Michigan Stadium Information
Summary
Michigan Stadium, located at 1201 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is just about a mile and a half south of the University of Michigan campus. The Stadium was built in 1927 at a mere $950,000. While that doesn’t sound like much by today’s standards, that’s equivalent to around $20,000,000 now. Architect Albert Kahn designed the Stadium.
The largest stadium in North America is located in Ann Arbor. The Michigan Stadium – “The Big House” is where you can find more than 110,000 college football fans on Saturday afternoons during the autumn season. Excited fans gather in the stadium to cheer on the Wolverines.
The Big House is the largest stadium in the US and the second largest stadium in the world. The University of Michigan is the proud host of this enormous facility with an official capacity of 107,601 seats. Although it is said to have hosted crowds of more than 115,000 occasionally. Built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000, the Michigan Stadium had an original capacity of 72,000 seats.
The Big House
Nicknamed “The Big House” for its size, the Stadium holds almost 110,000 people (109,901 to be exact). Opened in 1927 and later upgraded to accommodate more fans, the stadium is owned by the University of Michigan and is home to the famous Michigan Wolverines football team. The Stadium’s first game was played on October 1, 1927, between the Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes. The home team, the Wolverines, cliched the game with a 3-0 win.
Michigan Stadium is the largest stadium in the United States and the third largest in the world. Throughout its existence – just shy of a century – the Stadium has undergone quite a few rounds of renovation that have kept it consistently modern. The most recent renovation was completed in 2010, when an additional 10,000 seats were added, bringing the Stadium’s capacity to its whopping current level of seating.
Concerts & Live Music
While a concert has never been hosted at Michigan Stadium (some suggest that is because of its unfavorable acoustics), it is an epicenter for dedicated sports fans, having hosted many major sporting events – and that’s not just football. Major hockey games have also been featured. Among these is the memorable “Big Chill at the Big House” – a record-breaking college hockey game between Michigan and Michigan State, which broke the attendance record with its 113,411-attendance number.
Michigan Stadium is considered a national treasure for many reasons. It is renowned for its passionate fans, who create a raucous atmosphere at every game – amplified by the Stadium’s powerful sound system. There’s nothing quite like hearing the crowd go wild from the grandstands.
The improvements to the Stadium included the construction of 85 suites, a new press box, over 2,900 club seats, restroom upgrades, and the installation of electronic scoreboards. Additionally, permanent lights were added to accommodate night games.
History
The Stadium’s renovations, completed in the not-too-distant past, have elevated its visual appeal and set a high standard for other venues across the country. Over the years, the Stadium has set the stage for many historical moments in American sporting history, from Howard Heisman’s game-winning catch in 1991 to Anthony Carter’s epic 1979 touchdown against Indiana. In an iconic 1969 moment, the Wolverines pulled off one of the most unexpected wins ever by beating favorites – and number 1 team – Ohio State 24-12. There are many other unforgettable sporting history moments that are too numerous to mention here.
You would be hard-pressed to find any other college football stadium that matches the gameday experience you’re likely to have at Michigan Stadium. The venue is one of the country’s most historic sporting venues.
The Stadium also currently holds an all-time attendance record for any college or NFL game. The record was set when 115,109 came out to witness Michigan’s 41-30 win over Notre Dame on September 7, 2013.
According to the Michigan “Go Blue” Athletics website’s top 10 facts, there were an estimated 106,000,000 blades of grass on the field at Michigan Stadium at the first game in 1927. But Michigan football hasn’t always been played on grass. Artificial turf was the standard between 1969 and 1990. Then, in May 1991, the Stadium brought grass back until 2003, when the modern-day FieldTurf was installed.
The Stadium was the first in the United States to install electronic scoreboards; today, it has a video scoreboard in each end zone. Michigan Stadium is a real American icon that has been wowing loyal fans for almost 100 years. If you ever find yourself in the Wolverine State, you won’t regret stopping in for a game or two.
The Wave
The wave at Michigan Stadium is just a little bit bigger than everyone else’s, just like the size of the stadium itself. Fans won’t see the wave at Michigan Stadium until the third quarter if the Wolverines have had a decent lead.
A total of six waves will be made to complete the age-old tradition. The first two circuits are the usual traditional wave, where the student section kicks it off. Once the first two circuits are done, a quick wave makes its way around the stadium before it’s reduced to a very slow wave.
Once the slow wave (5th wave) is finished, the student section reverses the course and send it back the other way at the original speed. On the 6th and final wave, the students split the wave in opposite directions which creates a cross-section effect around the stadium.
If you’re sitting near the student section, do commit these rules to memory and be part of the fun!
For more information on the Michigan Stadium, please see the specific pages below.
Parking Information:
Arriving by car? Read about parking options on the Michigan Stadium parking information page.
Ticket Policy:
For information on ticket guarantee and other ticket related questions, view the Michigan Stadium tickets page.
Seating Information:
For information on accessible seating and to view the Michigan Stadium seating chart page.