Shaded Seats at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium

Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is the home field of the Northwestern Wildcats soccer and lacrosse teams. It’s also the temporary home stadium for the Northwestern football team and Chicago Stars FC. Located on the shore of Lake Michigan, it provides one of the most distinctive gameday experiences in college and professional sports. Chicagoland has hot summers and cold winters, which means a seat in the sun or the shade may be preferable at different times. Fans can use this guide along with the stadium’s seating chart to identify the best sunny and shaded seats at Northwestern Medicine Field.

Where are the seats in the shade and sun at Northwestern Medicine Field?

Typically, shaded seats at Northwestern Medicine Field are located:

• South End Zone: Covered and shaded early in the day
• West Sideline: Shaded by mid-afternoon and evening

Conversely, sunny seats are predominantly found:

• East Sideline: Sunny for the entire day
• North End Zone: Uncovered and sunny for most of the afternoon

Games at Northwestern Medicine Field can kick off as early as noon and as late as 7 p.m. This means most events will take place in the daylight hours, so knowing the position of the sun is helpful for a comfortable fan experience.

Northwestern Medicine Field Orientation to the Sun

Northwestern Medicine Field is oriented north to south. By 1 p.m., the sun is high in the sky above the south end zone. Over the course of the afternoon, it curves and dips behind the west side of the stadium, where it eventually sets. This configuration makes the south side of the stadium the “shade side” for early afternoon games and the west side for late afternoon and evening games.

The graphic below shows the approximate hour-by-hour position of the sun throughout the day on July 1st.

See an interactive seating chart for the next event at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon Northwestern Medicine Field Games

Northwestern Medicine Field was never intended to be a full-time professional caliber venue. However, in 2024 it was expanded to accommodate the Northwestern football team as the Wildcats build a new Ryan Field and the Chicago Stars FC seek a permanent home. The current setup features seating behind the south endzone and along the west sideline, as well as a large bleacher stand behind the north end zone and very limited seating along the east sideline.

For games that kick off around noon or early in the afternoon, the sun is directly above and shade is sparse. The best hope for shade in the morning and early afternoon is behind the south end zone, in rows as far from the field as possible. The den-level suites create a barrier that casts a shadow over the rows at the back of sections S18-S23. Rows closer to the field start the game in the sun.

The rest of the stadium is in the path of the early afternoon sun. Bleacher sections N1-N5 and east sideline sections E6-E17 are in the direct path of the sun for the entirety of an early afternoon game. These sections have no roof or barriers to cast shadows over them. West sideline sections W24-W30 will start an early day game in the sun but by the later quarters or minutes some seats may become shaded as the sun rotates around the stadium and the Sideline Club casts a shadow over the back half of rows.

Early in the afternoon only seats behind the south end zone (right) are shaded. Seats on the west sideline (where the photo is taken) become shaded later in the day.
Sipa USA / Alamy Stock Photo

Seats in the Sun and Shade at Early Afternoon and Evening Northwestern Medicine Field Games

When games are scheduled for the late afternoon, the sun and shade dynamics shift a bit. Shade seekers should prefer the west sideline sections W24-W30. By late afternoon the sun is behind this side of the stadium, putting the sun at the backs of fans here, and under the shadow cast by the Sideline Club.

Sections S18-S23 behind the south end zone that may be shaded earlier in the day may drift back into the path of the sun as it rotates during the afternoon. The sunniest seats are Bleacher sections N1-N5 and east sideline sections E6-E17. End zone seats will become shaded in the evening once the sun has dipped far enough to create a shade line across the field. East sideline seats stay sun soaked all the way until sunset.

Ready to buy shaded seats at Northwestern Medicine Field?

Use the individual game links or click or tap here to see the upcoming game list for Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.