Michigan Stadium

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Michigan Stadium
"The Big House"
Location	1201 South Main Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
Broke ground	1926
Opened	1927
Owner	University of Michigan
Operator	University of Michigan
Surface	Field Turf
Construction cost	$950,000 USD
Architect	Bernard Green
Tenants
Michigan Wolverines (NCAA) (1927-Present)
Seats
107,501

Michigan Stadium, nicknamed the Big House, is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was built in 1927, at a cost of $950,000 and had an original capacity of 84,401. Prior to playing football at the stadium, the Wolverines played on Ferry Field. Today, Michigan Stadium has an official capacity of 107,501, though football game attendance often exceeds 111,000 when bands, stadium staff, and others are added. The largest crowd in stadium history was 112,118 on November 22, 2003 for a game against Ohio State. This is also an all-time NCAA record for people at a football game.

It is the largest American football stadium in the world and the 29th largest sports venue in general (most of the larger ones are auto racing tracks or horse racing tracks). ^[1] The one "extra seat" in its capacity was "reserved" by former head coach Fritz Crisler for the then athletic director Fielding Yost, although its location is not specified.^[2] Home games are invariably sellouts, and residents of Ann Arbor are aware of "football Saturdays" because of the influx of traffic and business at local establishments. The size of the crowd in the stadium nearly matches the city's population of 114,000.

Michigan Stadium was designed with footings to allow the stadium's capacity to be expanded beyond 100,000. According to the University of Michigan Library's and Athletics Department's history of the stadium, then-athletic director Fielding Yost envisioned a day where 150,000 seats would be needed. To keep construction costs low at the time, the decision was made to build a smaller stadium than Yost envisioned but include the footings for future expansion.^[3]

Michigan Stadium is also the site of University of Michigan main graduation ceremonies.

Contents 1 History 2 Renovation Plan 3 Gallery 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External links 7.1 Aerial map links

[edit] History

Michigan Stadium's immense size is not entirely apparent to ground-level observers, as it is constructed partially into the ground, leaving only the upper 20 rows (in most sections) visible from the outside. The stadium's original capacity was 72,000, but Yost made certain to install steel footings that could allow for massive expansion. Initially, all seating consisted of wood bleachers. These were replaced with permanent metal seating in 1949 by Crisler, who had become athletic director. Longtime radio announcer Bob Ufer dubbed Michigan Stadium "The Hole that Yost dug, Crisler built, Canham carpeted, and Schembechler fills every cotton-pickin' Saturday afternoon." Since 1975 - Bo Schembechler's seventh season as coach - the stadium has held over 100,000 fans for every home game. Michigan's game versus Ball State University on November 4, 2006 was the 200th consecutive crowd of over 100,000 fans. Traditionally, when the game's attendance is announced, the public address announcer thanks the fans for "being part of the largest crowd watching a football game anywhere in America." The tradition was temporarily stopped in 1996, when Michigan Stadium's capacity was overtaken by that of Neyland Stadium, but resumed when it was expanded two years later. Despite its size, Michigan Stadium has a reputation for being relatively quiet; this is due to the lack of decks that would otherwise trap the sound on the field.

From 1927 to 1968, the stadium's field was covered in natural grass. This was replaced with TartanTurf in 1969 to give players better traction. However, this surface was thought to be unforgiving on players' joints, and the stadium returned to natural turf in 1991. This too became problematic, as the field's below-surface location near the water table made it difficult for grass to permanently take root. The field was converted to FieldTurf, an artificial surface that was designed to give grass-like playing characteristics, in 2003.

On September 9, 2006, attendees of the Michigan Wolverines vs. Central Michigan Chippewas football game had to endure the first weather delay in the Stadium's history, after a lightning strike occurred shortly after 12:30 EDT in the afternoon. The game was delayed approximately 1 hour.

[edit] Renovation Plan

As of November 17, 2006, the University's Board of Regents has approved a renovation and expansion project for Michigan Stadium which is expected to be completed by 2010. The project includes replacement of some bleachers, widening of individual seats, widening of the aisles and installing hand rails, and the addition of 83 luxury boxes and a new press box. The stadium's official capacity at the conclusion of this project is projected to top 108,000. ^[1] This renovation plan has garnered serious opposition from students, alumni, and fans around the country.

[edit] Gallery

Image taken from the student section.	Michigan Stadium January 7, 2002.	Exterior of Michigan Stadium January 7 2002.	Michigan Stadium April 26, 2003.
Aerial view of Michigan Stadium

[edit] See also

• Michigan Wolverines
• Lloyd Carr
• Metro Detroit
• Sports in Detroit

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Michigan Stadium information page
• Michigan Stadium Renovation
• History of Michigan football stadiums
• Michigan Daily article detailing the Yost expansion, with illustrations
• SaveTheBigHouse.com

[edit] Aerial map links

• Michigan Stadium from Google Maps circa 2006, under repairs & commencement
• Michigan Stadium from Yahoo Maps circa 200?, after student plaza and field turf
• Michigan Stadium from Microsoft Live Maps circa 2000, before student plaza and field turf was installed

The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Academics	College of Engineering • College of Literature, Science and the Arts • Law School • Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy • Medical School • Ross School of Business • School of Education • School of Information • School of Music, Theatre & Dance • Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning
Athletics	Michigan Stadium • Crisler Arena • Yost Ice Arena • Michigan Wolverines • Football • UM-OSU Rivalry • Little Brown Jug • Paul Bunyan Trophy • Cold War
Campus	Angell Hall Observatory • Burton Tower • The Diag • Dennison Building • Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library • Hill Auditorium • Lurie Tower • Matthaei Botanical Gardens • Michigan Union • Museums • Nichols Arboretum • UM Health System • University Library
Research	Correlates of War • ERC WIMS • Michigan Life Sciences Corridor • National Election Studies
Student life	Gargoyle Humor Magazine • Every Three Weekly • Michigan Daily • The Michigan Review • Michigan Marching Band • UM Solar Car Team • The Victors • WCBN • WOLV-TV • University Housing

Football Stadiums of the Big Ten Conference
Beaver Stadium (Penn State) • Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin) • Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minnesota) • Kinnick Stadium (Iowa) • Memorial Stadium (Illinois) • Memorial Stadium (Indiana) • Michigan Stadium (Michigan) • Ohio Stadium (Ohio State) • Ross-Ade Stadium (Purdue) • Ryan Field (Northwestern) • Spartan Stadium (Michigan State)