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Stadium Guide 34 RYAN FIELD With a tradition steeped in the history of Big Ten and Chicagoland athletics, Ryan Field is entering its 90th season as the home of Northwestern Football. The historic venue underwent a significant reconstruction and redesign project following the 1996 season, and in 1997, opened its gates in its current form under the new name of Ryan Field, honoring 1959 Northwestern graduate Patrick G. Ryan, founder of AON Corporation and long-time Chairman of the Northwestern Board of Trustees. The renovations of the stadium included new seating, the replacement of artificial turf with natural grass and an enclosed three-tire structure on the stadium's west side that includes the stadium club and two floors for the media. Also, an end zone facility housing the football locker room, sports medicine and equipment rooms was constructed. Of the 14 home Big Ten stadiums, Ryan Field stands as one of just four to still feature a natural grass surface. It was named SportsTurf Management Association's Field of the year in both 2001 and 2011. Ryan Field's official capacity increased to 47,330 in 2011 with the addition of 200 terrace-level seats overlooking the north end zone. For the start of the 2014 campaign, a 44-foot long high-definition quality video board was installed in the northeast corner of the stadium, which with a square footage of more than 1,100 approximately tripled the size of its predecessor. Also installed were two new ribbon boards overlooking each end zone. MORE ON THE HISTORY OF RYAN FIELD The original stadium, built in 1926, was named for William A. Dyche, former vice president and business manager of the University. A graduate of Northwestern, Dyche served as mayor of Evanston prior to his appointment as business manager in 1903. In 1905, he directed construction of original wooden stands, which had a seating capacity of 10,000. By the early 1920s, football's popularity had outgrown the wooden bleachers, and Dyche spearheaded the planning of a 45,000-seat stadium to be erected on the site of the old field. He proposed to the board of trustees that the project be financed by a bond issue. The original estimate of $800,000 soared to $1,425,000 by the time construction was finished in Dyche's 23rd year as business manager. In 1949, the stadium was enlarged by a horseshoe enclosure at the south end, increasing seating capacity to 49,256. Dyche Stadium's capacity occasionally rose to 55,000 by the addition of temporary bleachers at the north end. A press box and an elevator to the second deck were installed in 1961, the same year that began a stretch of three consecutive seasons in which Northwestern averaged more than 40,000 fans at home games. Tartan Turf replaced the grass field in 1973 and much more refurbishing of the old stadium took place during the early years of John Pont's tenure as the head coach and athletic director. NU's athletic venues entered a new era of development during the trusteeship of Mr. Ryan, a champion of Wildcats athletics. Mr. Ryan led the 1982 Athletic Facilities Campaign to upgrade the school's Intercollegiate Athletic Facilities and also played a major role in recruiting and supporting many of the outstanding coaches responsible for NU's athletic revival. Mr. Ryan and his wife, Shirley Welsh Ryan, a 1961 Northwestern graduate, have been major supporters of Northwestern's pioneering working the life sciences through the construction of Ryan Hall, the school's nanotechnology center, and the Ryan Scholar's program for high-achieving students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. More recently, the couple donated a lead gift earmarked for the new multi-use athletics and recreation complex under construction on NU's lakefront campus. The facility will be named Ryan Fieldhouse. Most recently, a leadership gift from Mr. and Mrs. Ryan was announced in leading a $110-plus million renovation to Welsh-Ryan Arena, home to Northwestern men's and women's basketball, volleyball and wrestling. The project will begin at the conclusion of the basketball season in March 2017 with an anticipated completion by fall 2018. In recognition of his visionary professional and civic achievements, Mr. Ryan was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. At the recommendation of the University's Faculty Senate, Mr. Ryan received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Northwestern in 2009. Mr. Ryan chaired Northwestern's Board of Trustees for 14 years, the longest term of any board chairman elected since World War II. Mr. Ryan led Northwestern in partnerships with President Henry S. v during an era in which Northwestern distinguished itself through its dramatic growth in academic achievement, research and athletic success. C A B C D E F G H J K L M N P Q R S T U V PRIME SIDELINE SIDELINE CORNER SIDELINE END ZONE NU UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS V I S I TO R S R A N DY WA L K E R T E R R AC E U P P E R L E V E L R E S T R O O M LO W E R L E V E L R E S T R O O M U P P E R L E V E L CO N C E S S I O N S LO W E R L E V E L CO N C E S S I O N S AT M FA N S E R V I C E S N O V E LT Y S TA N D F I R S T A I D T I C K E T S S T R O L L E R PA R K I N G E L E VATO R ACC E S S I B L E S E AT I N G G AT E ABC