Washington–Grizzly Stadium

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Washington–Grizzly Stadium

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°W / 46.864; -113.981Coordinates: 46°51′50″N 113°58′52″W / 46.864°N 113.981°W / 46.864; -113.981
Broke ground September 1985
Opened October 18, 1986 (1986-10-18)
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

Looking southwest in 2010, against NAU on October 23
Washington–Grizzly Stadium Attendance Records
Official Stadium Capacity: 25,203
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

The stadium in 2012, after expansion and lights were added
Year Win Loss
YearWL
198621
198732
198860
1989^80
199042
199141
199251
1993^61
1994^90
1995^90
1996^90
199751
199851
1999^52
2000^81
2001^90
2002^71
2003^62
2004^100
2005^52
2006^81
2007^71
2008^90
2009^90
201051
201160
201232
201351
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

External links

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