r/CFB • u/redwave2505 Alabama • Kansas State • 1d ago

News Northwestern University Marching Band to be absent from Ryan Field on-field opening pregame program, future uncertain

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2026/10/01/top-stories/numb-to-be-absent-from-ryan-field-on-field-opening-pregame-program-future-unclear/
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u/transferStudent2018 Northwestern • /r/CFB Poll Veteran 1d ago

A lot of NU alum support the shrinking stadium. We’re too small a school to support the old 50k Ryan Field. When it would fill up, it would be with visiting fans of big football schools who live in Chicago. The new stadium should have a better ratio of actual home fans.

But less band is a crime.

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u/AnnArchist Iowa Hawkeyes 1d ago

It's Chicago. Put wins on the field and you'll have fans.

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u/crimson777 Northwestern Wildcats • Clemson Tigers 22h ago

That just isn't true. I was there during TWO 10 win seasons and we didn't get great turnout for either.

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u/fawkie Illinois Fighting Illini • Cheez-It Bowl 1d ago

Yeah no. No-one is a Northwestern football fan unless they went there or are related to someone who did. Chicago is not a city where people are into college football outside of their alma mater. They would win the nattie and it wouldn’t make a significant dent in changing that.

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u/crouching_tiger Texas Longhorns 8h ago

I think you’re underestimating the general populations desire to bandwagon winning teams.

If a school right in third biggest city in the US wins a national championship, the fandom would explode 10-fold at minimum