Windy City Bulls a hit at Sears Centre fan festival
The Windy City Bulls are proving to be a hit eight months before their first game.
At least 6,000 fans registered for the Chicago Bulls' Development League team's free festival Sunday at Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. Activities in the energized atmosphere to celebrate the new team included a chance to shoot hoops on the Sears Centre floor, a mechanical bull to ride and the Bulls' six championship trophies on a table for photo opportunities.
Michael Reinsdorf, the Chicago Bulls' president and chief operating officer, said he was impressed with the turnout.
"I think it's very exciting," Reinsdorf said. "I'm totally blown away. When we started this, I figured maybe we'd have 1,000 people preregister. I think we had 6,000 people preregister. People are here waiting in line to get in. The excitement, the energy in the building, seeing all the kids here, I'm really excited. It makes me wish that the season was starting tomorrow."
Windy City Bulls D-League home games will be played at Sears Centre from November 2016 through April 2017. Reinsdorf said the quality will be better than college hoops, with some players moving up to the NBA at some point.
High-level play, single-game tickets starting at $17 and a family friendly atmosphere are among the reasons several fans said they are looking forward to the Windy City Bulls.
Glen Gribac of Streamwood attended Sunday's festival with his wife, Michelle, and 5-year-old son, Grady. He said the suburban convenience for professional basketball is attractive.
"I'm trying to get (Grady) interested in basketball, so this is a great way to do it," Gribac said.
Cesar Norfleet of Park Forest was an early arrival who grabbed a high bar-style table near the court with his wife, Tanya, and son Cesar III. He said it'll be refreshing to get an affordable seat close enough to see the players' names on their jerseys for what he expects to be good action.
"As the players make that transition from college to the pros, this is kind of the intermediate stop before they get to that elite level," Norfleet said. "So, yeah, I'm expecting very, very competitive games. A lot of long-range shots, a lot of dunking."
Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod, who donned a Bulls jersey, was among the village officials who attended Sunday's fan festival. He said the strong turnout shows there is a demand for high-level sports entertainment in the suburbs.
McLeod said the Windy City Bulls will be different from previous Sears Centre sports tenants that were "minor, minor, minor."
"It's certainly going to be good for the Bulls, good for the arena and good for the village," he said. "It's also going to familiarize people who may not realize we have this arena here."