Cubs Angling to Host Bowl Game at Wrigley Field

The Chicago Cubs have hosted plenty of iconic events at Wrigley Field over the years, but with renovations at the Friendly Confines continuing and an astounding new amount of amenities taking shape, they’re thinking even bigger when it comes to college football.

According to Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune, the Cubs are angling to host a college football bowl game at the stadium after renovations are complete in 2020, and they are confident that they have what it takes to bring a postseason contest to Wrigley.

“Concerts that may not sell out elsewhere sell out at Wrigley,” Cubs President of Business Ops Crane Kenney said. “It’s because of the ballpark, Wrigleyville, Chicago, the history. It gives us confidence that a bowl game will succeed here.”

There are currently 40 bowl games on the college football schedule, and although the NCAA is not accepting new bids for games until 2019, Greenstein highlighted several reasons why the Cubs should be optimistic about getting a game. With poor attendance in numerous games that involve the Big Ten (the most likely conference to sign onto a game at Wrigley), one could easily be shifted north, and the stadium’s iconic status could bolster any bid.

Wrigley Field has hosted football before, with the Chicago Bears calling the stadium home until 1970 and with a game between Illinois and Northwestern being held at the stadium in 2010. That game was a tough slog because of tight field dimensions, but with the new renovations at the ballpark and with more time to properly lay out a field, those concerns will certainly be addressed before a bowl game bid is put together.

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