When ECU’s football team plays at Northwestern on Sept. 18, 2027 at the new Ryan Field, it will be among the first visiting teams to take part in the new experience.
The Wildcats’ new field opens in 2026 and will have a lot of changes to where they used to play. The main thing the school wanted to do was improve the fan experience, mainly by eliminating the worst seats.
“The death of the nosebleeds, “the most expensive seat to build, the hardest seat to sell and has the lowest satisfaction,” Ryan told USA TODAY Sports.
Among the new amenities to the 35,000-seat venue, which will be the smallest in the Big Ten:
— A chair back for each seat
— Covered canopy that protects fans from the elements
— Wildcat Plaza, which is four festival grounds wrapped around the stadium to tailgate and enjoy other experiences
The final cost to the new stadium is estimated at around $862 million.
Photo credit: Ryan Field (Northwestern Athletics photo)
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