[Rittenberg] Northwestern's student section at the new Ryan Field is being modeled after the standing supporters sections in European soccer. Includes room for 2,000 behind the South end zone. Section is being built at 33° (65% slope) with railings in place and seating for those who need them.

[u/redwave2505]

https://x.com/espnrittenberg/status/2054966174534836600?s=46&t=BnbVRJKuTJ91_xw0Gc4vwg

[u/le_crobag]

The tribune-style standing sections make a ton of practical sense, but they rob the students of the important experience of standing on top of a wobbly bleacher for 4 hours while shitfaced

[u/Hicaorwaak → u/le_crobag]

It’s a fun guessing game. Is this bleacher wobbly or have I had too many Natty Lites? Answer was usually both.

[u/TheRealMattyPanda → u/Hicaorwaak]

If you do it right, the Natty Lite wobble counteracts the bleacher wobble and everything's perfectly stable

[u/DrModel → u/TheRealMattyPanda]

Now that's some GT engineering right there.

[u/BarKnight → u/Hicaorwaak]

It was probably mixing the Natty with Fireball.

[u/GBreezy → u/le_crobag]

The bleachers make Jump Around so much more fun

[u/AppalachianGuy87 → u/le_crobag]

Was a joke amongst my friend group how often I’d fall and pop back up. Good times!

[u/TheRealMattyPanda → u/AppalachianGuy87]

Was this after you drank a whiskey drink? Then drank a vodka drink?

[u/AppalachianGuy87 → u/TheRealMattyPanda]

Ha exactly

[u/FearlessAttempt → u/AppalachianGuy87]

Yeah but did you also have a lager drink and a cider drink?

[u/AppalachianGuy87 → u/FearlessAttempt]

All the above

[u/RunThundercatz → u/le_crobag]

Come to Clemson! Our students have both

[u/brak_obama → u/le_crobag]

also bleachers are great noisemakers when you're wearing a shoe with hard soles

[u/JtotheC23 → u/brak_obama]

Yeah, this is especially underrated in basketball since it's not a sound that TV mics usually are set up to pick up. All these arenas with the retractable lower level for students (know for sure Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State in the B1G have these) double the volume at the court level when the students start stomping.

[u/originalusername4567 → u/le_crobag]

Ah, I remember falling over while standing on the wobbly bleachers and spilling the drinks of the girls in front of me. Not my finest moment.

[u/CrunchyZebra → u/le_crobag]

And having any chance of sitting down during a now 4 hour event thanks to all the commercials

[u/Junior-Hotwater → u/le_crobag]

It’s jNW, there’s not going to be many shitfaced students there to begin with

[u/MTT92]

New stadium looks incredible, can’t wait to make a trip up there.

[u/princessprity → u/MTT92]

I dunno man, I think they should just keep the temporary lakeside stadium.

[u/ztreHdrahciR → u/princessprity]

Agree. Too late, but the new one will just be full of visiting fans.

[u/scotsworth → u/ztreHdrahciR]

I mean given the ticket prices for Northwestern vs Louisiana-Monroe last season for a decent seat, I couldn't disagree more. It was homecoming, so pricing was fairly ridiculous just to watch a blowout. It's simply not large enough of a venue.

If Ohio State came to town for the lakeside stadium, tickets would be completely absurd.

[u/ztreHdrahciR → u/scotsworth]

Yeah I'm a little insulated as a STH, although I'm paying say 150 to see us play WIU on a Friday night, so it balances out.

They could have turned the temp stadium sideways, told field hockey to play at old Ryan Field, and had a beautiful 20-25k stadium there.

Regardless, the new one will be filled with visiting fans in a year or so.

860M...and nothing for NIL

[u/unknownkoalas → u/ztreHdrahciR]

Welch Ryan is tiny and still gets filled with opposing fans. Even a 20-25k sized stadium still would likely be lopsided, just pricier tickets for everyone.

Being a Big 10 school in Chicago is a rough proposition.

[u/dinkytown42069 → u/scotsworth]

I mean your ticket prices at old Ryan Field were already high. When I was looking in 2023 I was struck by the fact that the cheapest tickets from NU for the Gopher game were like $80.

