Northwestern building a temporary FB stadium

[MIS01]

They’re tearing down Ryan Field and building a temporary stadium on campus for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. They’re still working on figuring our where they’ll play the OSU and Wisconsin home games this fall. I would have thought they would have that figured out before they tore the old one down. They’re new stadium will seat 35,000

 

[Tammany Hall]

They are looking at a practice field on the lake. I’d guess they could put up temporary stands such that it will look like a big high school stadium. The field already has lights. The neighboring buildings could house the locker rooms. Weird. See below.

 

[IU_Hickory]

The temporary stadium holds 35k or the new one in 2026?

That seems crazy small if the new stadium

 

[TMFT]

I guess a packed small place is a better visual than an empty big one.

 

[Tammany Hall]

The temporary stadium holds 35k or the new one in 2026?

That seems crazy small if the new stadium

New one is 35K. Not a big fanbase.

Temporary one will be smaller. Hawaii’s temporary stadium is 15K or so. I’d guess NW’s will be something like that.

Hawaii temporary stadium pic below. They will be there awhile, the rebuild of Aloha Stadium won’t be done for years, the demolition of the old stadium has not even started.

 

[Tammany Hall]

 

[dillonpgp]

Lost in this discussion is that the game IU will play up there in October will be a tough ticket, therefore much higher secondary market prices. (Classes will finally have begun at Northwestern and this will be the first game the student body will be able to attend). Northwestern won’t be able to get around league minimums required in terms of numbers of tickets provided to conference opponents, 2,000 tickets or 13% of capacity.

Of this year’s home league opponents (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, IU is the one that will play on the lakefront for sure.

Your cheapest option to get in will be through a ticket from IU directly (and get there insanely early as parking logistics will be a nightmare and tailgating almost impossible except far, far away).

 

[Crossblock]

I seem to recall discussion several months ago that the IU game was expected to be played in the Chicago Pro Soccer Team stadium. Did that idea fall through, or did Northwestern decide it was less expensive to go this route rather than paying to use Someone Else"s facility?

 

[Tammany Hall]

I seem to recall discussion several months ago that the IU game was expected to be played in the Chicago Pro Soccer Team stadium. Did that idea fall through, or did Northwestern decide it was less expensive to go this route rather than paying to use Someone Else"s facility?

I can’t tell for sure looking through articles, but it appears they may have moved away from the soccer stadium option (20K seats) and are going with this temporary stadium on the lake with about 15K seats.

The soccer stadium is a one hour drive at best from Evanston, with what looks like no good train option. The temporary stadium starts to make sense: they control it, it’s close, cost probably similar to leasing the soccer stadium (temporary stands are not too pricey), and it’s kinda cool to have the lake view for two seasons.

Interesting.

 

[dillonpgp]

I can’t speak to the specifics of that date (IU game), but because of the late addition of Washington and Oregon, the 2024 schedule had to be redone last fall and some dates at the old soccer stadium were not available. As temporary client, the venues were not interested in burning ongoing relationships to cater to Northwestern.

Also, once the commitment was made to doing this, a higher priority was given to playing as many games there as feasible, especially to accommodate the student body, but let’s face reality, there are 5-6 schools that drive revenue for Northwestern home games and Indiana just isn’t one of them.

You are also going to have to tell some season ticket holders they may need to sacrifice not going to a game or two. You can make that case if the opponent is Eastern Illinois or Duke but you can’t do that with Ohio State or Illinois.

 

[Tammany Hall]

I can’t speak to the specifics of that date (IU game), but because of the late addition of Washington and Oregon, the 2024 schedule had to be redone last fall and some dates at the old soccer stadium were not available. As temporary client, the venues were not interested in burning ongoing relationships to cater to Northwestern.

Also, once the commitment was made to doing this, a higher priority was given to playing as many games there as feasible, especially to accommodate the student body, but let’s face reality, there are 5-6 schools that drive revenue for Northwestern home games and Indiana just isn’t one of them.

You are also going to have to tell some season ticket holders they may need to sacrifice not going to a game or two. You can make that case if the opponent is Eastern Illinois or Duke but you can’t do that with Ohio State or Illinois.

Nice break for OSU and other opposing fans if they get to go to Solider Field — Ryan Field was bad. They will take over even more than usual.

 

[dillonpgp]

Nice break for OSU and other opposing fans if they get to go to Solider Field

Supposedly more likely to be Wrigley Field, a facility that can only be used after the hold for a potential World Series is over. soldier Field comes with its own set of problems, namely the terms of the Bears lease agreement with the Chicago Park District that have many more factors prohibiting a Saturday college/Sunday NFL like you occasionally see in Pittsburgh between Pitt and the Steelers.

 

[Tammany Hall]

Supposedly more likely to be Wrigley Field, a facility that can only be used after the hold for a potential World Series is over. soldier Field comes with its own set of problems, namely the terms of the Bears lease agreement with the Chicago Park District that have many more factors prohibiting a Saturday college/Sunday NFL like you occasionally see in Pittsburgh between Pitt and the Steelers.

Thanks, interesting info. I'd imagine the real grass at Soldier Field makes a Saturday/Sunday games tougher as well -- the Bears wouldn't want the field torn up. Probably part of the lease agreement prohibitions rationale.

The World Series would only put the Wisky game at risk (OSU and Illinois seem clear). And Wrigley, though not great for football, is much closer to campus and it seems people like the novelty.

 

[ElMeson]

Lost in this discussion is that the game IU will play up there in October will be a tough ticket, therefore much higher secondary market prices. (Classes will finally have begun at Northwestern and this will be the first game the student body will be able to attend). Northwestern won’t be able to get around league minimums required in terms of numbers of tickets provided to conference opponents, 2,000 tickets or 13% of capacity.

Of this year’s home league opponents (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, IU is the one that will play on the lakefront for sure.

Your cheapest option to get in will be through a ticket from IU directly (and get there insanely early as parking logistics will be a nightmare and tailgating almost impossible except far, far away).

OSU/NW will be at Wrigley. That was announced earlier this year.

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