Kidd Brewer Stadium

Kidd Brewer Stadium
"The Rock"
"The Rock" in 2017
Former names Conrad Stadium
Location 270 Stadium Dr
Boone, North Carolina 28608
Coordinates 36°12′42″N 81°41′08″W / 36.21167°N 81.68556°W / 36.21167; -81.68556Coordinates: 36°12′42″N 81°41′08″W / 36.21167°N 81.68556°W / 36.21167; -81.68556
Public transit AppalCart
Owner Appalachian State University
Operator Appalachian State University
Executive suites 18
Capacity 24,050 (2012-present)
23,150 (2011)
21,650 (2009–2010)
20,150 (2008)
16,650 (1995–2007)
18,000 (1979–1994)
10,000 (1962–1978)[1]
Record attendance 34,658
Surface FieldTurf 2003 to present
Astroturf 1970 to 2002
Grass 1962 to 1969
Construction
Broke ground 1960
Opened September 15, 1962
Renovated 1999, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017
Expanded 1978, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2011-12, 2016
Construction cost $32 million (2008 expansion)
Architect Walter Robbs Callahan and Pierce (expansions)
Tenants
Appalachian State Mountaineers (NCAA)
Football (1962–present)
Outdoor Track and Field (1962–present)
Field Hockey (1968–2014)

Kidd Brewer Stadium is a 24,050-seat multi-purpose stadium located in Boone, North Carolina. Nicknamed "The Rock", the stadium is the home of the Appalachian State Mountaineers football team. It is also the home of the school's field hockey and track and field teams. Kidd Brewer stands 3,280 feet (1,000 m) above sea level. The Mountaineers boasting a 225–72–5 (.753) home record.[2]

History

Officially opened on September 15, 1962, as Conrad Stadium, in honor of former university trustee and R.J. Reynolds executive William J. Conrad, the stadium was originally constructed with 10,000 permanent seats. It became the first venue in either North or South Carolina to install artificial turf. The Mountaineers and Elon staged the first game on artificial turf in the Carolinas on October 3, 1970.[3] Seating capacity was expanded to 18,000 following the 1978 season. The stadium was the backdrop for the second college football game ever televised by ESPN as the Mountaineers played the Western Carolina Catamounts for the Old Mountain Jug in 1979.[4]

Conrad Stadium was renamed on September 3, 1988 in honor of Kidd Brewer, one of the most successful head coaches in Appalachian football history and a colorful part of North Carolina history. Brewer, a Winston-Salem native, served as head football coach of the Mountaineers from 1935 to 1938, compiling a 30–5–3 overall mark in his four seasons at the helm of the Apps. An All-American at Duke, Brewer's 1937 squad was unbeaten and unscored upon in the regular season. Completion of an extensive renovation and restoration project on the original 10,000 seats in 1995 readjusted the seating capacity to 16,650. A then-state-of-the-art "AppVision" video board was added in 1999 and enlarged prior to the 2001 campaign. Appalachian State was also one of the initial collegiate programs in the country to install FieldTurf at its football stadium in 2003.[5] Appalachian carried a 30-game winning streak, the longest in Division I at the time, before losing to the Georgia Southern Eagles on October 20, 2007. Prior to that game, the Mountaineers' last home loss was in the first round of the playoffs, 13–14, to Maine on November 30, 2002.

Following the 2006 season, the press box was removed to make way for a new 100,000-square-foot (9,290 m2) stadium complex. The complex houses state-of-the-art strength and conditioning and athletic training facilities to benefit all 20 of Appalachian’s varsity sports, as well as extensive locker rooms, academic, office and meeting space for ASU student-athletes, coaches and administrators. However, the most visible element of the crown jewel of ASU athletics' $50 million facilities enhancement campaign is the addition of premium seating on the stadium’s west side, in the way of 18 luxury suites, 500 club seats and spacious Yosef Club and Chancellor's Box areas. An additional 4,400 seats were added to the east side stands prior to the 2008 season, which brought the total seating capacity to 20,150. The addition of the new seats was completed in time for the home opener against Jacksonville on September 6, 2008. Also new for 2008 was an upgraded AppVision video board which was nearly double the size of the 2001 screen.

Current

In 2009, the Kidd Brewer Stadium complex was completed prior to the home opener against McNeese State. Total seating capacity for 2009 was increased to 21,650 with the opening of the additional premium seating, which includes the 18 luxury suites and 500 club seats in the Yosef Club and Chancellor’s Box areas. Prior to the 2011 season, temporary bleachers were installed behind the North Endzone. The additional 1,500 seats brought capacity to 23,150. The temporary section was further expanded prior to the 2012 season, which brought capacity to 24,050. 2013 saw small ribbon boards installed on the stadium's east and west seating areas. In 2016, 2,500 seats were installed in the North end zone, replacing the previous bleachers, along with additional concession stands. This was done partly in preparation for a home game against the Miami Hurricanes.[6][2] In 2017, plans were announced for a new video board and ribbon boards to be installed in August. The new board would be around three times as large as the former screen.[7]

Largest crowds

Attendance Opponent Result Date
1 34,658 Miami (Fla) L, 45-10 Sept. 17, 2016
2 31,531 Elon W, 34–31 Oct. 09, 2010
3 30,931 Wofford W, 70–24 Oct. 31, 2008
4 30,856 Montana W, 35-27 Sept. 8, 2012
5 30,718 Jacksonville W, 56–7 Sept. 6, 2008
6 30,622 Western Carolina W, 46–14 Nov. 12, 2011
7 30,098 Western Carolina W, 19–14 Nov. 21, 2009
8 30,018 Georgia Southern W, 24-17 Oct. 29, 2011
9 29,631 The Citadel W, 57–21 Oct. 4, 2008
10 29,519 The Citadel W, 39-10 Oct. 16, 2010
11 29,218 North Carolina Central W, 44-16 Sept. 18, 2010

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Rock Readies for Saturday’s Home Opener". Appalachian Sports Information. September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Kidd Brewer Stadium". appstatesports.com. 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
  3. ↑ Flynn, Mike (2008). 2008 Appalachian Football: Kidd Brewer Stadium (PDF). Appalachian Sports Information. p. 194.
  4. ↑ Hooker, Daniel (2008). 2008 Western Carolina Football Media Guide (PDF). WCU Media Relations Department. p. 46.
  5. ↑ Scott, David (September 10, 2003). "Mountains of Praise for FieldTurf". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 9, 2008.
  6. ↑ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/college/article97910027.html
  7. ↑ http://www.journalnow.com/sports/colleges/football/new-videoboards-part-of-app-state-s-big-picture-plans/article_42923bd7-5189-5f2f-a7fc-5d415c290188.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.