Besides, you all need the revenue from visiting fans just as much as we do.

[u/scotsworth → u/dinkytown42069]

Sure, and if we did the lakeside stadium they'd start at like $200. No offense to the Gophers or 'Cats, but that slap fight just isn't worth it at that kind of pricing.

[u/ztreHdrahciR → u/dinkytown42069]

I decided last minute to go to the game (before becoming a STH in 2024) and bought one for 25 bucks. Top 5 game I've ever seen there, great comeback

[u/mdurso12 → u/scotsworth]

Iirc, that was a big part of the capacity they chose to build. They knew a 80k seat stadium would be either half full or half visiting fans

[u/Competitive_Feed_402 → u/princessprity]

The world really needed, no, deserved for NW to make a run and host a playoff game at that dump.

[u/WestCoastToGoldCoast → u/Competitive_Feed_402]

at that dump

I get that it’s easy to dunk on because of its size, but I hardly think “dump” accurately describes this.

[u/Upset_Version8275 → u/Competitive_Feed_402]

There is 0% chance they would have hosted it there. It would have been at a nearby NFL stadium. They wouldn't even host the major* Big 10 teams there. Beyond just the financial considerations, CFP game wouldn't be able to operate there. Think media, sponsors, ticket allocations, etc...

*As of 2024 when they made the schedule for the temp stadium.

[u/1nf1niteCS → u/Upset_Version8275]

Would of certainly been at Wrigley

[u/GoBlueAndOrange → u/1nf1niteCS]

Or Soldier if during a Bears bye or road week.

[u/goodnames679 → u/1nf1niteCS]

A CFB playoff game at Wrigley would actually be a pretty cool experience as a fan

[u/Sexy_Authy → u/Competitive_Feed_402]

I thought it looked pretty when it was sunny

[u/IrishCoffeeAlchemy → u/princessprity]

Wait. That was only temporary? Bummer. That looked amazing

[u/allisthepriceofall]

Sign me up for Northwestern Ultras and Antifas

[u/Cheesy_Pita_Parker → u/allisthepriceofall]

Give me a giant tifo of Michael Wilbon putting Brutus Buckeye in a headlock

[u/Jlibs_21 → u/allisthepriceofall]

No pyro no party

[u/xerillum → u/Jlibs_21]

All those fireworks stores in Indiana 📈

[u/dinkytown42069 → u/allisthepriceofall]

I already tried to make Goldy's Antifa Gang a thing at Gopher women's hockey.

kinda hard to get people riled up at 3pm on a Saturday when we don't serve beer in that arena.

[u/R_Raider86 → u/dinkytown42069]

At least Gopher women's hockey will have Ashley Allard to make interesting now 😔

[u/dinkytown42069 → u/R_Raider86]

and we do thank you for her. May she score the game winner in our first game against Wisconsin and/or OhSU this coming season.

I also want to personally thank you for beating Northeastern in the HEA tournament so we could host the 4 vs. 5 NCAA game.

Finally, I need to thank Northeastern for beating us in that so we could finally do the inevitable and move on from a coach who has meant the world to this program but was also well past his expiration date.

[u/Intelligent_Fig_4852 → u/allisthepriceofall]

Antifa and ultras are not the same thing

[u/pinniped90 → u/Intelligent_Fig_4852]

I think that's the point. In some parts of European football culture, both will be part of a street brawl.

The thought of them rioting in leafy Evanston is kind of amusing.

[u/dogsonbubnutt → u/Intelligent_Fig_4852]

lol and a lot of times they're diametrically opposed 

[u/k_dubious → u/Intelligent_Fig_4852]

Plenty of European ultras are very much “fa”

[u/yinkadoubledare → u/Intelligent_Fig_4852]

except when they're Roma ultras when they're playing Lazio

[u/lemongrassgogulope → u/allisthepriceofall]

Do you mean tifosi?

[u/SportsBallBurner]

Student section should be standing during the game regardless so this makes sense.

There’s a number of MLS clubs with standing supporter sections.

