The Chicago Red Stars are coming to Wrigley Field.
The Red Stars’ June 8 match against Bay FC will be the first National Women’s Soccer League game to be played at the ballpark. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on Ion.
“Playing at Wrigley Field will be the event that fans of the Red Stars, Cubs and Chicago sports won’t want to miss,” Red Stars President Karen Leetzow said in a statement. “On behalf of the Red Stars, I’d like to thank the Cubs for inviting us to Wrigley Field and giving these elite athletes the stage they deserve. We look forward to representing our great city and showing Chicago fans and the country how talented this club is and the intense level of competition that exists on the pitch every week in the NWSL and in Chicago’s backyard.”
John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune
Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson hugs his wife, Chicago Red Stars player Mallory Pugh Swanson, on opening day at Wrigley Field on March 30, 2023.
Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney said in a statement the team is thrilled to welcome the Red Stars to the ballpark and is “proud to join forces with the Red Stars to bring this event to life for the players, fans and our city.”
Wrigley is a familiar spot for Red Stars and U.S. Women’s National Team player Mallory Swanson, who has attended Cubs games to watch her husband, shortstop Dansby Swanson, after he signed a seven-year deal with the team before the 2023 season.
As viewership of women’s sports has increased, highlighted by the record-breaking TV numbers set during the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, a match at Wrigley can create more accessibility to the NWSL.
“It still shocks you that it’s in the middle of the neighborhood and it carries that vibe and aura and the fact that it’s been around for as long as it has — it’s hard to even come up with the word, but it just carries a different weight,” Dansby Swanson said Tuesday. “It’s a really special place, obviously, and I know they’ve done a good job of being able to host other events in the past and I expect this to be no different.”
Red Stars executive chairperson Laura Ricketts is also a co-owner of the Cubs with her family. Marquee Sports Network, owned by the Cubs, and the Red Stars announced last month that 15 of their games would air live on the network’s platforms, including 10 on the main channel.
Over the last 16 years, Wrigley Field has hosted a variety of non-Cubs games: Illinois and Northwestern football, the Blackhawks for the Winter Classic, Northwestern women’s lacrosse and Northwestern baseball. The Red Stars will become the latest to play in the historic stadium as the match makes women’s professional soccer more accessible to fans in Chicago.
“Wrigley Field is one of the most iconic sports venues in the country. This is a unique opportunity for us to bring further visibility to our team and women’s soccer,” Red Stars goalkeeper and team captain Alyssa Naeher said in a statement. “Chicago has always been an incredible sports town with such a rich history. I can’t wait to compete on the field, under the lights, in front of our dedicated Chicago fans from every part of the city!”
A presale for Red Stars season ticket holders starts at 10 a.m. Thursday. Season ticket holders can reserve their seats for the match in accordance with their season ticket package and will have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets as part of the presale. The Cubs will hold a presale April 15 for their season ticket holders. Tickets go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. April 17.
The Red Stars have played most of their home matches at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview since 2016. However, the organization made clear in late February that if the city and state are willing to use taxpayer dollars to fund new stadiums for the Bears and White Sox, the Red Stars want to be part of the conversation and should be included in whatever funding is allocated. The Red Stars ideally would like to find a site in Chicago for a new stadium and training facility.
“We feel that we’ve now proven that there’s a business model and that there is a proven value to offer as a community asset,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman told the Tribune in February, “and with all that in mind, we therefore expect to be thought of and have an opportunity to contribute to any dialogue around investment and infrastructure as it relates to the future of the footprint of any city.”
