Wrigley Field, the iconic baseball stadium and home to MLB's Chicago Cubs, will host a National Women's Soccer League match for the first time on June 8 when the Chicago Red Stars play Bay FC. This move is part of an effort to make the Red Stars more accessible to sports fans in Chicago, as stated in a press release by the team.
Since 2016, the Red Stars have been playing their home games at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, which is located 15 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. In 2023, they had the lowest average attendance in the NWSL, with 4,848 fans per game. The Chicago Fire, an MLS team, left SeatGeek Stadium after the 2019 season to rebuild their fan base.
Laura Ricketts, the majority owner of the Red Stars and a member of the Ricketts family that owns the Cubs, expressed the need to address the stadium situation. She highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with the team's current location and lease, which runs through 2025.
Ricketts and the new Red Stars president, Karen Leetzow, have been advocating for the team to be included in discussions about public funding for new sports stadiums in Chicago. The Red Stars have also explored potential stadium sites within the city.
Leetzow emphasized the importance of women's sports having a prominent presence in the sports industry to facilitate their growth. The upcoming match at Wrigley Field signifies a step towards engaging the Chicago soccer market more effectively.
Wrigley Field has a history of hosting various sports events, including a college football game in 2010 and a soccer match in 2012. The field layout for the upcoming NWSL match will be announced soon, with FIFA recommending specific dimensions for soccer pitches.
One-off games in the NWSL have been rare, with notable instances like the Kansas City Current playing a full season at a minor league baseball stadium in 2021 before moving to a purpose-built stadium. The Red Stars aim to leverage the exposure from the Wrigley Field match to showcase the talent and competitiveness of the NWSL.
