Big Ten Stadium Capacities

[Nexus]

Via Wikipedia:

 

Michigan = 109,901

Penn State = 107,282

Ohio State = 102,329

Nebraska = 81,067

Wisconsin = 80,321

Michigan State = 75,025

Iowa = 70,585

Illinois = 62,872

Purdue = 62,500

Minnesota = 50,805

Indiana = 50,100

Northwestern = 49,256

 

I hope Memorial Stadium in Lincoln expands to at least 90k seats in its next round of expansion. Assuming we do increase our capacity to 90k seats, we'd have the 11th largest college football stadium in the nation. Currently we're 17th.

 

Top 10 largest college football stadiums:

 

Michigan = 109,901

Penn State = 107,282

Tennessee = 102,459

Ohio State = 102,329

Alabama = 101,000

Texas = 100,119

USC = 93,607

Georgia = 92,746

UCLA = 92,542

LSU = 92,400

 

Florida = 88,548 (11th largest college football stadium)

[VprHis]

Wisconsin and Iowa should expand. As rabid as Badger fans are, that place would be a nightmare. Iowa's been good enough lately for the extra capacity--as long as they can sustain it for a few years, they'd be able to keep it filled up and paid for.

[Manhattan]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

[BOJ]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

That's not a bad idea, no idea how to get that information though (would entail some decent research, I think), however, I would have to think Ohio Stadium is up there; much larger than it appears from the outside.

[srajdb]

Wisconsin and Iowa should expand. As rabid as Badger fans are, that place would be a nightmare. Iowa's been good enough lately for the extra capacity--as long as they can sustain it for a few years, they'd be able to keep it filled up and paid for.

 

Maybe it's just me, but Camp Randall doesn't look like it seats 80K, more like 65K (maybe because it's only double-decked along one sideline). 80,000 screaming Badger fans is bad enough, 85 or 90 would be Hell.

 

And Kinnick is arguably the most daunting stadium with a capacity of 70K and under (I think it's actually a teense north of 70, but close enough). A few more seasons like last, I have little doubt that Kinnick will expand to 80,000+ in the next decade.

[TAW]

Wisconsin and Iowa should expand. As rabid as Badger fans are, that place would be a nightmare. Iowa's been good enough lately for the extra capacity--as long as they can sustain it for a few years, they'd be able to keep it filled up and paid for.

 

Maybe it's just me, but Camp Randall doesn't look like it seats 80K, more like 65K (maybe because it's only double-decked along one sideline). 80,000 screaming Badger fans is bad enough, 85 or 90 would be Hell.

 

And Kinnick is arguably the most daunting stadium with a capacity of 70K and under (I think it's actually a teense north of 70, but close enough). A few more seasons like last, I have little doubt that Kinnick will expand to 80,000+ in the next decade.

 

The lower bowl of Camp Randall is something like 70 rows high, then you add in the luxury boxes on the no-upper-deck side and the upper deck on the press box side. It is definitely of the bowl v. high-rise design.

[bbeerma2]

Wisconsin and Iowa should expand. As rabid as Badger fans are, that place would be a nightmare. Iowa's been good enough lately for the extra capacity--as long as they can sustain it for a few years, they'd be able to keep it filled up and paid for.

 

Maybe it's just me, but Camp Randall doesn't look like it seats 80K, more like 65K (maybe because it's only double-decked along one sideline). 80,000 screaming Badger fans is bad enough, 85 or 90 would be Hell.

 

And Kinnick is arguably the most daunting stadium with a capacity of 70K and under (I think it's actually a teense north of 70, but close enough). A few more seasons like last, I have little doubt that Kinnick will expand to 80,000+ in the next decade.

 

Sitting in the upper deck in Randall is not all that fun. It's really far away from the action. I can imagine there's little desire to put more of those kinds of seats in. The big issue with Randall is how many seats are given to the students. Doesn't leave a lot of other tickets to be had for a good game. I'd love to see them expand, but the only area really is the historic fieldhouse...

