Bob Asmussen | Field of dreams? Not so much at Northwestern

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Apr. 15—CHAMPAIGN — Yes, Illinois football coach Bret Bielema has considered the issue Northwestern is facing with its home field this season.

Even though his Illini won’t visit the Wildcats for 229 days.

Eager to get started on the renovation at Ryan Field, Northwestern has already torn down its former home.

The school announced last week plans to play its home games at its practice facility on the Evanston campus, near Lake Michigan.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be real,” Bielema said after Saturday’s afternoon scrimmage. “You can announce whatever you want.”

It will be a great view, for sure. But the building is expected to seat considerably less than Ryan Field, which will be a problem.

Though the Illinois-Northwestern game has often been one of the smallest draws of the year, Illini fans in Chicagoland are used to being able to go if they desire. Never a problem at “good-seats-available” Ryan Field.

Northwestern said it is considering other options, which could include Soldier Field and Wrigley Field. The Cubs will be done by Nov. 30, but the Bears might have a conflict. The NFL has announced opponents for its teams in 2024, but the dates won’t be be known until early to mid-May.

When that is done and the schedule for the Bears is finalized, it should offer more clarity on the building availability for Nov. 30.

Bielema has no interest in playing a game where both teams share the same sideline like Iowa and Northwestern did at Wrigley in 2023.

“I know this: We’re not going to play that game with two guys on the same sideline,” Bielema said. “I know it was a big issue in the Iowa game a year ago.

“You can’t have an American football game with two teams on the same sideline and say it’s going to be a competitive, fair game, It’s not just real. I think there will be a lot of powers involved to make sure logistics of…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bob-asmussen-field-dreams-not-144800535.html

Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Publish date : 2024-04-15 14:48:00

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