Ohio Stadium
A collection of photos from different locations in Ohio Stadium showing the greatness of Ohio Stadium.
Celebrating its 78th year as the home of the Buckeyes. Dedicated in 1922, Ohio Stadium's horseshoe shaped configuration makes it one of college football's most recognizable landmarks.
Over the years, more than 30 million fans have filed into "the Horseshoe" to see the Buckeyes play. In 1993, Ohio State drew 558,683, setting an OSU single season record for six home games. In 1991, Ohio State set a single season record for seven home games (654,500). The all-time single game attendance record was set in 1995 when the Buckeyes hosted Notre Dame, drawing a crowd of 95,537 to "The Horseshoe".
Built at a cost of slightly more than $1 million and funded largely through private donors, Ohio Stadium had an original seating capacity of 66,210. Skeptics doubted that it would ever be filled, but those fears were dispelled on Oct. 21, 1922, when an overflow crowd of 71,385 attended the dedication game against Michigan.
Inevitable, expansion followed. With the addition of field and box seats, and later south stands, the capacity of Ohio Stadium now stands at 89,841, making the giant horseshoe the fourth largest facility in college football. The latest addition was approximately 5,000 seats in the south stands, added prior to the 1991 season.
Various surfaces have been used to cover the Ohio Stadium floor. Between 1922 and 1970, a surface of natural grass adorned the stadium floor. In 1971, thank to the generosity of former OSU player Lou Fischer, Astro Turf was installed. In 1979, a second artificial carpet, this time Super Turf, was put down. Prior to the 1990 season, natural grass called Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT), the current surface, was installed.
In 1984, a state-of-the-art scoreboard was installed in the south end of the stadium. The cost of the new electronic message center, which conforms to the architecture of the stadium, was $2.6 million, more than double the original cost of the stadium.
In addition to Ohio State football, Ohio Stadium has also served as host for Ohio High School State Football Playoffs and, for a brief period, was home of the World League of American Football's Ohio Glory. The venue has played host to such musical acts as The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, U2, Elton John, Billy Joel, Genesis, and George Strait for concerts, generating additional revenues for the university. Now in it seventh decade, Ohio Stadium, nestled on the banks of the Olentangy River, truly is synonymous with college football.
Ohio Stadium Quick Facts
- Built: 1922
- First Game: Ohio Wesleyan, Oct. 7, 1922
- Dedication: Michigan, Oct. 21, 1922
- Construction Costs: $1,341,000
- Original Capacity: 66,210
- Present Capacity: 89,841
- First Artificial Surface: 1971
- Prescription Athletic Turf (PAT) Installed: 1990
- Scoreboard Added: 1984
- Largest Crowd: 95,537 (Notre Dame, 1995)
- A Deck Seating: 34,525
- B Deck Seating: 17,303
- C Deck Seating: 21,478
- South Stands: 13,960
South Stands Financial Summary - from University Engineer's Office
- Field Seats: 2,575
- Photo Gallery
- Seating Charts
Football
Soccer (Columbus Crew)
- Turf Report
Turf Crew
Renovations to Ohio Stadium
This is Athletic Director Andy Geiger's pet project - the expansion and modernization of Ohio Stadium at an estimated $150 million. Work is to begin in May 1998 with a three month utilities relocation project. Actual construction will begin in December 1998 following the football season and will continue until the beginning of the 2001 football season. Football games will be played in the stadium during that period, but other stadium events may be moved due to
construction. Here is some information about the project.
- Ohio Stadium Renovation - Decription of the renovations and pictures of the model (very good photos, a must see)
- University Engineer's Office - View project information and milestones in the design and construction stages of development.
- Expands Stadium Capacity to 98,000
- Jesse Owens Track will be removed and field will be lowered 14 feet, with a permanent seating tier (to be known as AA deck) reaching from the end of present A deck to the playing surface, stopping 3 1/2 feet above the level of the field. Next winter, crews will insert a 50 ft high concrete wall into the ground surround the field to prevent ground water from entering the stadium. They will halt construction during the 1999 season and then lower the field the following winter, spring and summer.
- 3,000 new wheelchair-accessible seats will be added.
- 76 new luxury suites to be added: some will be located on the west side of the stadium (press box side) in the area now know as B deck. Others will be located in the middle section of the expanded press box. Suite prices: $45,000 to $75,000
- 2,500 Club level seats will be added in the west side of the stadium
- A 40-foot shell will be constructed on the outside of the east and west sides to allow the rim of C deck to be raised to add 17 rows and to make room for the many amenities to be added.
- Better Restrooms: Three times as many restrooms will be added in all areas of the stadium, including C deck
- A total of six elevators will be added.
- A new $10 million track and soccer stadium, dedicated to Jesse Owens, will be constructed on the site of the former baseball stadium, Trautman Field, near the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
- To maintain "The Horseshoe", the grand half-rotunda entrance in the north end (Block-O) and the four towers - two flanking the rotunda and one each on the southeast and southwest end - will remain. The towers on the south end will be completely gutted and refurbished with modern home and visiting dressing room facilities and other facilities.
- The scoreboard, added to the south end in 1984, will be moved back and south stands (currently temporary and dismantled after each football season) will become permanent. The new south stands will not be the concrete, closed-in structure first envisioned, because of the great costs of moving steam pipes and electrical lines that run under the area.
- The Stadium dorms, housing underclassmen students, are scheduled to be relocated
- More concession areas will be added throughout the stadium
- A new band room will be constructed for TBDBITL (The OSU Marching Band) and classrooms will be renovated
- Medical facilities at the stadium will be upgraded
- Almost one-third of the cost will go toward bringing the stadium up to modern code in terms of aisle widths, number of restrooms, access for the handicapped, etc. It will also eliminate about 10,000 of the present seats.
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