Northwestern to expand its relationship with Wrigley Field

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:13 PM
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MikeCohodes
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Northwestern to expand its relationship with Wrigley Field

I came across an interesting article today about Northwestern athletics.  Apparently they are planning on expanding their relationship with Wrigley Field, and want to have more games take place at the stadium.  The article talks about NU having other sports play at Wrigley in 2013 (baseball, softball, lacrosse, and soccer), but that they also want to bring football back to the stadium in the future as well, once the field is renovated to avoid having both teams use the same end zone like they had to in the Illinois vs NU game a couple years back.  Michigan is cited in 2015 as a potential opponent, with the current schedule.  

So, what do you guys think of this idea?  Would you rather go to a Michigan game at Wrigley or at Ryan Field out in Northwestern?  The attendance levels are about the same so tickets should be comparably easy to get.  I think Wrigley would be more fun, plus there'd be a lot of pre and post game bars to choose from, although tailgating would be more challenging.

Story link: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-northwestern-wrigley-field-chicago-cubs-20130202,0,3232897.story

 

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:26 PM | Wrigley would be pretty cool. (Score:3 Normal)
HAIL_YES
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Wrigley would be pretty cool. I wonder if the beer stands will be open?

February 4th, 2013 at 8:59 PM | Beer would be flowing. (Score:5 Normal)
LongLiveBo
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Beer would be flowing.

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February 5th, 2013 at 10:09 AM | Do you actually know that? I (Score:2)
GoBlueInNYC
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Do you actually know that? I went to the NIT Tip Off Tournament at Madison Square Garden a few months ago to see the basketball team, and they weren't selling beer because of NCAA rules.

I am this close to going all Dark Blue in here.

February 5th, 2013 at 10:27 AM | Beer Rules (Score:1)
GoBlueFlyer
Joined: 02/05/2013
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There are different NCAA rules for alcohol at tournament games vs. non-tournament games.  For instance, there is never alcohol at University of Dayton Arena during the first four NCAA play in games, even though there is always beer at Flyer basketball games (during which there is a very strict two-beer limit per transaction policy!).

 

 

 

 

February 5th, 2013 at 1:07 PM | NIT Rule (Score:1)
stankoniaks
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This is a NIT rule.  MSG sells alcohol almost every other college bball game (Cuse, St. Johns, & Big East tournament).  If you had gone to the UM game at Barclays in Brooklyn you could have had as much beer as you wanted.

February 5th, 2013 at 2:20 PM | (No subject) (Score:2)
GoBlueInNYC
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I am this close to going all Dark Blue in here.

February 4th, 2013 at 8:35 PM | DO WANT. Just have to make (Score:2 Normal)
Wolverine Devotee
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DO WANT. Just have to make sure they don't screw up the endzones like last time. 

February 4th, 2013 at 8:38 PM | they can't not there isn't (Score:2 Normal)
Brodie
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they can't not

there isn't the space 

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:47 PM | That is going to change. No (Score:3 Normal)
Brown Bear
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That is going to change. No games are to be played there until renovations are made for more room.

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:39 PM | Wrigley (Score:5 Normal)
bob_ufer
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Don't fool yourself...tix will be much hard at 3600 N than at Ryan Field.  Much more demand...of course the bars right outside may be best.

I wonder if th ebars charge a steep cover if they ever had OSU or UM playing NWU in that setting.

bob_ufer

February 4th, 2013 at 11:43 PM | Correction (Score:1)
Professor Prepuces
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Correction:  1060 W

 
February 4th, 2013 at 8:39 PM | Michigan at Wrigley?? (Score:1)
DemetriusBrown
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Sign me up. fix the endzones.

February 4th, 2013 at 8:48 PM | Left field rooftops wouldn't (Score:3 Normal)
Brown Bear
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Left field rooftops wouldn't be bad seats.

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:49 PM | OT! But I dont have the (Score:4 Normal)
JimBobTressel
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OT! But I dont have the points to create a thread about this:

http://deadspin.com/5981580/jalen-rose-partied-in-bloomington-and-shared...

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February 4th, 2013 at 9:15 PM | Jalen looks (Score:2 Normal)
DemetriusBrown
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Faded in that picture.  

February 4th, 2013 at 8:52 PM | A Michigan game at Wrigley? (Score:2 Normal)
russale2012
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A Michigan game at Wrigley? Yes please.

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:55 PM | Way past Friends With Benefits now (Score:2)
Njia
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Expanding the relationship means wedding bells in their future. When is Wrigley going to pop the question? Or does the stadium just want to remain friends?

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February 4th, 2013 at 8:55 PM | In fairness, they probably (Score:2 Normal)
SoCalWolverine
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In fairness, they probably have a better chance of winning a meaningful game there than the cubs.

February 4th, 2013 at 9:09 PM | locations (Score:1 Normal)
blueheron
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I would definitely like to see at least one UMich-NW game there.

- - -

One obvious drawback (and the only one that comes to mind, other than the obvious likelihood of higher ticket prices) is the Wrigleyville meathead measure (which is high ... apologies to residents of that area, Lakeview, North Center, etc.).

