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Michigan Stadium’s nearly three-decade reign as the “Big House," the largest stadium in the country, may be jeopardy.
The stadium, built in 1927, has a capacity of 107,601 and is the third-largest stadium in the world behind Narendra Stadium (132,000) in India, and Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (114,000) in North Korea. But Penn State, which has been second in stadium capacity at 106,572, is in the midst of renovating Beaver Stadium and could push the capacity to 109,000.
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft, in an “Inside the Lions” substack story this week by Penn State beat writer Audrey Snyder, said the $700 million renovation, which includes new bleacher seats on the west side of the stadium, could yield a capacity around 108,000. By the time Penn State faces USC on Oct. 10, Kraft expects all the upper bleachers to be in place and that could potentially surpass Michigan Stadium’s capacity.
“We continue to count, but I think we’ll be north of 108,000,” Kraft told Snyder. “I think we could get to 109,000, but what people don’t understand is there are all these nooks and crannies that we’re using now.”
If Penn State’s capacity moves ahead of Michigan Stadium, this wouldn’t be the first time Michigan has had to shelve the "Big House" moniker. In 1997, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium, after a stadium expansion, took the top capacity spot with 102,854, bumping Michigan Stadium to second. But in October 1997, then-Michigan athletic director Tom Goss presented a stadium expansion project that would add 5,200 seats to the Board of Regents, and by 1998, Michigan Stadium had increased its capacity to 107,501 to regain the title as the biggest stadium in the country.
Michigan Stadium had a capacity of 109,901, but in 2015, it dropped to 107,601 the removal of seats and addition of handrails to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Before the 2023 season, in response to the aftermath of the 2022 Michigan-Michigan State game when some fans reached over and touched then-MSU head coach Mel Tucker’s head, portable seating was removed from the tunnel. The stadium lost 45 seats but added standing room only to maintain its capacity.
Currently, the Big Ten holds the top three college football stadium capacities with Michigan Stadium, Beaver Stadium and Ohio Stadium (107,780). In 2013, Michigan Stadium set a stadium record with 115,109 in attendance as Michigan defeated Notre Dame, 41-30.
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@chengelis
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Beaver Stadium could overtake Big House for largest stadium
Continue reading...
The stadium, built in 1927, has a capacity of 107,601 and is the third-largest stadium in the world behind Narendra Stadium (132,000) in India, and Rungrado 1st of May Stadium (114,000) in North Korea. But Penn State, which has been second in stadium capacity at 106,572, is in the midst of renovating Beaver Stadium and could push the capacity to 109,000.
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Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft, in an “Inside the Lions” substack story this week by Penn State beat writer Audrey Snyder, said the $700 million renovation, which includes new bleacher seats on the west side of the stadium, could yield a capacity around 108,000. By the time Penn State faces USC on Oct. 10, Kraft expects all the upper bleachers to be in place and that could potentially surpass Michigan Stadium’s capacity.
“We continue to count, but I think we’ll be north of 108,000,” Kraft told Snyder. “I think we could get to 109,000, but what people don’t understand is there are all these nooks and crannies that we’re using now.”
If Penn State’s capacity moves ahead of Michigan Stadium, this wouldn’t be the first time Michigan has had to shelve the "Big House" moniker. In 1997, Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium, after a stadium expansion, took the top capacity spot with 102,854, bumping Michigan Stadium to second. But in October 1997, then-Michigan athletic director Tom Goss presented a stadium expansion project that would add 5,200 seats to the Board of Regents, and by 1998, Michigan Stadium had increased its capacity to 107,501 to regain the title as the biggest stadium in the country.
Michigan Stadium had a capacity of 109,901, but in 2015, it dropped to 107,601 the removal of seats and addition of handrails to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Before the 2023 season, in response to the aftermath of the 2022 Michigan-Michigan State game when some fans reached over and touched then-MSU head coach Mel Tucker’s head, portable seating was removed from the tunnel. The stadium lost 45 seats but added standing room only to maintain its capacity.
Currently, the Big Ten holds the top three college football stadium capacities with Michigan Stadium, Beaver Stadium and Ohio Stadium (107,780). In 2013, Michigan Stadium set a stadium record with 115,109 in attendance as Michigan defeated Notre Dame, 41-30.
[email protected]
@chengelis
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Beaver Stadium could overtake Big House for largest stadium
Continue reading...