[VprHis]

Wisconsin and Iowa should expand. As rabid as Badger fans are, that place would be a nightmare. Iowa's been good enough lately for the extra capacity--as long as they can sustain it for a few years, they'd be able to keep it filled up and paid for.

 

Maybe it's just me, but Camp Randall doesn't look like it seats 80K, more like 65K (maybe because it's only double-decked along one sideline). 80,000 screaming Badger fans is bad enough, 85 or 90 would be Hell.

 

And Kinnick is arguably the most daunting stadium with a capacity of 70K and under (I think it's actually a teense north of 70, but close enough). A few more seasons like last, I have little doubt that Kinnick will expand to 80,000+ in the next decade.

 

Sitting in the upper deck in Randall is not all that fun. It's really far away from the action. I can imagine there's little desire to put more of those kinds of seats in. The big issue with Randall is how many seats are given to the students. Doesn't leave a lot of other tickets to be had for a good game. I'd love to see them expand, but the only area really is the historic fieldhouse...

 

My complaint with Ohio Stadium is that the students are dispersed throughout. They give out something like 35,000 student tickets to each game. Imagine what kind of noise they could make if concentrated and organized.

 

Edit: "Sell" the tickets, that is, not "give out."

[eliot1171]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

 

Took me a little while to put this together, so I hope you're happy. Density is based on people per square foot.

 

LINK

[Nexus]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

 

Took me a little while to put this together, so I hope your happy. Density is based on people per square foot.

 

LINK

 

Kudos! +1

[Manhattan]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

 

Took me a little while to put this together, so I hope you're happy. Density is based on people per square foot.

 

LINK

 

That's a step in the right direction, but it stills needs to take things into account like distance from the gridiron and acoustic containment. I appreciate the hard work though. +1

[eliot1171]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

 

Took me a little while to put this together, so I hope you're happy. Density is based on people per square foot.

 

LINK

 

 

That's a step in the right direction, but it stills needs to take things into account like distance from the gridiron and acoustic containment. I appreciate the hard work though. +1

 

That's going to take me a while. However, I am going to update it based on average attendance as well. I'm sure Michigan won't be up quite as high after that.

[MGoBlue]

Actually, Michigan will be just as high. Even though Penn State had the larger stadium for the last year or so, Michigan still had a higher average attendance. Highest in the nation for many years running

 

I'd be interested to know how they got the square footage, is it just the seating area, or does it include concourse area, concessions, restrooms, ect...

 

this was the average attendance as of 2006

 

2006 NCAA DIVISION I FBS FOOTBALL ATTENDANCE TEAM LEADERS

Rank School Attendance Average

1. Michigan 770,183 110,026

2. Penn St. 752,972 107,567

3. Tennessee 740,521 105,789

4. Ohio St. 735,674 105,096

5. Georgia 649,222 92,746

6. LSU 737,696 92,212

7. Alabama 737,104 92,138

8. Southern California 548,880 91,480

9. Florida 632,866 90,409

10. Texas 619,534 88,505

11. Auburn 680,506 85,063

12. Nebraska 595,309 85,044

13. Oklahoma 507,366 84,561

14. Clemson 580,942 82,992

15. Wisconsin 569,576 81,368

16. Notre Dame 565,565 80,795

17. Florida St. 644,256 80,532

18. Texas A&M 531,894 75,985

19. South Carolina 529,412 75,630

20. Arkansas 443,368 73,895

 

 

Edit: here's 2008 http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/article/124369

[Husker from Kansas]

memorial stadium holds more than 81k, when i was at a game a few years ago it had 85 plus there

[GSG]

Is there a way to find out which are the largest stadiums by footprint rather than seating capacity?

 

The smallest stadium with the largest number of fans proportionally would probably be the most intense; especially in a multiple-deck stadium rather than an open bowl.

 

Took me a little while to put this together, so I hope you're happy. Density is based on people per square foot.

 

LINK

 

That's a step in the right direction, but it stills needs to take things into account like distance from the gridiron and acoustic containment. I appreciate the hard work though. +1

 

I know we're talking Big Ten here, but I think Oregon has the smallest sidelines, putting the crowd right on top of the field