Women’s pro soccer team wants to play at new Ryan Field

The Chicago Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League will ask the city for permission to play at the new Ryan Field for approximately five years starting in 2027.

Club president Karen Leetzow told a virtual 7th Ward meeting on Thursday night that “we view Ryan Field as a lifeline” as the team works long-term for a separate, soccer-only facility at an undetermiined location.

Part of Stars’ presentation to 7th Ward mtg. Team pres. Karen Leetzow is at upper right.

The team says that a survey done by 2040 Strategy Group for the Stars “shows 82 percent of Evanston residents are in favor of the team playing at Ryan Field” … and “overwhelmingly believe the team would reinforce Evanston’s values, and promote gender equity.”

The Stars, a founding member of the NWSL, already plan to play their upcoming 2026 season at Northwestern’s Martin Stadium along the lakefront. The club is moving from its previous home at SeatGeek Stadium in south suburban Broadview, where attendance was low.

The Stars drew 10,000 fans to 2025 game at Martin Stadium, more than triple their average at SeakGeek Stadium. The Martin game was designed to test the Evanston market.

But Martin was always going to be a one-year deal for the Stars, as the 12,000 seat field will downsized after the Stars play there this year. Martin served as interim home for Northwestern football the past two seasons, while the new Ryan Field was built. (It opens this fall for football).

In a statement, the Stars say that the soccer team playing at Ryan Field “will have a positive economic, cultural, and social impact on Evanston and highlight female world-class athletes as role models for the North Shore.”

The team notes that they will be a tenant (of Northwestern) at Ryan Field, while they pursue a stadium of their own (Sounds like a famous movie about women’s sports, no?).

A rendering of Ryan Field Credit: Northwestern University, Perkins & Will

Leetzow told the 7th Warders that a Ryan Field stay could last less than five years, depending on the new site search. But, of course, it could last longer as well.

The club says that while there are hundreds of facilities worldwide for men’s soccer teams, there is only owned by a women’s team, in Kansas City.

“The Stars,” adds the club, “are committed to increasing this number and narrowing the equity gap in sports.”

A soccer season would have 15 home games, from March through early November. Based on previous schedules, some would likely be at night. The Stars would have to coordinate their schedule with Northwestern football, at least for the part of the football season which overlaps with soccer.

While the “pitch” for allowing the team at Ryan is ultimately up to City Council, it would come as no surprise if there is neighborhood opposition from some homeowners who live near the new stadium.

There was vociferous criticism and pushback from some when NU asked for permission to hold concerts in addition to NU football, and the university ultimately cut the number of concerts from ten to six.

The first citizen who commented at the 7th ward meeting said that adding pro sports to Ryan Field would “ruin our neighborhood. A lot of us are not for it.” Others were critical as well.

The concert plan squeaked through council by one vote. A lawsuit from a couple of neighborhood groups trying to overturn that has failed so far.

It’s unknown at this point if community members would ask Northwester to increase its “community benefits agreement’” payments to local governments and agencies, if the university gets a significant amount of rent revenue from the soccer club.

The Stars’ hope to start with an average crowd of about 6,000 at Ryan in 2027, versus a projected concert average in the high 20,000’s or a sold out football game of 35,000.

The longer-term hope is for a 10,000 soccer fans per game average.

While a Stars match will attract fans arriving by car, the team says the number would be far fewer than for a football game or concert due to the smaller anticipated crowd.

For perspective, an 8,000 person crowd is about the same as a men’s basketball sellout at nearby Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The Stars say they would bring “tangible economic benefits” for Evanston through jobs, ticket taxes and additional business for hotels, restaurants, and shops. A team spokesperson told the 7th Ward meeting that ticket taxes would bring in $600,000 a year to the city.

The Stars say they have already become active in community life, assisting in fund-raising events for charity. More cooperation with youth soccer programs is also promised.

“Evanston can set an example for cities across the country,” Stars president Karen Leetzow says in the statement, by sending a clear example that “women’s sports matter” and can go hand in hand with economic growth.

The team’s permit request is expected to be filed on Friday, January 9.

Stars website has an online petition in favor of the Ryan Field move.

For more information on the Stars’ plan, go to chicagostars.com/future.

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