Polo, which began having matches contested in Oak Brook more than 100 years ago, won’t have a 2024 season in the village.
Daniel O’Leary, president of the Friends of Oak Brook Polo, wrote in a statement that the 2024 Oak Brook Polo season will be postponed until 2025.
“This decision comes as we continue to undergo significant changes to our leadership and operations,” he wrote. “These changes are necessary to ensure that we continue to provide a top-notch polo experience and to position Oak Brook Polo for a vibrant and sustainable future.”
O’Leary wrote that the postponement will allow the Oak Brook Polo Club to focus on restructuring and improving various aspects of the organization, ensuring that when polo returns in 2025, an exceptional season can be offered then and into the future.
“We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience during this transition,” he wrote. “Your unwavering support and loyalty over the years has been invaluable, and we are grateful for your dedication to Oak Brook Polo. We look forward to working with you and welcoming you back in 2025 for an exciting and improved polo season.”
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O’Leary later told The Doings that Oak Brook Polo Club officials knew the first week of June that they could not move forward with a season effectively, which was around the time of the deadline they had given themselves to make a decision on whether to move forward with a season.
“How (Oak Brook Polo Club) has chosen to conduct its business has changed significantly, and we need more time to implement, communicate and execute these changes,” O’Leary said.
He lamented the club not having a season this year, explaining that meticulous details and plenty of money are involved with the sport of polo.
“Businesses change and we are going through a big change. The way OBPC has been operating or how polo traditionally operates is not sustainable for its future. So we need more time to take a hard look at things and reorganize,” he said.
O’Leary said he is confident polo will return in 2025, but “a few major details need to go our way for that to happen.”
He said that would include having support from fans, residents, the polo community and the village of Oak Brook.
“If these stars align, then we can confidently move forward with a season,” said O’Leary.
Village President Larry Herman said he is hopeful the Polo Club can maximize this brief pause to come back in 2025 as an even stronger organization.
“Being a lifelong resident of Oak Brook, I recognize the historical significance that polo represents to our community, and we will miss their crowd-pleasing matches this summer as they reconfigure their events to meet current needs,” he said.
Oak Brook Polo leases its field from the Village. A couple of years ago, at the request of polo officials, matches were moved to a different field nearby, which is also used as a driving range by Butler National Gold Club. The Village of Oak Brook does not manage or operate polo.
Oak Brook Village Manager Greg Summers said the Village was notified by O’Leary on June 12 that there would be no polo this year.
“Oak Brook Polo Club did make their lease payment ($20,000) for 2024, so the village is not out any funds,” Summers said. “Further, the lease of the polo field is structured in such a way that whatever amount is not paid by the Polo Club is then picked up by Butler National Golf Club under their lease for use of the same field space as a driving range.”
Oak Brook Polo was founded in 1922 by Paul Butler, who also founded the village.
Oak Brook was once the sport’s epicenter for elite professional polo in the United States and served as home to the U.S. Open Polo Championship for 24 seasons and other prestigious international and national polo tournaments, according to information from the Club.
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.