When I'm at Ryan Field, I can look all around and see mostly civilized, refined people. Sometimes snooty, too, admittedly. At Clark 'n Addison there'd be a lot more meatheads.

"..."

February 4th, 2013 at 10:33 PM | ^^^^^Buzz Killington (Score:-1 Overrated)
February 4th, 2013 at 11:00 PM | Would meatheads buy tickets (Score:2)
snarling wolverine
Joined: 12/14/2011
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Would meatheads buy tickets to watch NW football?  Not sure about that.  I think you'd see the same basic crowd that you'd get at Ryan Field.

 

February 4th, 2013 at 9:10 PM | The Undercard To This... (Score:2 Normal)
LSAClassOf2000
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Here's a story on the $300 million in renovations proposed to Wrigley - (LINK)

In addition to an improved porch in the outfield, the Cubs are looking for increased signage, a video scoreboard and some easing of the restrictions imposed by the city regarding advertising and the number of night games it is allowed to host. 

Aside from that, this is a pretty cool idea - Wrigley would be a pretty cool venue for football if they did manage to make the renovations happen to the scale that they want, and I would definitely go to a Michigan game at Wrigley. 

 

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February 4th, 2013 at 9:45 PM | Parking, parking, parking. (Score:2)
gwrock
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Parking, parking, parking.

February 4th, 2013 at 11:43 PM | There's plenty of parking. We (Score:2)
Brown Bear
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There's plenty of parking. We aren't talking 100,000 people and somehow the Cubs have parking for 81 home games each year. Parking isn't that bad actually around wrigley. You can get a good spot for $25 nearby or if you're good you can find free parking nearby if you don't mind walking.

I poop excellence
February 4th, 2013 at 9:52 PM | Hell yes! (Score:2)
goblueram
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I live a couple blocks away, which is a plus. 

February 4th, 2013 at 10:14 PM | Games at Ryan Field are (Score:2)
Cheesecake Wizard
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Almost home games. Imagine Wrigley.

February 4th, 2013 at 11:19 PM | strange plan (Score:2 Normal)
pbmd
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without reading the article --NW athletic facilities are all lacking.   are we to assume it is not economically viable to bring their facilities up to a rasonable standard?

i thought they were going to renevote ryan field.

proximity to bars seems like a  sad way to pick a stadium. maybe people should just go to the best available bar and not let the game location compromise their opportunity to drink.

pbmd

February 4th, 2013 at 11:44 PM | Northwesterns ad campaign and (Score:1 Flamebait)
Brown Bear
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Northwesterns ad campaign and motto so to speak is they are Chicago's B1G team, so I think they are really trying to use the city and partnership with the Cubs to build their brand and an identity.

I poop excellence
February 5th, 2013 at 12:53 AM | I feel like it's a great (Score:1)
kevin holt
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I feel like it's a great idea, but will ultimately not work. Chicago is one of the biggest big ten alumni hubs, if not the biggest. They'll never really be able to have a home game unless they get their actual fans and alumni to come to games to take seats from local alums of other schools. Trying to market to unbiased chicagoans sounds like a good idea, but it's not enough.

Maybe they should even separate themselves from the city to try to have a college town footprint like the other schools. Nah, that's probably even worse of an idea.

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February 5th, 2013 at 12:20 AM | I really think Pat Fitz is an (Score:1)
WolverineFanatic6
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I really think Pat Fitz is an incredible coach. What he's been able to do with that program is awesome. It definitely sucks to have another tough team to contend with each year but they're certainly a fun watch.

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February 5th, 2013 at 12:48 AM | As long as it serves Wrigley Field hotdogs, (Score:1)
Half Blood Dutc...
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I will gladly make the trip to a game.

February 5th, 2013 at 9:02 AM | Depends on how often. (Score:1)
French West Indian
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I like the idea of Wrigley assuming every Michigan/N'western game isn't there.  If they keep it to less than half the time, then I think it becomes rare enough to serve as a nice treat. 

But if they play at Wrigley every time Michigan is at N'western then it won't be long before the novelty wears off and people start wondering they never play on campus.

February 5th, 2013 at 9:59 AM | It sounded like (Score:0 Flamebait)
February 5th, 2013 at 10:21 AM | Football would be awesome. (Score:1)
cheesheadwolverine
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Football would be awesome.  It's an amazing stadium and in a much better area than out in the suburbs.  Any other sport though, I'm not sure enough people would go.  It would look really dumb to put on an event like that and have 1500 people in Wrigley.

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February 5th, 2013 at 1:43 PM | On April 20 this season, (Score:2 Normal)
AVPBCI
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On April 20 this season, Northwestern baseball will host Big Ten opponent Michigan at Wrigley Field

 

http://www.nusports.com/genrel/020513aab.html?hq_e=el&hq_m=420167&hq_l=1...

February 5th, 2013 at 3:43 PM | Also... (Score:2)
MGoShoe
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...here.

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