Wrigley Field to change sideline layout for Northwestern football games

With Ryan Field undergoing construction, Northwestern will host two games — against Ohio State on Nov. 16 and against Illinois on Nov. 30 — at Wrigley Field during the 2024 season.

Northwestern and the Cubs have had a working relationship since the 2010 season, when the Wildcats played the first college game at Wrigley Field since 1938. Northwestern is 0-3 at Wrigley Field.

But for the 2024 season, Wrigley Field will have a new layout for football, with each team having its own sideline instead of sharing one as they had in previous years.

Cubs executive vice president of sales and marketing Colin Faulkner said the decision for each team to have a separate sideline came after conversations with the Big Ten and the teams who have played at Wrigley Field.

“We're always evaluating what works and what things that we can do better,” Faulkner told the Sun-Times. “In 2010, we didn't even have video boards. We subsequently put in video boards. But after talking with the teams last year, we conferred with the conference, with the Big Ten office, and with Northwestern, and we collectively made the decision that we would switch to accommodate two sidelines."

The change is important because it mirrors what the teams are used to throughout the season and allows them to maintain neutrality. It also helps teams when it comes to making schematic changes and getting signals in.

A potential downside is that fans with seats near the sidelines will have their view obstructed, but Faulkner said the video boards could help mitigate that.

“You're going to be really close to the team, given how intimate Wrigley Field is,” Faulkner said. “Behind that visiting bench, they're going to be really close to the players. But in talking to the schools, they feel like their fans are going to want those seats and be close to the players.”

Wrigley Field has become a hub for hosting non-baseball sporting events and concerts. The Cubs have learned lessons over the years to ensure the safety of the student-athletes who participate. Back in 2010, both teams played offense the same way because the layout led to one end zone being a few feet away from a brick wall.

Field issues during the second half of last season's NU-Iowa game, required officials to flatten divots in the final 15 minutes of the game.

Ticket prices for the games range from $60 to $350 and go on sale on July 31.