Non-season ticket holders interested in season tickets at the lakeside venue can join the season ticket wait-list.
“To be able to play these games on campus is a huge advantage for our football program and will be a great benefit to our reigning national champion and top-ranked lacrosse team and both the women’s and men’s soccer programs,” said Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation Dr. Derrick Gragg. “We look forward to welcoming fans and the entire Northwestern community to this beautiful area of campus to cheer on our Wildcat student-athletes.”
To make the enhancements to the Martin athletics facility, the University has partnered with InProduction, the company behind the structures used for the NASCAR viewing area in downtown Chicago, as well as temporary seating, staging, structures and more for college athletics at the University of Hawaii and Florida State.
Construction is expected to begin early this summer, and the facility will remain operational through the 2025 season.
“We talk all the time about providing the ultimate student-athlete experience, and keeping our team on campus while providing a true home field advantage accomplishes that mission,” said Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun. “During a period of exciting transition, playing in a venue that brings the Northwestern community together provides a perfect bridge to the new Ryan Field, and I’m so excited about the gameday experience for our program and the entire Wildcat community.”
The facility will provide a boost to the top-ranked lacrosse team, among others, by expanding the number of seats for home games. This season, which will conclude before the temporary facility is built, six of the seven home lacrosse games have sold out.
“The Martin athletics facility is one of the most picturesque college sports venues in the country,” said Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. “We look forward to the Northwestern football team and its fans experiencing the tremendous environment that lacrosse, soccer and field hockey have enjoyed on the shores of Lake Michigan.”
Keeping the majority of home football games on the Evanston campus also will benefit nearby businesses, providing a boost to downtown and Central Street businesses on gamedays.
“We are excited about Northwestern’s decision to host a majority of its home football games at a temporary facility on campus,” said Valerie Romano, president of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. “The Evanston Chamber of Commerce is fully supportive of this idea, and we look forward to the increased business activity it will bring to downtown Evanston.”
More information will be released about logistics and ticket opportunities in the near future.