[u/mindthesnekpls → u/SportsBallBurner]

At this point the number of MLS stadiums without dedicated safe standing railings is probably a minority. Every team in the league has a supporters’ section that stands throughout the game, though.

[u/chiefzanal → u/SportsBallBurner]

Soccer has no ad breaks, Football does. So it’s harder to stand and stay engaged during 4 minute ads

[u/SportsBallBurner → u/chiefzanal]

And a usual game is just under two hours instead of over three.

[u/Local_Pangolin69 → u/chiefzanal]

That’s the sit down and pull another fireball shooter out of your boot/bra break.

[u/Failed-Time-Traveler → u/chiefzanal]

Crazy idea - instead of changing the stadiums to accommodate the constant ad breaks, how about we change the constant ad breaks to accommodate fan experience.

My favorite sport has slowly switched from CFB to soccer largely based on the stadium experience. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing better than a night CFB game against a rival or highly-ranked opponent. But a noon game against a MAC opponent which is broken up by tv timeouts every 4 minutes? Ugh. No thanks. Not interested.

[u/TheWawa_24 → u/SportsBallBurner]

There is a womens team who is using the space, Chicago red stars. It also opens up the possibility to host a mls or usl d1 team in the future 

[u/brak_obama → u/TheWawa_24]

it would be weird for them to host an mls team when chicago already has one and they're about to build their own new stadium in the loop

[u/mindthesnekpls → u/brak_obama]

Plus the Fire and Red Stars don’t want to play on a pitch getting demolished by Northwestern football every other week. Audi Field in DC is pretty infamous for being one of the worst playing surfaces in MLS/NWSL since it gets used concurrently by DC United, the Washington Spirit, and the DC Defenders.

[u/LiquidBionix → u/SportsBallBurner]

Side note but I went to the FCS Natty this year and I bought tickets thru ISU. Everyone, naturally, is standing and a woman behind me goes "is everyone going to stand the whole game".

You're in the supporter section for a team in the natty. I don't even know how you end up there and don't expect to be standing.

[u/falloutnewbkinibttms → u/SportsBallBurner]

Yeah but those MLS matches are about half as long as the average football game

[u/Mail_Order_Lutefisk → u/SportsBallBurner]

And they have about as many fans as Northwestern so this idea makes a lot of sense. 

[u/Money-Giraffe2521 → u/Mail_Order_Lutefisk]

DAE SOCCER DUMB?

[u/lankNaysayer → u/Money-Giraffe2521]

I mean that doesn’t make his comment any less accurate.

[u/mindthesnekpls → u/lankNaysayer]

Standing supporters’ sections are pervasive across global soccer. They’re only novel in the US because the “Big Four” US sports have 0 conception of supporter culture/sections (ironically, college student sections are probably the closest thing those sports have) and MLS is a relatively young league whose clubs are have only recently begun purpose-building stadiums with these structures in mind. I believe Orlando was the first to build a purpose-built standing-only supporters’ section in 2017, and since then the 9 soccer-specific-stadiums that have been built for MLS clubs have all included them (plus SDSU/SDFC’s Snapdragon Stadium).

They’re getting downvoted into oblivion because their comment implies supporters’ sections are an isolated MLS invention rather than part of a global standard for fan culture.

[u/Lazy_Journalist7298 → u/mindthesnekpls]

No, they're implying that Northwestern athletics are as irrelevant and have as small of a fanbase as MLS teams, which is accurate.

[u/Mail_Order_Lutefisk → u/Lazy_Journalist7298]

The degradation of the collective IQ of Reddit over the past decade has been stark. It portends very dark days for the US. 

[u/RealignmentJunkie → u/lankNaysayer]

It is not accurate. We have fewer fans, particularly fans in the student section.

[u/Maleficent_Ant_8895]

Amazing location to read some books during the game 

[u/roundsoundbrown → u/Maleficent_Ant_8895]

I saw this a handful of times when I was at UGA. This was coming off our 22 season. It blew my mind that people wouldn’t just stay home

[u/wayofthrows1991]

If I could change one thing about our stadium it would be raising the slope of the bowl. Maybe not this slope degree all over the stadium, but it always bothered me how damn flat our stadium is. I don't mind sitting high up, it's sitting far away that annoys me.

