Yesterday, the Chicago Cubs sent out a press release announcing that a press conference would be held today in connection to Northwestern playing one of their 2010 home games at storied Wrigley Field.
And, I’ll be damned if that’s exactly what took place this afternoon.
The Cubs and the Wildcats announced just a short while ago that Northwestern will “host” Illinois at Wrigley on Nov. 20 at noon ET.
According to the release, the matchup will mark the first college football game at Wrigley Field since 1938, when DePaul University played home games at the ballpark. The contest will be the first football game of any kind at the Friendly Confines since the Chicago Bears last played there in December of 1970.
It will also mark the first time Northwestern has played Illinois at Wrigley Field (then called Cubs Park) since Oct. 27, 1923.
“Having Wrigley Field as the backdrop for a college football rivalry with such a rich history is exciting since the ballpark has gone nearly 40 years since last hosting a football game,” said Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts. “It is terrific to partner with Northwestern University and an honor to play host to college football and great programs like NU and the U of I.”
“To be certain, we are thrilled to be showcasing Northwestern football at Wrigley Field, one of the most storied sporting venues in the world,” said Jim Phillips, Northwestern Director of Athletics and Recreation. “It’s been a privilege to work with the Chicago Cubs organization on this partnership, and I want to personally thank Tom Ricketts and Crane Kenney, along with their executive team, for all of the time and effort it has taken to make this game a reality. In addition, I want to thank our University administration who were involved with this event throughout.
“The true winner in this special game will be our student-athletes and fans. We have every intention to make this year’s annual rivalry game a spectacular and memorable event. We were all captivated by the Wrigley Field atmosphere during the NHL’s Winter Classic, and we want to recreate that fantastic fan experience, this time with college football.”
The game will be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2.
