1976 Chicago Sting Issue

On April 5, 1976 before NU's case was heard by either the ZBA or ZAC officers of the Chicago Sting Soccer Club approached NU with a proposal to play a game in Dyche Stadium opn June 13, 1976. [ from the Supreme Court Case document : see

1978 Illinois Supreme Court Decision

On April 8, 1976 Lee B. Stern, President of the Chicago Sting soccer club writes to Robert R. Kurz, NU Associate Athletic Director regarding the soccer game proposal.

Below see the PDF and its transcription. The letter was stamped as Exhibit H

CHICAGO STING

April 8, 1976

Mr. Rober R. Kurz

Dear Bob:

Following up our previous discussion, this letter will confirm our proposal to lease Dyche Stadium for a North American League game with the Philadelphia Atoms on Sunday, June 13, 1976.

The game was originally scheduled for Soldier Field but due to a scheduling conflict we are forced to seek another playing site or possibly risk forfeiture of the game. We have checked other sites but feel that Dyche Stadium is the best available.

The North American Soccer league season begins on April 30, 1976 and in order for us to finalize ticket and other day-of-game arrangements we would appreciate a response to our proposal on or before April 16, 1976.

Best regards,

Lee B. Stern - President

On April 13 Nu wrote to the Evanston Zoning Board of Appeals that the university would sue the City to prevent the halting of the game, reaffirming to defy the subpoenas and declare the Evanston Ordinance unconstitutional.

See soccer article and subpoenas issue:

1976-78 Articles

1976 Subpoenas March - June

On April 19, 1976 NU did file the complaint in the Circuit Court: Subsequently to the filing of the complaint, the Sting Game was cancelled. The Court dismissed the complaint for failure to exhaust local and administrative remedies.

On September 23, 1977, the appellate court (55Ill. App. 3d 609), reversed (55Ill. App.3d 609) the circuit court, finding that in light of the history of dispute over the ordinance, Northwestern "has fully exhausted its remedies before the Evanston zoning authorities and ***further endeavor before these bodies as futile." (55Ill. App.3d 609,618.

The Supreme Court of Illinois( Judge Underwood) granted leave to appeal and reversed the Appellate Court, om December 1978.

Circuit & Appellate Court Cases

1978 Illinois Supreme Court Decision

After the revised zoning ordinance was passed in March 1981, the Sting considered" briefly" whether to try Dyche Stadium again

The Evanston Review Article below discusses the issue:

Evanston Review - October 1, 1981

Sting won't move to Dyche Stadium

Now that the Sting has brought a professional sports championship to Chicago, soccer fans are coming out of the woodwork. And a way to attract even more people to the games, some say, would be if the team played all its home games in one stadium.

Whether or not Sting management finally decides to go that route instead of splitting its home schedule, one thing is all but certain: no professional soccer games will be played at Northwestern University Dyche Stadium.

Not only does Evanston’s zoning code prohibit use of the Northwestern athletic facilities by professional teams, but spokesmen for the Sting say Dyche does not meet its [. ..]

Dyche would be a prime location because it’s [...] to the North Shore, “ noted Mike Arens, an account executive for the Sting in charge of season ticket sales [...] group outings. “That would be beautiful.”

An Evanston home field would make the team more accessible to the soccer-crazed suburbanites, but more problems exist than could probably be worked out. Not the least its Ordinance 6-6-5, passed in March by the city council, which spells out the legal uses of Northwestern University property.

The ordinance covers all types of university property and was drawn up after considerable public discussion and debate. Even though the last professional even at Dyche took place in 1970, the memory of that Bears game weighed heavily on the councilmen’s minds.

TRAFFIC TIE-UPS, litter and rowdy fans who resorted to urinating on lawns were among the problems that prompted north Evanston residents to push for a tighter zoning code for the Dyche-McGaw area.

The current capacity at Dyche is 49,256, although seating was expanded to more than 55,000 for several games against Notre Dame in the 60’s and 70’s. Northwestern’s two home games this fall have drawn ticket sales of 22,856 and 25,256.

“I moved into this neighborhood knowing full well that the university would use the stadium for five or six home football games a year,” said Ald. Jake Bleveans (7^th), who lives just northwest of Dyche. “It is the expansion of that which I oppose.”

Dyche could not host professional events unless substantial expansion were made in the stadium’s restrooms and concession areas, according to Northwestern’ athletic director Doug Single. “We would be impacting a program that already has a shortage of facilities,” he noted.

THE STICKING POINT with the Sting would become the city’s second “daytime team.”

The Sting’s 1982 schedule hasn’t been finalized, but Arens predicted a few more night games next year. The 1981 regular season had 10 games at Comiskey Park and six at Wrigley Field.

“Having two stadiums is a deterrent for those who are new fans,” said Arens, “but we know since the playoffs that the fans are more die-hard now. As long as there’s a winner, they’ll come.

Arena said most fans preferred Wrigley Field because it offers a better view of the action and because some felt uncomfortable going to the South Side for games at Comiskey, especially at night. They also like the intimacy of Wrigley, and the park’s site makes a crowd of 20,000 look more impressive.

Kathy Breitenbucher