The banners commemorating the Chicago Bulls’ six NBA championships will not be displayed at the United Center for the remainder of the season.
The banners were removed when United Center staff discovered “minor damage” to the banners after a Saturday concert, according to a source. The concert — which featured Three Days Grace, Sevendust and local headliner Disturbed — included pyrotechnics located directly underneath the banners. After the concert’s conclusion, the fabric of all six banners showed significant heat damage that warped their bottom halves.
The Bulls display the six banners celebrating their NBA trophies won in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998, which are flanked by banners for their nine division championships and six conference titles. The banners hang from the rafters during most events held at the United Center, including Blackhawks home games.
The United Center originally hoped the banners would be returned to the rafters by Thursday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets. However, the repairs will require a longer timeline — through the end of the NBA regular season in April.
“United Center is currently working with the Bulls to explore options to repair these banners,” United Center communications 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.”
