The Chicago Red Stars could seek legal action as Riot Fest’s relocation to Bridgeview is attempting to force the team to move a game in September, The Chicago Tribune noted.
On June 12, Riot Fest announced that it is moving to SeatGeek Stadium in the southwest suburb. The music festival will run Sept. 20-22—conflicting with the Sept. 21 Red Stars/San Diego Wave match. The decision drew the wrath of Red Stars leadership, which is now scrambling to find a new home for a nationally broadcast match only days after drawing a league-record crowd for a match at Wrigley Field.
In a statement on X, Red Stars President Karen Leetzow said, “It is unfair and unfortunate to have our club put in this situation, shining a light on the vast discrepancies in the treatment of women’s professional sports versus men’s professional sports. We are committed to ensuring our players and fans have a first-rate experience on and off pitch [the field], and we are working diligently to find a solution that will ensure our Sept. 21 game is a success.”
Chicago set the NWSL attendance record this past weekend with 35,038 attending a match at Wrigley Field—the team’s first game at the baseball stadium, ESPN noted. New Red Stars majority owner Laura Ricketts is co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, who call Wrigley Field home.
SeatGeek Stadium opened in 2006 as the home of MLS’ Chicago Fire; however, its suburban location and lack of access to public transportation made it a hard sell for fans, and the Fire moved back to Soldier Field in 2020. Ricketts has said that SeatGeek is not a permanent solution for the Red Stars.