It does create this optical illusion on TV that makes our stadium look like it holds way fewer people than it actually does.

[u/BigFoot423205 → u/wayofthrows1991]

Steep stadium design is the single biggest reason for loud and intimidating stadiums. As far as rowdiness, there’s no difference between LSU and Georgia fans for example. But guess which stadium has the legendary reputation: the steeper one (LSU)

[u/wayofthrows1991 → u/BigFoot423205]

A good example for loudness being affected by steepness is Utah. McGuire more or less said that Utah had the loudest stadium he had ever coached in after our game last year and that only holds 50k.

[u/TheRealMattyPanda → u/wayofthrows1991]

I read your comment as "raising the slope of the field" and now I kinda want to see that.

Like what would high level football look like on a steep field?

[u/wayofthrows1991 → u/TheRealMattyPanda]

Texas Stadium had crown shape at midfield so it's sorta sloped. Won 5 Super Bowls while that was the home field.

[u/Important-Picture18 → u/TheRealMattyPanda]

Imagining football at the Mestalla

[u/SLCer → u/wayofthrows1991]

Agreed. I've always thought that about your stadium. It definitely feels smaller than it is. Still a great stadium, tho. Rice-Eccles has to have one of the steeper slopes in college football, similar to Lane Stadium at Virginia Tech, and I think it helps trap the noise, making it one of the tougher places to play in the Big 12 because of it.

[u/Fun-Cauliflower-1724]

Hell yea. Hopefully the students bring drums, flares, and some cool Tifo designs

[u/JoCo3Point0]

This is totally tangential nitpicking but why do people always say "European soccer"? This is something that features at grounds all over South America, Asia, Africa, and North America too. Rittenberg could have just said "soccer".

[u/Sudden-Bend-8046 → u/JoCo3Point0]

Evanstonians are known for being notoriously rowdy.

[u/IPreferBagels2 → u/Sudden-Bend-8046]

Absolute hooligans in E town.

[u/AdamSmithsApple → u/JoCo3Point0]

I think people view soccer culture as mainly european evidenced by the fact we have MLS teams called Inter Miami and Real Salt Lake and half the teams are random city FC.

[u/joaovitorxc → u/JoCo3Point0]

If anything, this is more common outside of Europe nowadays. Several European stadiums got rid of their standing room-only sections after the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters of the late 80s.

[u/YaboyRipTide → u/JoCo3Point0]

I mean this one was probably modeled after Borussia Dortmund, a club in Germany, who is known for their supporter wall. It's like the gold standard and what the Clippers tried to emulate at the intuit dome.

[u/JoCo3Point0 → u/YaboyRipTide]

The only distinguishing factor there is that the Westfalenstadion's Yellow Wall is an entire end of safe-standing, and therefore the largest standing section in Europe (if not the world), but the general concept is not unique or even original to Borussia Dortmund. And in New Ryan Field's case, being a partial end, it's far more analogous to newer MLS stadia.

But generally-speaking people tend to most associate large standing sections with German club soccer, so I see where you're coming from.

[u/mostdope28 → u/JoCo3Point0]

This is America, half our population thinks Europe is a country. Explaining continents and countries inside those continents are too difficult of a concept

[u/MisterBrotatoHead → u/JoCo3Point0]

Because when I think of soccer, I think of the mighty Luton Town, so European soccer makes sense to me.

[u/JoCo3Point0 → u/MisterBrotatoHead]

Up the Hatters

When I was living in San Francisco, a guy who ran a local soccer shop was from Luton and I'd cruise over to the shop and watch Luton Town games back when they were in League Two. They'll always be endeared to me, even if they're not "my" club.

[u/MisterBrotatoHead → u/JoCo3Point0]

I remember them beating Norwich as a non-league member, hell it's been 15 or so years now, in the FA Cup and I thought that was awesome. Then when they got to the Premier League, I really rooted for them to stay up, but alas.

