{"id":74922,"date":"2025-07-19T08:31:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T08:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/74922\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T08:31:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T08:31:12","slug":"inside-northwesterns-new-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/74922\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Northwestern\u2019s New Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"

EVANSTON, Ill. \u2014 Northwestern hasn\u2019t exactly been the standard-bearer for success on the football field. But Chicago\u2019s Big Ten team is trying to be the NCAA\u2019s model institution for modern-day football stadiums with the new Ryan Field.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a year since the groundbreaking, and about 15 months remain until the stadium\u2019s expected launch in fall 2026. Front Office Sports took an exclusive tour of the construction site alongside Pat Ryan Jr., CEO of Ryan Sports Development and son of the field\u2019s eponym.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The budget is up to $862 million<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2021, the Ryan family donated $480 million to the funding of the new stadium. The cost of the stadium is fully funded by private backers, including Northwestern University.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The stadium is expected to be the most expensive college stadium in the country<\/a>\u2014and the price tag has increased slightly since last year. Reported to have started at the \u201cnice, round number\u201d of $850 million, Ryan tells FOS the budget is now at $862 million, $6 million more than the original allocation for the stadium, slated at $856 million.<\/p>\n

The increase, according to Ryan, was authorized by the school for a fourth club for young alumni on the stadium\u2019s sideline and additional suites. He insisted that the budget \u201cis not going over\u201d again.<\/p>\n

The stadium is noticeably smaller by design<\/strong><\/p>\n

The prevailing theme for the new Ryan Field is \u201cpremium for everybody.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Part of the inclusivity agenda includes four \u201cfestivals\u201d around the stadium\u2019s grounds welcome to any ticket holder, and wheelchair-accessible entrances and main grounds. There will still be premium seating options and clubs, including one behind an end zone that will have a view of the postgame press conference.<\/p>\n

\"Ryan<\/p>\n

Derryl Barnes\/FOS<\/p>\n

Its biggest universal selling point is that it\u2019s smaller than most football stadiums with a capacity of 35,000, about three-quarters of its old stadium. The idea is a better viewing experience for everyone.<\/p>\n

The new seating sections rely on the same architectural innovation of the Intuit Dome\u2019s<\/a> farthest seats. The premium seating area starts 90 feet away from the field, while the farthest section is 136 feet away. The best seats at Michigan Stadium\u2014which fits about three times more people\u2014are 235 feet away, while the farthest section is 253 feet from the sideline.<\/p>\n

The venue\u2019s defining characteristic is intimacy. A nosebleed seat won\u2019t be a disappointing compromise for the cost-cutters, while the steep student section behind one of the end zones\u2014right above the visiting locker room\u2014has the potential to feel like a towering monster.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Watch our Stadium Status video for a tour<\/p>\n

The stadium is far from finished\u2014there is still no field, no seats, and the canopy shielding spectators from above has yet to be installed.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices remain unclear<\/strong><\/p>\n

A smaller stadium and luxury amenities could spur a rise in ticket prices. Ryan wouldn\u2019t confirm whether that would be the case, but he says \u201ca big piece of [our vision] is financial accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

He confirmed that current Northwestern students would continue to watch for free, while alumni would receive \u201cadvantage pricing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy view is: Why subsidize the rich?\u201d Ryan says. \u201cIf you\u2019re the Chicago business community doing corporate entertainment, you should pay the appropriate price.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Bears won\u2019t be coming, but new Ryan Field could host major NCAA events<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Ryan family is a minority owner of the Bears, whose future home is up in the air. The NFL franchise currently plays at Soldier Field, one of the oldest stadiums in the league. Its lease ends after the 2033 season\u2014though it could break the agreement as soon as 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The team has explored building a $4.7 billion lakefront arena in downtown Chicago, but it has faced pushback from the state. In May, the Bears reportedly shifted their focus<\/a> to a 326-acre property they own in Arlington Heights, a Chicago suburb.<\/p>\n

The Bears will not play any games at the new Ryan Field because an Evanston ordinance does not allow professional sports to be held in the city. However, Northwestern\u2019s temporary lakefront stadium was approved to host the 2026 season<\/a> of the NWSL\u2019s Chicago Stars.<\/p>\n

According to Ryan, the goal for new Ryan Field is to hold other major NCAA events at the stadium. \u201cYou could see doing the Frozen Four or the Lacrosse National Championships or the Big Ten championships for soccer,\u201d Ryan says.<\/p>\n

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Northwestern rendering<\/p>\n

Other than Northwestern\u2019s football and lacrosse teams, Ryan announced last month that the stadium will host games for Evanston Township High School and other local organizations. He called them a \u201csecond anchor tenant<\/a>,\u201d according to Evanston RoundTable.<\/p>\n

The stadium is also approved to host six concerts starting in the summer of 2027, though the school has yet to secure performers. Ryan says initial conversations have begun with music agents.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The concerts were a main contention point in the school receiving local approval<\/a> for the new stadium due to heavy opposition by the surrounding community<\/a>. In November 2023, the Evanston City Council approved an amendment to the zoning code, 5\u20134, swayed by the school\u2019s $157.5 million commitment<\/a> in public benefits throughout the next 15 years.<\/p>\n

A delay will mean more games at the lakefront stadium<\/strong><\/p>\n

The school aims to be ready for the 2026 NCAA season, but any unexpected delays could derail their plans as they are pushing up against the target date. They expect to be working all throughout the Midwest winter season.<\/p>\n

Should there be any delays, the school\u2019s temporary lakefront field<\/a> remains just a few blocks east. \u201cNorthwestern has every intention of playing the majority of our games at new Ryan Field for the 2026 season. If unforeseen circumstances occur, we will have Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium available,\u201d Mark Jackson, Northwestern\u2019s VP of athletics and recreation, tells FOS.<\/p>\n

Any delays could prove costly, considering the Wildcats are slated to play their first home game Sept. 12 against South Dakota State. Another big test will follow at their second home game a week later: Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Next up: Watch our video tour<\/a> of the new Ryan Field stadium.<\/p>\n