They seem to like to grow it long and so on. I hope they keep it, but wouldn't be surpised to see it change.
I'd like to see TCF be grass but I'm dumb like that. Seems like it would be pretty simple since the season ends in November. Maybe they'd need the heating Coyle's back in after they were removed? I dunno.
Off the top I can only think of Purdue as the other B1G with grass
I am trying convince my brother to go the game this year, in and out in one day. It's one of the last B1G stadiums I haven't been too -- my wife and I were supposed to finally get Indiana out of the way this year but she due two weeks prior.
I also don't mind Ryan Field. It definitely isn't bells + whistles but parking along Lake Michigan and walking through the residential streets to the stadium has a nostalgic feel.
After one of our trips to Ryan field, while walking around campus, we saw a couple of college students and asked where the bars were. They looked at us like we were crazy and after a lengthy pause of looking at each other, responded with "we don't know". Only Northwestern.
Penn State as well.
I don't think many fans prefer the fake stuff, but the lower maintenance costs and increased usage they can get with the Field Turf makes grass at the Bank unlikely.
Marching bands and the intramural activities use it quite a bit I heard.
On my first trip to Evanston for a football game, and the only time I stayed there, I asked an old timer why there were so few places to get a drink there. Turns out Evanston was a dry town until the 70's and since then there have been strict limits on the number of liquor licenses, the types of establishments that can get a liquor license, a prohibition on transferring licenses, etc.
For a several years they had a pregame party over on the baseball field where you'd get tickets for two free Goose Islands just for walking through the gate. Rumor has it some folks found a way to walk through the gate more than once.
Quirky is ok... when it is someone else's stadium
That's the size of their gift, some of which will be earmarked for other projects. There isn't a budget for the stadium renovations cited in the article linked by the OP.
We had a blast in 2019. Did a day trip. Yes the stadium was half full but there were a lot of Gopher fans. We asked the locals where to go after the game that was close, and they directed us to two bars within a short walk. Both were full but not packed, and had a good mix of Gopher and Wildcat fans. Had a few drinks and appetizers while chatting it up with others there. Did rideshare from the airport right to the stadium, and then from the bar back to the airport. Super fun!
Purdue and Michigan State, Penn State
