So Long, Sky

By Marcus Gilmer in Miscellaneous on Aug 18, 2009 3:40PM

A professional sports team is leaving its city digs for a spot in the suburbs. No, don't worry, the Bears aren't going to start playing at Ryan Field. Chicago's WNBA team, the Chicago Sky, is packing up and leaving the UIC Pavilion, their current home, and relocating to the Allstate Arena in Rosemont starting with the 2010 season. Why? The team itself says it's all about growing. Sky President and CEO Margaret Stender said in a statement, “The Sky has developed from an expansion team into one of the WNBA’s most formidable teams with fabulous young talent and a very bright future. The Allstate Arena is a great choice for our team and our fans as we enter our next stage of growth. The central location and benefits of our new home will help our Sky family continue to expand."

The team plans on using the Allstate Arena's 100 level seats which would has a capacity of 7,000 seats with the option to expand into the rest of the arena's 19,000 seats if needed. Of course, over the franchise's history, WBBM reports they've averaged just a bit over 3,000 fans a game and have had one sellout (June 3, 2008) at the UIC Pavilion (6,304 tickets). According to a list of benefits the team released [PDF], it seems the real reason for the move might be an upgrade in the quality of the facilities and comfort.

The team says the move will not affect ticket prices.