Washington–Grizzly Stadium
Washington–Grizzly Stadium | |
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The Rolling Stones concert in October 2006 | |
Location |
Campus Drive Missoula, Montana, U.S. |
Coordinates | 46°51′50″N 113°58′52″W / 46.864°N 113.981°WCoordinates: 46°51′50″N 113°58′52″W / 46.864°N 113.981°W |
Broke ground | September 1985 |
Opened | October 18, 1986 |
Owner | University of Montana |
Operator | University of Montana |
Surface |
SprinTurf - (2001-present) Natural grass - (1986-2000) |
Construction cost |
$3.2 million[1] ($6.81 million in 2014 dollars[ 1]) |
Architect |
Fox, Ballas & Barrow[1] Rossman, Schneider & Gadvery[1] |
Capacity |
25,217 - (2008-present) 23,183 - (2003-2007) 18,845 - (1995-2002) 12,500 - (1986-1994) |
Record attendance | 26,293 - (August 31, 2013) |
Tenants | |
Montana Grizzlies - NCAA (1986-present) |
Washington–Grizzly Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Missoula, Montana, located on the campus of the University of Montana. Opened in 1986, it is home to the Montana Grizzlies college football team, a dominant program of the Big Sky Conference and consistently a top team in Division I FCS, formerly known as Division I-AA. The infilled SprinTurf playing field is 20 feet (6 m) below ground level at an elevation of 3,190 feet (970 m) above sea level and runs in the traditional north-south orientation.[2] The press box is above the west sideline and lights were added for the 2012 football season.[3] It is the largest all-purpose stadium in the state of Montana.
History
The stadium is named after construction magnate Dennis Washington, a Montanan who donated $1 million to finance the stadium's construction in 1985. The stadium opened on October 18, 1986, and the Griz have racked up an impressive home record of 142-20 (.877).
Capacity and expansions
The current seating capacity is 25,217 and the stadium has been expanded three times, most recently in 2008 with an upper deck expansion of 2,000 seats on the east side.
The original capacity in 1986 was 12,500 permanent seats on the sidelines with open grass seating behind the end zones, an approximate capacity of 15,000, weather-permitting. Permanent seating for the end zones was installed in 1995, which brought the seating to 18,845. Corner seating in the north end zone opened in 2003 and the most recent expansion in 2008 to the east grandstand brought the capacity to 25,217.
Field surface
Infilled SprinTurf was installed in 2001, and replaced in 2008. For its first fifteen seasons, the playing surface was natural grass. With the addition of the artificial turf in 2001, the playing surface was renamed "John Hoyt Field."
GrizVision
The video screen GrizVision, was installed in 2002 in the south end zone; at 26 by 36 feet (8 m × 11 m), it is one of the largest screens in an FCS football stadium.
Previous venues
Before Washington–Grizzly Stadium, the Grizzlies played off-campus at "new" Dornblaser Field from 1968-86. Prior to 1968, Montana played on-campus at "old" Dornblaser Field from 1920-67 (both named for Paul Dornblaser, football captain in 1912, killed in World War I). Prior to 1920, Montana played its home games at a field in downtown Missoula, near the former Missoulian newspaper building.
WA-Griz Largest Crowds
Attendance | Result | Date | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 26,293 | Montana 30, Appalachian State 6 | Aug. 31, 2013 |
2 | 26,082 | Montana 37, Eastern Washington 42 | Oct. 26, 2013 |
3 | 26,066 | Montana 17, Eastern Washington 14 | Sept. 17, 2011 |
4 | 26,019 | Montana 16, Montana State 21 | Nov. 20, 2010 |
5 | 25,965 | Montana 28, Sacramento State 25 | Sept. 25, 2010 |
6 | 25,919 | Montana 55, Northern Colorado 28 | Oct. 01, 2011 |
7 | 25,855 | Montana 37, Cal Poly 23 | Sept. 10, 2011 |
8 | 25,811 | Montana 31, Weber State 10 | Oct. 31, 2009 |
9 | 25,751 | Montana 41, Eastern Washington 34 | Oct. 17, 2009 |
10 | 25,744 | Montana 30, Portland State 24 | Oct. 15, 2011 |
11 | 25,726 | Montana 49, Portland State 17 | Sept. 19, 2009 |
12 | 25,698 | Montana 38, Western State 0 | Sept. 5, 2009 |
13 | 25,694 | Montana 35, Cal Poly 23 | Oct. 10, 2009 |
14 | 25,663 | Montana 73, Western State 2 | Sept. 4, 2010 |
15 | 25,629 | Montana 35, Montana State 3 | Nov. 22, 2008 |
16 | 25,568 | Montana 47, Idaho State 28 | Oct. 9, 2010 |
17 | 25,486 | Montana 43, Sacramento State 7 | Oct. 18, 2008 |
18 | 25,401 | Montana 45, Weber State 10 | Oct. 29, 2011 |
19 | 25,326 | Montana 38, Central Washington 35 | Sept. 27, 2008 |
20 | 25,323 | Montana 24, Northern Arizona 21 | Oct. 23, 2010 |
21 | 25,231 | Montana 38, Northern Colorado 10 | Sept. 14, 2009 |
** Playoff | |||
Home Field Advantage
Year | Win | Loss |
---|---|---|
Year | W | L |
1986 | 2 | 1 |
1987 | 3 | 2 |
1988 | 6 | 0 |
1989^ | 8 | 0 |
1990 | 4 | 2 |
1991 | 4 | 1 |
1992 | 5 | 1 |
1993^ | 6 | 1 |
1994^ | 9 | 0 |
1995^ | 9 | 0 |
1996^ | 9 | 0 |
1997 | 5 | 1 |
1998 | 5 | 1 |
1999^ | 5 | 2 |
2000^ | 8 | 1 |
2001^ | 9 | 0 |
2002^ | 7 | 1 |
2003^ | 6 | 2 |
2004^ | 10 | 0 |
2005^ | 5 | 2 |
2006^ | 8 | 1 |
2007^ | 7 | 1 |
2008^ | 9 | 0 |
2009^ | 9 | 0 |
2010 | 5 | 1 |
2011 | 6 | 0 |
2012 | 3 | 2 |
2013 | 5 | 1 |
Total | 172-23 (.881) | |
^Includes FCS Playoff Game(s) |
Concerts
- June 20, 1998 — Pearl Jam kicked off their North American tour at a sold out Washington-Grizzly stadium.
- October 4, 2006 — The Rolling Stones played their first-ever concert in the state of Montana to a sold-out audience exceeding 22,000 on a Wednesday night during their A Bigger Bang Tour.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "New UM Stadium Project on Schedule". Great Falls Tribune. August 6, 1986. p. 3C.
- ↑ Topographic map & aerial photo from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps
- ↑ http://www.montanakaimin.com/mobile/sports/lighting-up-washington-grizzly-stadium-1.2690020
- ↑ iorr.org/tour05/missoula.htm - Retrieved October 27, 2011
External links
- GoGriz.com - about Washington–Grizzly Stadium
- World Stadiums.com - Washington–Grizzly Stadium
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