Levy selected as F&B parter for New Ryan Field

Levy has been selected as the official food and beverage partner for the New Ryan Field at Northwestern University, opening this autumn.

Together, Northwestern University, Ryan Sports Development and Levy are designing a next-generation food, beverage and hospitality program across the stadium.

Guided by a shared focus on highlighting the community and activating spaces in creative ways, cherished neighborhood restaurants will feature prominently alongside acclaimed Chicago chefs, and every detail will be crafted to showcase elevated hospitality.

Pat Ryan Jr., CEO of Ryan Sports Development, said:

“Ryan Field is truly a one-of-a-kind stadium designed to set a new standard for the college football experience and a year-round hub for our Evanston community.

“Levy’s experience, creativity, and deep understanding of hospitality sets them apart from the field, and the partnership will help us deliver the exceptional experience for our fans, alumni, and community the way this stadium is designed to do.”

The 2026 SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition – focused on elevating the live experience across the sports and entertainment ecosystem – is being hosted at Everton FC’s spectacular new Hill Dickinson Stadium on October 1st and 2nd, with an Opening Night Icebreaker at Liverpool FC’s iconic Anfield Stadium on September 30th.

Over the past year, Levy has worked behind-the-scenes with Ryan Sports Development during the design phase to consult on the stadium’s hospitality infrastructure.

Now the two are working together to leverage the intuitive design and create an activated experience at Ryan Field that taps into Levy’s restaurateur roots and sports hospitality expertise. Highlights include:

• Chicago’s most beloved dishes and flavors, from house-made tavern-style pizza to Italian Beef and deep dish from local icons
• A close-knit collection of Chicago’s best restaurants and purveyors, showcasing both renowned chefs and hyper-local neighborhood favorites from Evanston and the surrounding North Shore community
• Intricately designed club spaces that evoke the ambiance, immersiveness and energy of Chicago’s bustling restaurants, with tailored culinary offerings to match
• Open-air pregame and postgame festival grounds, inspired by vibrant, social event environments unique to college sports
• A fan-first value program, ensuring affordable, high-quality options are available
• Frictionless technology integrated within most concourse concession stands for added speed and convenience

Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy, said:

“The opportunity to build an entirely unique fan experience and create new traditions at one of the first new college football stadiums built in the last few decades, right here in our backyard, on a campus that means so much to many in our Levy family, it’s incredibly special.

“We’re beyond thrilled to collaborate with Ryan Sports Development and Northwestern University to ensure the experience amplifies this amazing venue and celebrates the community with wonderful food and beverage offerings. The Ryan Family and Northwestern have a vision for innovation, and it’s been remarkable watching it come to life so beautifully down to the finest detail.”

The partnership expands Levy’s presence at Northwestern athletic venues – the company currently serves fans at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium and Welsh-Ryan Arena, among other on-campus venues.

Levy leads the food, beverage and hospitality experience at nearly 20 sports and entertainment locations and restaurants around Chicagoland, as well as a market-leading network of iconic sports venues and events across the country. That includes blue chip college sports partners across every power conference.

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