Northwestern finally got approval to tear down old Ryan Field and build a new, smaller 35,000 seat stadium in its footprint. It is yet to be determined where the Wildcats will play their home games during the ‘24 and ‘25 seasons.
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Can I just say, I love the title of this thread?
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Either we’re going to have a dream season or “2024 CFP” is going to become an all time MHT meme.
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Two years to build a 35k seat stadium?
Two seasons to tear down a 47k stadium, build a 35k stadium and redevelop the neighborhood immediately around it.
35k seems a lowball number. I get their athletics are purely performatory, but you’d think a B10+4 school would aim for at least 50k
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Not for Northwestern. They’re going with the trend of shrinking attendance figures and are building a 35k seat facility.
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Seating might also be driven by the city/residents; fewer seats means less people, less cars and less noise.
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Also, they won’t have to let in so many heathen OSU & Michigan fans.
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Neighborhood impact - primarily focused on concerts allowed - was a major negotiating point in Evanston. But the trend seems to be downsizing. Baylor, SMU, Wake Forest, Duke and Oregon State are all (now) P5 programs with fairly new or redeveloped stadiums with under 37,000 seats.
Lifted from SB Nation
“The overarching assumption is that the stadium reconstruction will still be approved, whether Nov. 20 or in the immediate future. But, assuming Ryan Field is torn down after the Wildcats host Purdue this weekend, where will Braun & Co. call home?
With no other local colleges, that will presumably be in downtown Chicago, specifically Wrigley Field and Soldier Field. The Cubs’ last home game next year is Sept. 29, 2024, which would give the Wildcats ample time to utilize the Friendly Confines — possibly for 2/3 of its next two seasons.
The first step in this process is, obviously, the city council’s ruling. Once stadium construction plans are put in motion, though, nothing will fully feel stabilized until a new home turf is determined and announced.”
I thought they were going to be using the MLS stadium in Chicago? Maybe that was just speculation though
Looks like Chicago Fire is playing at Soldier Field on 31 Aug. Cubs will still be playing so no Wrigley Field. A music festival is at Seat Geek Stadium Friday afternoon. What other options are in Chicago area?
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SeatGeek Stadium (MLS Fire part-time stadium) in theory, but I believe it’s busy with an event that weekend. Who knows what else they can do, Evanston Township High School?
Tough shit, nerds, you’re coming to Oxford now AND with the big check for us.
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I like Oxford as an alternative.
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Cubs are on the road that weekend. I wouldn’t count out Wrigley (Brewers are too).
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Takes too long to set up Wrigley, they have to take out one of the dugouts and sections of seats. Also I doubt the Cubs would let them use the field during the season since the turf got destroyed in the NU/Iowa game last year. Now Milwaukee would be intereting.
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I think NW would have liked 50K. But Evanston definitely would not.