Christopher KuhagenMilwaukee Journal Sentinel
It won't be Lambeau Field.
But Wisconsin football players will still get a cool view and a new experience when they play Northwestern for their game this fall.
The venue, however, won't be anything like the historic Green Bay Packers facility.
The game will be played at a temporary field along Lake Michigan in Evanston, Illinois, contrary to a previous report saying that Lambeau Field was an option for the Badgers-Wildcats Big Ten game this fall while Northwestern's stadium Ryan Field is rebuilt.
Lambeau would have been a peculiar choice for Northwestern since the Wildcats are the home team against Wisconsin. But the report from WildcatReport that said NU athletic director Derrick Gragg told alumni the team would play a game at Lambeau Field this season gained traction earlier this year.
That rumor was put to rest when Northwestern revealed its complete schedule last week with all its locations. The site of the Badgers-Wildcats game will be at a lakeside venue at the Lanny and Sharon Martin athletics facility in Evanston.
"I am thrilled that we could make this happen. It's truly a win for our community," Northwestern President Michael Schill said in a news release. "In addition to creating a wonderful fan experience in the lead-up to the opening of Ryan Field, hosting games on campus will reduce the travel burdens for our student-athletes and fans and will make games much more accessible. We also are pleased to keep the economic benefits of football gamedays in Evanston."
Wisconsin vs Northwestern football game
Luke Fickell's team will play Northwestern on Oct. 19 at a field at the Lanny and Sharon Martin athletics facility on the Evanston, Illinois, campus.
The university released renderings of the lakeside venue Thursday. Most of the seating will be in the end zones in the north and south ends.
The complex is named after Northwestern alum and trustee J. Landis (Lanny) Martin and his wife, Sharon Martin.
A temporary site will be needed for the 2024 and 2025 seasons during construction of the new Ryan Field.
Northwestern football capacity, tickets
The university didn't announce capacity for the temporary facility, but it will hold significantly less people than a typical Division I college football stadium.
The structure will be a temporary enhancement to the existing Lanny and Sharon Martin athletics facility and part of Chap and Ethel Hutcheson Field, according to the university. The soccer and lacrosse teams play at the facility, which in its current capacity holds 2,000.
The university is partnering with InProduction, the company that was behind the structures for the NASCAR event in downtown Chicago last year, on enhancements for the facility.
Season ticket holders from 2023 will have priority to purchase tickets in the temporary facility. There will also be seats reserved for students.
Non-season ticket holders aren't guaranteed tickets. They should fill out the waitlist form. Once seating capacity is finalized and the 2023 season-ticket holders purchase seats in the temporary facility, remaining inventory will be given for those on the waitlist.
Northwestern football schedule
The Wildcats' game against the Badgers isn't their final home game of the 2024 season but it will be the last one played at the lakeside venue this year.
Northwestern will play their final two home games — Nov. 16 against Ohio State and Nov. 30 against Illinois — at Wrigley Field.
Wisconsin football schedule 2024
Wisconsin opens the season with three home games, highlighted by a date with Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 14.
After a bye, the Badgers then have three of their next four games on the road, a stretch that includes a trip to the LA Memorial Coliseum for a showdown with new Big Ten member USC, as well as the Northwestern game. The Badgers then have their toughest stretch with a home matchup against perennial Big Ten power Penn State, a road game at 2023 Big Ten West champion Iowa before welcoming the always-dangerous Oregon Ducks, another new member of the Big Ten.
The Badgers end the year with two trophy games against Nebraska and rival Minnesota, a contest that will be played on "Black Friday."
(Home games in all caps)
Aug. 30– WESTERN MICHIGAN, 8 p.m.
Sept. 7– SOUTH DAKOTA, 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 14– ALABAMA, 11 a.m.
Sept. 21– Off
Sept. 28– at USC, TBD
Oct. 5– PURDUE, TBD
Oct. 12– at Rutgers, TBD
Oct. 19– at Northwestern, TBD
Oct. 26– PENN STATE, TBD
Nov. 2– at Iowa, TBD
Nov. 9– Off
Nov. 16- OREGON, TBD
Nov. 23- at Nebraska, TBD
Nov. 29- MINNESOTA, 11 a.m.
