'Big House' once again: University of Michigan announces stadium capacity
A member of the media snaps a picture of the Michigan Stadium field from the newly completed press box during a tour Wednesday.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
Michigan Stadium will live up to its 'Big House' moniker during the 2010 football season. During tours of the stadium on Wednesday, University of Michigan officials announced that its official post-renovation capacity for the 2010 football season will be 109,901, once again making it the largest stadium in the country.
The Michigan football program has long been proud to play in front of the largest live football audience in the country - and announce it over the loud speakers - on game days.
Renovations during the 2009 season, however, temporarily vacated that claim to Penn State's Beaver Stadium. Michigan will "reclaim its title" on Sept. 4 in the season opener against the University of Connecticut. (MGoBlue.com story)
Comments
Otto
Mon, Jul 19, 2010 : 8:19 a.m.
Sure, you've got the highest seating capacity but I would wager one of the worst in terms of egress. IMHO it is a matter of time before a serious incident occurs due to the small tunnels. Rivalries aside, OSU has done a great job in planning for large crowds. Reasonable leg and seating room, adequate restrooms, and a design that can empty the stadium within minutes without dangerous logjams. If you've ever been in one of those situations you know what I mean. All it takes is one fall for a tragedy to occur. My advice FWIW, sacrifice the hubris of large capacity to having the safest facility.
Jacob Bodnar
Sun, Jul 18, 2010 : 4:38 p.m.
@RonAnnArbor I've been to nearly every Michigan home game since 1998, there's never been a problem seating everyone in a row. Sure there are games where it's tight, namely Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Michigan State, but it works. The attendance number is based on seats no doubt about it, there's no conspiracy going on.
aarox
Sat, Jul 17, 2010 : 10:46 p.m.
I like it too. We have a 'size matters' mentality and I expect we will keep adding rows as long as there is a threat that someone can catch us. Go Blue! I'm just sad that we're not being taken seriously outside my stomping ground in AA. Saw an out of town article (not from Columbus) that mocked this and said we should be called the Outhouse instead of the Big House because we are stinking the joint up so bad. I want to remind these nay-sayers about our long and storied tradition. But then I remember that the UM'er like me are pretty much trashing Notre Dame for their performance and not giving one hoot for their long and storied tradition. Their tradition doesn't count for much outside South Bend - yes they have a TV contract but they would make more with the Big Ten. If Notre Dame's tradition doesn't hold water in the face of their performance, I don't see how ours will either.
rightmind250
Sat, Jul 17, 2010 : 9:37 a.m.
I love the architecture. I think Frank Lloyd Wright would be impressed. Dig a hole in the ground, fill it with seats put some grass in the middle. Brilliant!
rightmind250
Sat, Jul 17, 2010 : 9:33 a.m.
Speaking of Michigan Stadium, the Big House is now once again the largest stadium in college football. It will now seat 109,901 people (and 549,505 keys!). Feel free to make your own jokes about why so many people would want to watch something so awful, but let me just remind you of every accident you've ever seen on the highway and the traffic jam of people slowing down to get a look. If there were seats on the highway, how many of those folks do you think would stop and get out in order to get a closer look if they could? I'm guessing thousands...with keys in hand.
Forever27
Fri, Jul 16, 2010 : 12:41 p.m.
@ronAnnArbor, the seat sizes are fine. put down the bacon cheeseburger and take the stairs.
Tag
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 3:52 p.m.
The Big House is back, lets hope we put a team on the field this year! What's with the photo? Clearly some special privileges there. Only the East side of the stadium is open for tours, yet the picture is clearly from the West side. Nice.
SemperFi
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 2:04 p.m.
Just got back from the tour of the renovated Big House. WOW, UM has done a great job of providing the finest gameday experience for it's fans. Football gameday will continue to pump millions of dollars into the A2 community for a long time. Now, if we can only get that football team back on the winning track. Go Blue!
timeatwork
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 1:35 p.m.
as the play within the stadium continues to decline, so to will the attendance. msu can't sell thousands of pleather jackets at walmart either, but we don't get caught up in those things....
ritawedaliar
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 1:19 p.m.
Now if only there would be a competitve team on the field. Oh well, I guess UM can't have everything.
Lorain Steelmen
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 1:08 p.m.
Tater....I totally agree! I would send a 'shout out' to Dave Brandon. Dave, if you are going to renovate the scoreboards, by all means, add bench seats on both endzones!! Let's assume UM could add 7,500 in each endzone, over to the 15yd line. That would take the capacity to 110K+15K=125K. (I don't think DB can do anything now between the '15's' due to the new lux-box addition.)The 125,001 would pretty much, beat back, U Tenn or PSU, from claiming the 'big house' mantle! Wolverines, STILL Leaders and Best!
Yelmonian
Wed, Jul 14, 2010 : 1:01 p.m.
Tater, It's not the size of one's stadium, it's the quality of play with in the stadium!