Despite The Loss, Illini Fans – And Your Fave Local Sports Bar – Still Won

from In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons · host WBEZ Chicago

Despite the Fighting Illini’s Saturday loss to UConn, fans rejoiced in the team’s longest March Madness run in 21 years. And a strong season not only reinvigorated school spirit, but was an economic boost to the university and even local businesses can see a major economic boost. We dig into what a winning season means for both the fan experience and for business. Our panel at the table: Matt Brown, publisher of the sports newsletter Extra Points; Steve Greenberg, Chicago Sun-Times sports columnist; and Robert Rosenthal, publisher of Illiniboard.com and the Illini Boardroom podcast. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 6, 2026

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Despite The Loss, Illini Fans – And Your Fave Local Sports Bar – Still Won

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