Thursday, August 27, 2026
Namesake:Martin Stadium is named for Northwestern alumnus and former trustee J. Landis "Lanny" Martin and his wife, Sharon, whose $15 million gift supported the lakefront athletics complex.
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Buy primary-market tickets through Northwestern Athletics or the official Ticketmaster event page. Colorado season ticket holders and Buff Club members can request away-game tickets through the CU ticket office. CU assigns those seats within its allotment by Buff Club priority.
The 12,000-seat temporary stadium has limited inventory. Use Northwestern, CU or Ticketmaster before considering another resale source, and verify that the listing is for Martin Stadium in Evanston rather than Ryan Field.
Northwestern uses mobile tickets. Sign in to your Northwestern ticket account from your phone, open the event and add each ticket to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before traveling to campus. Do not rely on a screenshot or on cellular service at the gate.
One phone can hold multiple tickets when the group enters together. Transfer tickets in advance if anyone will arrive separately. The ticket office can help with a dead phone or account issue, but the line is avoidable if the tickets are already in a mobile wallet.
CU's exact section assignment was not public as of August 27, 2026. Tickets purchased through CU will be placed in the official visiting allotment, but the section will not be known until assignments are complete. Check the delivered ticket rather than relying on a generic online seating chart.
The temporary seating bowl is mostly aluminum bleachers. Personal seat cushions are allowed, but chairbacks with metal frames, enclosed pockets or zippered carrying cases are prohibited.
Every person needs a ticket regardless of age for Northwestern football. Accessible seating is available in the North, South and West stands. For an exchange or relocation, contact the Northwestern ticket office before game day or ask at ticket office and will call locations outside the North and South entrances.
Campus football lots are permit-only and open four hours before kickoff. Current football lots include Noyes/Haven, Northwestern Place, Library Place and Locy. Buy a pass in advance when Northwestern releases single-game inventory; do not arrive expecting free campus parking.
ADA spaces are available in each campus lot. Golf carts provide transportation between campus lots and the stadium from four hours before kickoff until one hour after the game.
Tailgating is allowed only in designated permit lots. Northwestern also sells reserved lakefront tailgate spaces through Tailgreeter. Campus buildings and the lakefront path may have game-day access restrictions.
The simplest route is the CTA Purple Line to Noyes. Walk east on Noyes Street to Sheridan Road, follow game-day signs onto campus and allow about 15 minutes from the station.
CTA Route 201 stops at Sheridan and Lincoln and Sheridan and Haven, both a short walk from the venue. Metra riders can use the Union Pacific North Line to Central Street, then follow Northwestern's wayfinding signs or connect to local transit. Confirm weekend schedules in the CTA and Metra apps before leaving.
Fans leaving Buffs Bash can board the Purple Line at Central, next to The Evans, ride one stop to Noyes and walk to the North Gate. Do not wait until the tailgate's 6 p.m. closing time for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
Rideshare vehicles may drop passengers along Sheridan Road. The designated postgame pickup zone is Colfax Street between Orrington Avenue and Sheridan Road; 629 Colfax St is a useful app destination. Expect the pickup zone to be slow immediately after the game.
Each ticket holder may bring one clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12", or one one-gallon clear freezer bag, plus one clutch no larger than 4.5" x 6.5". Diaper bags and medically necessary bags are allowed after inspection.
Northwestern does not offer bag check or storage at this venue. Review the official clear bag policy before leaving your hotel or car.
The venue has only two public entrances, North and South, and both are accessible at street level. Fans arriving from the Noyes CTA station will naturally approach the North Gate. The South Gate is closest to the South Beer Garden and Henry Crown Sports Pavilion.
General will call is outside the South Gate and in Henry Crown lobby. Visiting-team player guest will call is in Henry Crown lobby. Bring a valid photo ID.
The seating bowl opens 90 minutes before kickoff, at 5 p.m. CT for this game. The South Gate opens 2.5 hours before kickoff for access to the South Beer Garden, but fans cannot enter their seating sections until the general gate time.
Ticket office and will call service opens three hours before kickoff. General will call is outside the South Gate and in Henry Crown lobby. Mobile-ticket support is also available near the entrances. Walk-up ticket inventory is not guaranteed.
Stands grouped by concourse area. Section numbers are approximate.
Restroom banks serve the North and South ends and the west side of the temporary stadium. Accessible stalls are available. Because this is a compact temporary venue, use the restroom before the fourth quarter or expect lines during peak breaks.
Northwestern says Wi-Fi is available in and around its venues but does not publish a spectator network name for Martin Stadium. Save tickets to a mobile wallet and coordinate your meeting point before arriving.
A mother's room is in the southwest corner between the South and West stands. Strollers are permitted but cannot be stored in seating areas; free stroller valet is available at the South Gate.
Every guest needs a ticket regardless of age. Diaper bags are permitted after inspection even when they are not clear.
Both entrances are accessible. Accessible seating is in the North, South and West bleachers. Elevators at the southwest corner serve the West stands, and an ADA lift serves the South stands.
ADA parking is available in every campus football lot, with golf cart service to the stadium. Guests who need an on-site seat relocation should ask the ticket office or will call staff outside the North or South entrance.
During the game, report lost items at Fan Services near the North or South beer gardens or at the northeast station behind the North stands. After the game, contact the Ryan Fieldhouse facilities office at 847-467-7736 or visit 2333 Campus Drive.
Treat this like a lakefront night game, not a normal early-September game in Chicago. The wind off Lake Michigan can make the temporary bleachers feel much colder than the forecast. Bring a layer and a poncho because umbrellas are prohibited.
Transit is easier than trying to improvise parking. If you attend Buffs Bash, leave around 5:30 p.m., take the Purple Line one stop from Central to Noyes and walk to the North Gate. Staying until the advertised 6 p.m. end leaves almost no margin for the train, security and the walk.
The temporary venue is compact and exposed. The West stands are the better bet if you want the setting sun behind you, while the North and East areas stay more open to the lake breeze. A simple seat cushion is useful; leave framed chairbacks and bulky cases behind.
Do not bring anything borderline. There is no bag storage, no re-entry and no practical place to leave a rejected umbrella or oversized bag once you reach the lakefront.
American and Mexican-influenced breakfast, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Good pre-Buffs Bash.
Brunch, wood-fired pizza and smoked meats near the Central Street transit stops.
Big sandwiches, burgers and a full bar. Open until midnight on Saturdays.
Counter-service wings, burgers and cheese fries until midnight. Late-finish friendly.
Wood-fired pizza and bar connected to SPACE, with the Dempster Purple Line nearby.
Neighborhood diner serving made-from-scratch breakfast, lunch and dinner since 1991.
Walk the lakefill, see the skyline, and see what makes this stadium setting unusual.
Free campus museum with rotating exhibitions and film programs.
National Historic Landmark and maritime museum beside Lighthouse Beach.
Free, intricately detailed temple and garden near the Purple Line's Linden station.
Historic clocks and American stained glass in a focused collection.
75- to 90-minute look inside the century-old ballpark, reachable on CTA rail.
Stadium info
Stadium details come from each athletic department’s official site, and we treat that information as accurate. Venues change bag policies, gate times, and parking maps between seasons, though, so things do drift. If you spot something out of date, or you have a tip that would help another Buffs fan, we want to hear it.
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