Top of the Morning, Aug. 13, 2022
Aug. 13—More than 1,300 athletes are converging on Champaign County for a weekend of competition at Rantoul Family Sports Complex. There's something for everybody, from a large-scale football tournament hosted by Rank Up Events to a National Softball Association tournament open to players aged 45 and up.
"I know there's about a dozen different places people are coming from, and that just goes to show that central Illinois is a true destination for sports tourism," said Ryan Reid, the facility's director of sports operations. "If you build it, they will come, type of thing."
The complex hosts events even larger than this weekend's over the course of its 36-week peak season, a testament to what the facility has to offer. It has events booked through the final weekend in October this season, and Reid estimates the complex will have hosted over one million people by the time the season ends. Team signups are currently up roughly 30 percent compared to last season, a figure that leaves Reid optimistic for next season, which is tentatively set to open in late March.
"We're a turn-key facility, we're the biggest and probably one of the nicest in the state," Reid said. "We really hang our hats on having the best playing fields in the state and in the area ... really good food, good time."
Spanning more than 60 acres with 18 turf fields, three concession stands and more than 800 parking spaces, the land has become a destination for summer sports. Eight of those fields are capable of hosting football. Even local athletes who aren't necessarily part of an organized tournament can enjoy the amenities.
"We're an open park," Reid said. "People are welcome to come out here, watch football, watch softball, play in our playground and splash pad, bring their own ball, and if there's an open field, they're able to go play on it."
