Broke ground April 8, 1926 Opened 2 October 1926 | Capacity 47,130 Phone +1 847-491-7887 | |
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Former names Dyche Stadium (1926–1996) Location 1501 Central Street
Evanston, IL 60201 Owner Northwestern University Operator Northwestern University Surface Grass: 1926–1972, 1997–present
Astroturf: 1973–1996 Address 1501 Central St, Evanston, IL 60201, USA Team Northwestern Wildcats football Similar Welsh‑Ryan Arena, Mitchell Museum of the Ameri, Kinnick Stadium, Grosse Point Light, Camp Randall Stadium | ||
Ryan Field is a stadium in Evanston, Illinois, United States on the campus of Northwestern University. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Northwestern Wildcats football team. The field opened in 1926 and holds 47,130 people. Prior to 1997, the stadium was named Dyche Stadium, for William Dyche, Class of 1882, former Evanston mayor and overseer of the building project. In 1997, the facility was renamed Ryan Field in honor of the family of Aon Corporation founder Patrick G. Ryan, who was then the chairman of Northwestern's board of trustees. The renaming was made by the other members of the board in recognition of the Ryan family's leadership and numerous contributions to Northwestern, including the lead gift to the Campaign for Athletic Excellence, Northwestern's fundraising drive for athletic facilities.
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History
At the time it was constructed, then Dyche Stadium was considered one of the finest college football stadiums in the country. The stadium originally consisted of two semi circular grandstands on either sideline, with the west (home) sideline having a small, curved upper deck whose 2 ends abut in matching concrete towers. The purpose of the curved grandstands was to maximize the number of fans sitting close to the action. Endzone seating was later added in the south endzone, and in 1952 McGaw Memorial Hall was built beyond the north endzone.
The stadium had an artificial turf surface from 1973 to 1996. Prior to the 1997 season, natural grass was installed and the playing surface was lowered approximately five feet to improve sight lines from the lowest rows of the stadium. As of 2017, Ryan Field is the only stadium in the Big Ten which does not have permanent light standards.
The Chicago Bears hosted their first home game of the 1970 season at Dyche Stadium as an experiment; the NFL had demanded that the Bears move out of Wrigley Field because Wrigley's seating capacity was under 50,000. After Evanston residents petitioned city officials to block the team from moving there permanently, the Bears ended up moving to Chicago's Soldier Field the following year.
The stadium hosted the 1932 Women's and 1948 Men's US Olympic Trials for track and field. The Women's Trials were held July 16, 1932 and the Men's Trials were held July 9-10, 1948. The venue also hosted the 1943 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships.
The stadium also hosted the Chicago College All-Star Game in 1943 and 1944. Both games were played at night with the use of temporary lights. The college all-stars held their practices for the game at Ryan Field in years such as 1934 and 1935.
Controversy
Northwestern's decision to rename Dyche Stadium to Ryan Field defied the university's own 1926 resolution that forbade such a change. School officials said that a private institution can override previous boards' decisions, and dismissed the earlier resolution as a "show of appreciation." But NU did not explain why a mere gesture of appreciation would expressly state that any football stadium at any location would retain the name Dyche, as indeed the 1926 resolution does. The Dyche family wasn't notified of the change; NU claimed that the only descendant they found was a grandniece, despite other family members living in Chicago and being listed in the phone book. After the family protested, NU said it was willing to install an informational plaque at the stadium, noting its former name.
Transportation
The closest transit stations are Metra commuter railroad's Central Street station and Chicago Transit Authority's Central station on the Purple Line.
In popular culture
Parts of The Express, a 2008 film about Syracuse University Heisman Trophy winner Ernie Davis starring Rob Brown as Davis, and Dennis Quaid as Davis' Syracuse coach, Ben Schwartzwalder, were filmed at Ryan Field.
Parts of Four Friends, a 1981 film directed by Arthur Penn, were filmed at Dyche Stadium.