The sports world is up in arms over an unfair situation that’s emerged for one of the National Women’s Soccer League clubs. The Chicago Red Stars in the midst of a difficult situation through exactly no fault of their own.
According to The Athletic, Riot Fest, an annual music festival, will be held at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, this year. Typically, the event is held at Chicago’s Douglass Park. But this year, plans changed, as organizers moved it to the Red Stars’ home.
Red Stars president Karen Leetzow didn’t hold back in an official statement the team released.
A statement from Chicago Red Stars President, Karen Leetzow, regarding our September 21st match: pic.twitter.com/FHkmBbhnnB
— Chicago Red Stars (@chicagoredstars) June 12, 2024
After the club made the statement, many took the opportunity to voice their frustrations over the situation. Not many people were very thrilled at all. Especially considering that the Red Stars recently set an attendance record at Wrigley Field, the famed home of MLB’s Chicago Cubs.
Riot Fest took the Chicago Red Stars’ game day venue???? https://t.co/HOnWCPSeyT
— Morgan Elise Johnson (@MorganEliseJ) June 12, 2024
1. It’s absolute 🚮 to bounce a pro sports team from its venue when it has a game scheduled.
2. With neither the @whitesox or @ChicagoBears home that weekend, it would be smart for one of them to use the opportunity to amplify women’s sports in Chicago at their venue. https://t.co/cA36SMOhuh
— Miles McQuiggan (@MilesMcQuiggan) June 12, 2024
yeah, man, Riot Fest kicking a professional team out of their stadium for a home game isn’t it.
Imagine a concert being scheduled at Wrigley the night of a home game. No one would ever even think to suggest such a thing. https://t.co/og7HKsy88w
— Becky Yaworski (@beckyyaworski) June 12, 2024
Would be cool to see the @whitesox jump in and offer their stadium for this match. They’re on the road 9/21. 👀 https://t.co/jHnnCen6us
— Ryan (@youngtheryan) June 12, 2024
Days after setting an @NWSL attendance record at Wrigley Field, the @ChicagoRedStars have been displaced from their home stadium by a just-announced music festival venue change. https://t.co/PUngwvAu64
— Alex M. Silverman🏒⚽️ (@AlexMSilverman) June 12, 2024
Many hope that one of the big professional sports teams in Chicago will step up to host the Red Stars’ match on September 21st. It might take some moving and shifting, but someone stepping up would be a delight to see.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022