Getty Image / Michael Reaves
Northwestern’s Ryan Field was one of the most dilapidated stadiums in all of Division 1 FBS Football. The stadium, which hosted its final game last year, was literally falling apart in some respects after nearly 100 years of use.
This year, the Wildcats will play at a temporary makeshift stadium in their athletic complex as they await the completion of a new Ryan Field that officially broke ground today.
Northwestern fans and local Chicagoans, you’re getting a huge upgrade, as this new stadium, paid for by the Ryan Family, rocks. Here are some renderings.
Northwestern has broken ground on the new Ryan Field, a project that is expected to produce nearly $660M in economic impact to Evanston and surrounding areas.
Additionally, the new stadium will be one of the most accessible stadiums in college football and achieve LEED… pic.twitter.com/biET2w6NM6
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) June 24, 2024
Yeah, that looks awesome. Here are more details, courtesy of ESPN.
The school has said the stadium would seat 35,000, down more than 12,000 from the old Ryan Field, which opened in 1926. It will feature a canopy designed to keep noise and light focused on the field and include cutting-edge technology and scoreboards, as well as concessions with food from local restaurants. It will also achieve Gold LEED certification.
Yeah, it’s less seats, but this looks so much nicer. Honestly, this is going to be one of the nicest places to watch a college football game in the entire country. And, for a private school that doesn’t have the large fan base of other midwestern teams like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan, that size of a stadium looks absolutely perfect.
Plus, I’m not an expert on stadium design, but it seems like that canopy will not only keep fans out of the elements but make things much louder inside the stadium. Northwestern could have a true home-field advantage in the future.
Last year, Northwestern rebounded from a hazing scandal that cost program legend and longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald his job with a phenomenal 8-5 season under then-interim and now-permanent head coach David Braun. While things will get tougher for them now that there is no Big Ten West to hide in, it’s still a time of optimism for the program.
And, in 2026, they’ll have an awesome new venue to play in.