Northwestern's Welsh-Ryan Arena: From intimate dump to intimate palace (with photos)

[WindyCityGopher]

After a year in exile in the suburbs, Northwestern is back home at a newly renovated Welsh-Ryan Arena, with a $110 million facelift. Looks significantly nicer than the old place, I hope it's still as easy to get tickets.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/spor...lsh-ryan-arena-first-look-20181102-story.html

 

[dpodoll68]

After a year in exile in the suburbs, Northwestern is back home

Northwestern has been in a suburb since at least 1952.

 

[GoodasGold]

That floor gives me a little vertigo.

 

[alchemy2u]

it still looks like a dump, with a new paint job. It looks like the court graphics are just laid out across the floor to be installed later.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

Northwestern has been in a suburb since at least 1952.

Thanks, Mr. Fact Checker. Not all suburbs are created equal. Evanston touches Chicago proper. Rosemont may as well touch Wisconsin it's so hard to get to, and Allstate Arena is about as far away from a college sports experience as you can get.

 

[dpodoll68]

Thanks, Mr. Fact Checker. Not all suburbs are created equal. Evanston touches Chicago proper. Rosemont may as well touch Wisconsin it's so hard to get to, and Allstate Arena is about as far away from a college sports experience as you can get.

Allstate Arena is actually closer in distance to Willis Tower (to pick a random Chicago landmark) than Welsh-Ryan Arena, and takes about 50 minutes in rush hour instead of the 40 it takes to get to Welsh-Ryan. But yes, "so hard to get to."

I made no comment whatsoever on the quality of either arena. The fact remains that Evanston and Rosemont are both suburbs.

 

[WindyCityGopher]

Allstate Arena is actually closer in distance to Willis Tower (to pick a random Chicago landmark) than Welsh-Ryan Arena, and takes about 50 minutes in rush hour instead of the 40 it takes to get to Welsh-Ryan. But yes, "so hard to get to."

I made no comment whatsoever on the quality of either arena. The fact remains that Evanston and Rosemont are both suburbs.

You've obviously never sat in rush hour on the Kennedy. It's a nightmare. But since you bring up proximity to Chicago, use the intersection of State and Madison, which is ground zero for the city's street numbering system. Welsh-Ryan is 16 miles from there and faster via Lakeshore Drive while Allstate is 18.8. But I just live in Chicago, so who am I to question the guy who knows all and makes sure everyone knows it. And yes, you're right, it's a fact that both Evanston and Rosemont are suburbs, you got me. You're just the only one on this board douchy enough to point it out.

 

[Gophers_4life]

Northwestern has been in a suburb since at least 1952.

They are in a suburb ... and they were still in exile for a year in the suburbs.

 

[Gophers_4life]

That floor gives me a little vertigo.

That’s a temporary floor (rolls up) for volleyball. The basketball hardwood is under that.

 

[GopherRock]

I kind of liked the old place, but I haven't been there since the game after the win in Madison (09?)

It's a lot easier to get to Evanston from the Loop than the Rosemont Horizon.

 

[GoldenAle]

Loyola will draw better crowds

 

[MennoSota]

Seats 7000. I think there's a few DIII schools with nearly the same capacity.
My nephew went to college in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Van Noord Arena at Calvin College seats 5000. It seems about equal to Northwesterns gym.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

I’m planning to attend the gophers game @ Northwestern. Great excuse for a weekend in Chicago!