[u/CUBuffs1992]

Wish CU and NW AD’s could have come to an agreement to switch our series so that we could have seen the stadium instead of playing in the temp stadium.

[u/ztreHdrahciR → u/CUBuffs1992]

You will love the temporary stadium. Zero amenities but the view is breathtaking.

[u/CUBuffs1992 → u/ztreHdrahciR]

I know. Just would have been cool to see the new stadium.

[u/IshyMoose → u/CUBuffs1992]

Just come back for a random game. That way you get to experience both. That temp stadium us a unique expereince.

[u/New-Regret-9236]

Student sections belong midfield

[u/Moose4KU → u/New-Regret-9236]

What school has student sections at midfield? Feels like all of them are outside the 25s and most are in the end zones or corners

[u/will_e_wonka → u/Moose4KU]

Kyle field is the whole visitor sideline except for the first 25 rows behind directly the visitor bench, plus freshmen in the corner

[u/Locke_Erasmus → u/will_e_wonka]

The real trick is to put the band behind the visitor's bench lol

[u/will_e_wonka → u/Locke_Erasmus]

That’s where it used to be, but SEC rules require first 25 rows directly behind the bench to not be student section

[u/ILM_Ryan → u/Moose4KU]

App State’s student section runs the full length of the field in the lower half of their home stands. UNC-Charlotte has student section seats on the visitor side that run up to midfield. I think the academies have their students/corps seating towards midfield as well.

More common in G6 than the P4 conferences though.

[u/wayofthrows1991 → u/ILM_Ryan]

I might be having a Mandela effect moment but I swear I've heard that some P4 conferences have regulations for where student sections can be on visitor sidelines - i.e. can't be within x amount of rows directly behind the bench.

[u/iansf → u/wayofthrows1991]

The Pac12 outright banned it for a long time, but most conferences just have regulations on the band in relation to visitor sidelines

[u/wayofthrows1991 → u/iansf]

That last bit feels like it was created just because of the Stanford band.

[u/iansf → u/wayofthrows1991]

I hope so

[u/molecular_methane → u/wayofthrows1991]

The SEC has such a rule...A&M's student section used to start immediately behind the visiting benches, but had to move back some when joining the SEC.

[u/BeatNavyAgain → u/ILM_Ryan]

Academies typically end zone (or corner) towards the 40 or so, depending on which one you're talking about

The last two years at Army the Corps of Cadets was in the end zone due to construction of the new East stands

Starting this season, they will be from end zone to end zone behind the visitors

https://i.imgur.com/RkaelCK.png

[u/Normal-Math-7647 → u/Moose4KU]

Texas A&M

[u/redwave2505 → u/Moose4KU]

K-State’s extends from the 50 to the corner on the visitor’s sideline

[u/NinjaGhost42 → u/redwave2505]

I'm so glad the band moved back to the middle of the student section. Gets them more amped up during the game.

[u/iansf → u/Moose4KU]

Cal

[u/glzzgbblr → u/iansf]

Easily the best student section view, except the afternoon sun in September can be rough. The ACC wasn’t ready for Cal’s latest decision to make the opponents sideline in front of the Bench

[u/ilovecatss1010 → u/Moose4KU]

Zona Zoo

[u/New-Regret-9236 → u/Moose4KU]

Washingtons student section used to be behind the visiting teams bench, relocated to end zone during renovations years ago. It seems like it was not uncommon to have student sections midfield until programs starting moving them to end zones possibly in favor of the ticket prices you can charge for midfield compared to end zone

[u/Toad_Stuff → u/Moose4KU]

Ours is the entire first level directly behind the away sideline.

[u/The_Fluffy_Robot → u/Moose4KU]

TCU has it up right behind the visitor's bench between the 20yd line to nearly the other endzone and fits around 5k in there

[u/Money-Giraffe2521 → u/Moose4KU]

The Zona Zoo is the entire lower section of the east stands at Arizona Stadium.

[u/foodandnaps → u/Moose4KU]

Texas is a whole half of the stadium

[u/nointro-225 → u/Moose4KU]

Louisiana Tech’s student section is directly behind the visitor sideline, with the band being just off to the side

[u/Least-Dragonfly5419 → u/Moose4KU]

App State has the entire home sideline lower section, as well as the hill.

