Northwestern University debuts stunning new Ryan Field

Image: Anthony Mozzicato / BEST Crowd Management

Northwestern University has unveiled the new $875 million new Ryan Field stadium with a light show, fireworks and a win over Penn State.

The first football game was played on the 100^th anniversary of the opening of the original Northwestern Stadium.

The Athletic said the sightlines in the stadiumare impeccable, with amazing views from the highest chairback next to the scoreboard, 136 feet from the action, to the club seats, which are just 48 feet from the field.

The 35,000-seat New Ryan Field is a state-of-the-art, privately- funded football stadium in Evanston, Illinois (US) built to replace the former venue of the same name at Northwestern University.

Northwestern University (NU) is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851, it is the oldest chartered university in Illinois.

Image: Jeff Spoerndle / BEST Crowd Management

Most of the money for the project was put up by billionaire Pat Ryan, a Northwestern alum who cut the ceremonial ribbon on the stadium that bears his name.

The venue — billed as college football’s most expensive stadium — was built on the same site as the former Ryan Field.

It features a canopy designed to keep noise and light focused on the field and includes cutting-edge technology and scoreboards, as well as concessions with food from local restaurants.
 

Fantastic food offerings

The food options are the best in college football, bar none, and every concession area along the concourse is positioned so that fans can stand in line without missing live action.

Pregame tailgating once fans enter the stadium area features designated areas for students, families, traditional fans and the business community.

Inside the main gate is the Taste of Chicago, a collection of the city’s finest establishments. It includes Frontera Tacos y Tortas by Rick Bayless; Goatdown by Stephanie Izard; Gibson’s Tavern and Luxbar Grill from Gibson’s Restaurant Group; The Medallion and Dimmi Baby.

The Wildcat Wall, a block of 2,000 standing placeholders instead of seats directly behind the southeast end zone is destined to become the best student section in America.

The entire section was sold out in two hours. With no place to sit, students stand on aluminum bleachers that create the rumbling sound of thunder and deliver energy unlike anything witnessed at the old Ryan Field, which sat on the same site.

“We need a force multiplier because we’re the smallest student body in the Big Ten,” Ryan said. “You’re not allowed to have noise makers in college football, but you’re allowed to stomp on your seats.”
 

The new Ryan Field includes:

• All 35,000 seats will offer better-than-tv sightlines. By leveraging modern engineering, each level is optimized for putting it as close to the field as possible, and every seat will feature a comfortable seat back protected from the weather by a canopy
• The seating canopy is also specifically engineered to create a powerful homefield sound advantage at games
• With 194% of the required ADA seating, universal accessibility and the opportunity for every fan, regardless of physical ability to experience the stadium the same way, it will be the most accessible stadium ever built
• More than 200,000 square feet of parks and plazas surrounding the stadium, with the ability to host pregame activities for every type of fan, including pop up restaurants, live music and a community tailgating zone
• All main concourses at the new Ryan Field will be open to the stadium bowl, allowing fans to never miss a moment of the game
• Four premium clubs for every type of fan, from the most hardcore Wildcat supporter to opportunities for corporate entertainment at Chicago’s Big Ten Stadium. Designed by world-renowned architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, the clubs will be available year round for all types of events, meetings and private gatherings.

 
Partners in the new Ryan Field include Turner Walsh, who led construction on the project, as well as architecture firms Perkins & Will and HNTB.

The cheapest tickets start at $25 and go up to $100, not including premium selections. Every seat has a chairback, and only the seats near the top are a slightly steep climb. But they still offer a good view of the field.

Jim Farrell, a season-ticket holder from Lake Forest, Ill. Said, “Prior to coming here, the communication was amazing.

“You got emails with like videos saying, ‘Here’s what to do. Download the app and show me what to do.’ Then you get off the train, and there’s people with like signs saying, ‘How can I help you?’ And they ask about what you want to do, which is amazing.

“I feel like they thought of everything. I’d say so far it’s been like a home run.”

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