Northwestern's Temporary Lakefront Stadium Gets Naming Rights Deal

EVANSTON, IL — Ahead of the debut of Northwestern University's temporary lakeside football field later this month, university officials announced a sponsorship agreement to name the 12,000-seat stadium the "Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium."

The university and the nonprofit health system that is affiliated with its medical school cut a two-year naming rights agreement. According to university officials, it is one of the first new naming partnerships under a June NCAA rule change that allows for commercial sponsor advertisements during regular-season football game.

The temporary facility on Northwestern’s Evanston campus will serve as the home field for the Wildcats during the 2024 and 2025 seasons during the construction of the new Ryan Field, an $800 million project expected to be completed by 2026.

University President Michael Schill said in a statement that Northwestern Medicine continues to provide revenue for the university, including its athletics department.

“This partnership will help bring our innovative venue on the lakefront to life and bring our community together," Schill said.

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Northwestern Medicine HealthCare was formed in 2010 by the merger of Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and Lake Forest Hospital. It is the health care provider for all of the school's sports teams and student athletics.

"As the health care provider for the University's students and athletes, we are pleased to strengthen our partnership and continue supporting the Wildcats in this new venue," Dr. Howard Chrisman, its president and CEO, said in a statement.

According to university staff, the naming rights agreement was negotiated by Northwestern Athletics’ multimedia rights partner, Northwestern Sports Properties, which has been in business with the university for more than a dozen years.

The terms of the sponsorship deal have not been disclosed. The temporary stadium was reportedly built with the help of a six-figure donation from head football coach Dave Braun.

“It’s going to be unique. It’s going to be imperfect. But it’s going to be ours,” Braun said. “I’m excited for the purple to show up and create a homefield advantage for us on the lake.”

Braun took over in July 2023 for longtime coach Patrick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is now suing the school, claiming that he is owed $130 million because of the way he was fired amid a scandal over accounts of sexualized hazing under his watch.

Earlier this year, a Cook County judge consolidated the coach's case with complaints from more than two dozen ex-players seeking damages for hazing and abuse that they allegedly experienced while playing for Fitzgerald.

The final two games of the season — Nov. 16 against Ohio State and Nov. 30 against the University of Illinois — are scheduled to be played at Wrigley Field.

Schedule: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium 2024 football games:

• 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 31 — Miami University of Ohio
• 8 p.m., Friday, Sept. 6 — Duke University
• 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 14 — Eastern Illinois University
• TBA, Saturday, Oct. 5 — University of Indiana
• TBA, Saturday, Oct. 19 — University of Wisconsin

Related:

• Waterfront Wildcats: Northwestern Football To Play At Lakefront Field
• Northwestern Breaks Ground on New Ryan Field Amid Legal Challenges
• Northwestern University's Ryan Field Project Progresses with Expanded Construction Hours