown Fair
August 5 Effingham, Ill. Effingham County Fair
August 8 Decatur, Ill. Decatur Celebration
The DIA is also encouraging fans to suggest stops for the Fighting Illini Tour. Fans can go on the web to FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour, email illinitour@illinois.edu and use #IlliniTour on social media and tell the DIA about any great local events that happen in your community. Large or small, new or historic, we want to hear about your event and will consider it as a possible stop for 2015 or for future tours.
Following each engagement, photos and details of the specific tour stops will be posted to several new social media outlets, including FIGHTINGILLINI.com, @IlliniTour on Twitter and Instagram and the Fighting Illini Tour fan page on Facebook.
"The Fighting Illini Tour will be a fantastic way for us to stay connected to our fans throughout the state of Illinois," adds Thomas. "Not only will we be having a visible presence on the ground in many different communities, but this program also gives fans one more reason to interact with us digitally, year round. Fans can now directly engage with our program in a fun way as we are going to be coming to some areas for the first time in our program's history. The great thing about the tour is that it's going to keep evolving every year, so the sky is the limit as we look to reach out and thank our fans for their support of the Orange and Blue."
Follow our journey on Twitter (@illinitour), on Instagram (@illinitour), on Facebook at Fighting Illini Tour and on FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour. For tour stop suggestions or any other inquiries, please email illinitour@illinois.edu.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced a new outreach program dubbed the "Fighting Illini Tour". This comprehensive initiative will kick off in late May and focus on traveling throughout all 102 counties of the Land of Lincoln on an annual basis.
"We're excited to launch this new effort to engage Fighting Illini fans from Chicago to Cairo, Champaign to the Quad Cities, and all points in between" said Director of Athletics Mike Thomas. "As the top institution of higher learning in the state of Illinois and the flagship intercollegiate athletics program, we are committed to getting out into every one of the 102 Illinois counties each year to share the excitement associated with our 21 team athletics program."
The tour will be staffed by the "FIGHTING ILLINI Street Team," comprised of current University of Illinois students who will travel throughout the state and attend top local events each year.
A list of initial tour stops have been selected based on suggestions from radio affiliates associated with Fighting Illini Sports Network and engaged corporate partners that are active in major events. A listing of these events can be found at FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour.
Initial Fighting Illini Tour Events
Date Location Event Details
May 22 Peoria, Ill. Peoria River Jam
June 5 Aledo, Ill. Aledo Rhubarb Fest
June 6 Chicago, Ill. Beach Slap
June 16 Chicago, Ill. Chicago Northerly Island (Barenaked Ladies)
June 20 Chicago, Ill. Wine and Swine
June 26 Danville, Ill. Danville Dan's Baseball Game
July 10 Moline, Ill. John Deere Classic
July 22 Chicago, Ill. Illini Day at U.S. Cellular Field
July 25 Chicago, Ill. BTNBig10K
August 3 Georgetown, Ill. Georgetown Fair
August 5 Effingham, Ill. Effingham County Fair
August 8 Decatur, Ill. Decatur Celebration
The DIA is also encouraging fans to suggest stops for the Fighting Illini Tour. Fans can go on the web to FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour, email illinitour@illinois.edu and use #IlliniTour on social media and tell the DIA about any great local events that happen in your community. Large or small, new or historic, we want to hear about your event and will consider it as a possible stop for 2015 or for future tours.
Following each engagement, photos and details of the specific tour stops will be posted to several new social media outlets, including FIGHTINGILLINI.com, @IlliniTour on Twitter and Instagram and the Fighting Illini Tour fan page on Facebook.
"The Fighting Illini Tour will be a fantastic way for us to stay connected to our fans throughout the state of Illinois," adds Thomas. "Not only will we be having a visible presence on the ground in many different communities, but this program also gives fans one more reason to interact with us digitally, year round. Fans can now directly engage with our program in a fun way as we are going to be coming to some areas for the first time in our program's history. The great thing about the tour is that it's going to keep evolving every year, so the sky is the limit as we look to reach out and thank our fans for their support of the Orange and Blue."
Follow our journey on Twitter (@illinitour), on Instagram (@illinitour), on Facebook at Fighting Illini Tour and on FIGHTINGILLINI.com/illinitour. For tour stop suggestions or any other inquiries, please email illinitour@illinois.edu.
