Chicago Bulls championship banners damaged by Disturbed concert pyrotechnics

ByJamal Collier ESPN logo
Saturday, March 15, 2025 8:36PM
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CHICAGO -- All six of the Chicago Bulls' championship banners were pulled from the rafters and removed from the United Center after being damaged at a concert last Saturday night.

The United Center released a statement Friday afternoon that the staff discovered "minor damage" to the banners and that they will be down for the rest of the season.

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"United Center is currently working with the Bulls to explore options to repair these banners," the United Center said in a statement. "While the banners will not be in place for the remainder of this season, we do anticipate them being back in place next season."

The Bulls won six NBA championships in the 1990s, a dynasty led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson that guided the team to two separate three-peats.

The heavy metal band Disturbed, which was formed in Chicago in 1994, performed at the arena Saturday, and the banners were damaged during a pyrotechnics show. The Chicago Tribune first reported the story and said the staff discovered damage that warped the bottom halves of the banners.

Nearby banners that display division titles and conference championships were not damaged and will remain raised.

Meanwhile, the current Bulls have won four consecutive games for the first time since 2023. Chicago has a five-game lead on the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference and appears headed to the play-in tournament for the third consecutive season.

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