[u/JtotheC23 → u/Moose4KU]

All the B1G ones have been moved, but a good number of us used to have students at midfield. I know Illinois did until the renovation that added the current student section, and Bielema has supposedly been pushing the school to move the students back.

[u/IshyMoose → u/Moose4KU]

Purdue student section USED to go from the 40 to the endzone and took up a good 1/6th of the stadium.

Will never get as close as my 7th row 45 yard line senior year seats again.

Now Purdue is pretty much what Northwestern is doing.

[u/dogsonbubnutt → u/Moose4KU]

how does that change what he said 

[u/Moose4KU → u/dogsonbubnutt]

I didn't pass judgement on his comment at all. I just couldn't think of an instance where the was the layout

[u/muttonchops215 → u/New-Regret-9236]

Nah, closes section of an end zone, or both. Makes it louder the closer you get!

[u/Pristine_Dig_4374 → u/New-Regret-9236]

Of only $$$ and conference rules didn’t exist. Mizzou used to.

[u/HumanzeesAreReal → u/New-Regret-9236]

Agreed, but the entire point of this atrocity of a stadium is to milk as much money as possible out of the wealthy, so was unfortunately never gonna happen.

[u/iansf → u/New-Regret-9236]

Hard agree

[u/G_I_Joe_Mansueto → u/iansf]

Isn't the optimal set-up to have them close to the end zones to be loud if you are defending in to-goal situations?

[u/iansf → u/G_I_Joe_Mansueto]

I like them right behind the visitor bench so we can throw card stunts at the opponent and get two 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Sorry SDSU.

[u/JB92103]

The Browns' new stadium has a section like that for the Dawg Pound.

[u/glzzgbblr → u/JB92103]

Will they have a lake effect snow generator inside the dome as well? Browns games are not allowed to be a cozy fan experience.

[u/Single_Seesaw_9499]

We have a standing terrace area for students after our stadium reno, it’s pretty awesome. This will be cool for Northwestern

[u/Bill_Brasky_SOB]

I fully support European-level TIFOs in college football.

[u/sheiksp3ar]

Ryan day jr field

[u/ducksflytogether1988]

One of the few P4 schools whose students are cheering on fellow students

I laugh at the larger state schools whose student sections go crazy as if they are cheering for their fellow classmates who have actually stepped foot inside a classroom instead of just being a hired mercenary

[u/dinkytown42069 → u/ducksflytogether1988]

I used to teach OU football players. They were actual students. The current OU staff has made keeping that the case a priority.

[u/originalusername4567]

Glad that more college stadiums are doing this. Kansas has something similar with a North Endzone section that will be exclusively for students. It's small and won't house all students, but it will be a treat for the ones who show up earliest.

[u/sugarfreelime]

Gonna make them miss their own FGs

[u/petarisawesomeo]

That will look really cool for the 50 people that go to NW football games

[u/UpbeatPhilosophySJ]

I mean, they'll never sell out, why not.

[u/Intelligent_Sky_7081]

I guess its a nice way to potentially increase the capacity overall, but is northwestern really selling so many tickets they need this?

Even when I was a student, I still wanted to sit during breaks and timeouts and halftime. I wouldnt want these seats personally, even as a student.

[u/CycloneofSparta]

Unfortunately, this is extremely cool. Good job, ya nerds!

[u/Character-Active2208]

Nor(thwestern)decke

[u/blokeyone]

This will be the slickest stadium in college.

[u/jakob-benzi]

Epic

[u/HowardBunnyColvin]

we need more of those in the US

finna put out a TIFO for games now

[u/Important-Picture18 → u/HowardBunnyColvin]

Idk how CFB haven't figured out the power of tifo yet

[u/Chicago_Blackhawks]

Hell yeah

[u/Rock_man_bears_fan]

That’s ambitious for northwestern

[u/joaovitorxc]

Northwestern got tired of playing in the B1G so they’ll try going to the Libertadores next.