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{{Short description|Football stadium on U.S. state university campus}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Coord|42.2661|-83.7508|display=title}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Michigan Stadium
| nickname = "The Big House"
| logo_image =
| logo_size =
| image = Michigan Stadium Aerial.jpg
| caption = Michigan Stadium in 2021
| ___location = 1201 South Main Street<br>[[Ann Arbor, Michigan]] 48104-3722
| broke_ground = September 12, 1926<ref>{{cite news |title=Workmen Swarm Michigan Stadium|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FJ5OAAAAIBAJ&pg=6182,2583518&dq=michigan+stadium+excavation&hl=en|newspaper=[[Ludington Daily News]]|date=September 13, 1926|access-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>
| opened = {{Start date|1927|10|01}}<ref>{{cite book|first1=Bruce|last1=Madej|first2=Rob|last2=Toonkel|first3=Mike|last3=Pearson|title=Michigan: Champions of the West|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fd87BHQ4VrkC&pg=PT79|access-date=September 26, 2011|date=November 1, 1997|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|isbn=978-1-57167-115-8|pages=79–}}</ref><br>{{small|({{Age|1927|10|01}} years ago)}}
| expanded = 1928, 1949, 1956, 1973, 1992, 1998, 2010
| renovated = 2010
| closed =
| demolished =
| owner = [[University of Michigan]]
| operator = University of Michigan
| surface = [[FieldTurf]] (2003–present)<br>Natural grass (1991–2002)<br>[[Artificial turf]] (1969–1990)<br>Natural grass (1927–1968)
| construction_cost = $950,000<br>(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|950000|1927}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}})<br><br>$226 million (2010 stadium renovation, equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{inflation|US-GDP|226000000|2007|r=-6}}}} in {{inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}})
| architect = [[Osborn Engineering|Bernard L. Green]] <br>[[HNTB]] (2010 expansion)
| general_contractor = [[M.A. Mortenson Company|Mortenson Construction]]<ref>{{cite book| first=John| last=Kryk| title=Natural Enemies: Major College Football's Oldest, Fiercest Rivalry—Michigan vs. Notre Dame| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IBzFV5QGSv0C&pg=PA106| access-date=September 26, 2011| date=November 25, 2004| publisher=Taylor Trade Publications| isbn=978-1-58979-090-2| pages=106–}}</ref>
| tenants = [[Michigan Wolverines football]] <br> (1927–present)<br>[[Michigan Wolverines field hockey]]<br>(1973–1975)<br>[[Michigan Wolverines men's lacrosse]]<br> (2012–2017)<br>[[Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse]]<br>(2014–2017)
| seating_capacity = 107,601 (2015–present)<ref name="U-M Announces New Seating Capacity">{{cite web| title=U-M Announces New Seating Capacity for Michigan Stadium| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080715aaa.html| publisher=University of Michigan Department of Athletics| date=August 7, 2015| access-date=August 7, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625150652/http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080715aaa.html| archive-date=June 25, 2017| url-status=dead}}</ref>
'''Formerly'''
{{collapsible list|
* 72,000 (1927)
* 85,752 (1928–1948)
* 97,239 (1949–1955)
* 101,001 (1956–1972)
* 101,701 (1973–1991)
* 102,501 (1992–1997)
* 107,501 (1998–2007)
* 106,201 (2008–2009)
* 109,901 (2010–2015)
* 107,601 (2015–present)<ref name="U-M Announces New Seating Capacity">{{cite web| title=U-M Announces New Seating Capacity for Michigan Stadium| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080715aaa.html| publisher=University of Michigan Department of Athletics| date=August 7, 2015| access-date=August 7, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625150652/http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/080715aaa.html| archive-date=June 25, 2017| url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}
| website = {{URL|https://mgoblue.com/sports/2017/6/16/facilities-michigan-stadium-html.aspx|mgoblue.com/stadium}}
| record_attendance = 115,109 (Michigan vs. Notre Dame, September 7, 2013)<ref>[https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2013/9/7/4706160/michigan-notre-dame-sets-new-american-football-attendance-record Michigan-Notre Dame sets new American football attendance record] By Rodger Sherman at SB Nation – Sep 7, 2013</ref>
}}
'''Michigan Stadium''', nicknamed "'''the Big House''',"<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.bigten.org/genrel/030410aaa.html| title='Big Ten Icons' to Count Down Conference's All-Time Top 50 Student-Athletes: Iconic broadcaster Keith Jackson to host the series launching this fall| access-date=March 27, 2010| publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]| date=March 4, 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190235/http://www.bigten.org/genrel/030410aaa.html| archive-date=October 29, 2013| url-status=dead}}</ref> is the [[American football]] [[stadium]] for the [[University of Michigan]] in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]. It is the largest stadium in the United States and the [[Western Hemisphere]], the [[List of stadiums by capacity|third-largest stadium in the world]], and the [[List of sports venues by capacity|34th-largest sports venue]] in the world.<ref name="size">{{cite web |title=Stadium Lists: 100,000+ Stadiums |url=http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/stadium_list/100000.shtml |publisher=www.worldstadiums.com |access-date=January 11, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023205044/http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_menu/stadium_list/100000.shtml |archive-date=October 23, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-15 |title=50 largest sports stadiums in the world |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/50-largest-sports-stadiums-world-211532360.html |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Yahoo Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> Its official capacity is 107,601, but it has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Football Record Book - Michigan Stadium (PDF) |url=https://mgoblue.com/documents/2022/9/1/fbl_2022_media_guide_stadium.pdf |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=University of Michigan Athletics |language=en}}</ref>
Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|950000|1927}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) and had an original capacity of 72,000. Prior to the stadium's construction, the [[Michigan Wolverines football|Wolverines]] played football at [[Ferry Field]]. Every home game since November 8, 1975 has drawn a crowd in excess of 100,000, an active streak of more than 300 contests.<ref name="history">{{cite web| title=The Michigan Stadium Story| url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/index.html| date=10 April 2006| publisher=The University of Michigan| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref> On September 7, 2013, the game between Michigan and the [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame Fighting Irish]] attracted a crowd of 115,109, a record attendance for a college football game since 1948, and an NCAA single-game attendance record at the time, overtaking the previous record of 114,804 set two years previously for the same matchup.<ref name="NCAA att"/>
Michigan Stadium was designed with [[Foundation (engineering)|footing]]s to allow the stadium's capacity to be expanded beyond 100,000.<ref name=":0" /> [[Fielding Yost]] envisioned a day where 150,000 seats would be needed.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=Building the Big House|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/stadbild.htm|website=The Michigan Stadium Story|publisher=Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan|access-date=19 November 2017}}</ref> To keep construction costs low at the time, the decision was made to build a smaller stadium than Yost envisioned but to include the footings for future expansion.<ref name="maxsize">{{cite web |title=Once Again the Biggest House, 1998 |url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/stad1998.htm |publisher=[[Bentley Historical Library]] |date=10 April 2006 |access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
Michigan Stadium is used for the University of Michigan's main [[graduation]] ceremonies; [[President of the United States|President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] outlined his [[Great Society]] program at the 1964 commencement ceremonies in the stadium.<ref>{{cite web| title=The Great Society and Michigan| url=https://bentley.umich.edu/features/the-great-society-and-michigan/| last=Williams| first=Brian A.| year=2015| publisher=Bentley Historical Library}}</ref> It has also hosted [[ice hockey|hockey]] games including the [[2014 NHL Winter Classic]], a regular season [[National Hockey League|NHL]] game between the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] and the [[Detroit Red Wings]] with an official attendance of 105,491, a record for a hockey game.<ref name=lage>{{cite news| title=NHL Winter Classic 2014: Maple Leafs Beat Red Wings In Front Of Record Crowd| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/01/nhl-winter-classic-2014-red-wings-maple-leafs_n_4528980.html| work=[[Huffington Post]]| date=1 January 2014| last=Lage| first=Larry| agency=[[Associated Press]]| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref> Additionally, a [[2014 International Champions Cup]] soccer match between [[Real Madrid]] and [[Manchester United]] had an attendance of 109,318, a record crowd for a soccer match in the United States.<ref name=ICC>{{cite news| title= Man United win in front of 109,318| url=http://www.espnfc.us/international-champions-cup/match/398569/real-madrid-manchester-united/report| work=[[ESPN]]| date=2 August 2014}}</ref>
==History==
===20th century===
[[File:Michigan Stadium opening 3c27311.png|thumb|The dedication of Michigan Stadium on October 22, 1927, prior to [[Michigan Wolverines football|Michigan]]'s game against [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]]]]
Prior to playing at Michigan Stadium, Michigan played its games at [[Ferry Field]], which at its peak could seat 40,000 people. Fielding Yost recognized the need for a larger stadium after original expansions to Ferry Field proved to be too small, and persuaded the regents to build a permanent stadium in 1926. Fashioned after the [[Yale Bowl]], the original stadium was built with a capacity of 72,000, though Yost originally wanted to have a capacity of 140,000.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-09-08 |title=Building - and building on - Michigan Stadium |url=https://michigantoday.umich.edu/2010/09/08/a7865/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Michigan Today |language=en-US}}</ref> At Yost's urging, temporary bleachers were added at the top of the stadium, increasing capacity to 82,000.<ref name="history"/><ref name=expansion>{{cite web| title=The Michigan Stadium Story: Expansion and Renovation, 1928-1997| url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/stadexp.htm| date=10 April 2006| access-date=2014-02-26| publisher=Bentley Historical Library}}</ref>
On October 1, 1927, Michigan played [[Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops|Ohio Wesleyan]] in the first game at Michigan Stadium, prevailing easily, 33–0. The new stadium was then formally dedicated three weeks later in a contest against [[Ohio State Buckeyes football|Ohio State]] on October 22. Michigan had spoiled the formal dedication of [[Ohio Stadium]] in [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] five years earlier and was victorious again, besting the Buckeyes 21–0 before a standing-room-only crowd of 84,401. In 1930, electronic scoreboards were installed, making the stadium the first in the United States to use them to keep the official game time.<ref name="history"/>
In 1956, the addition of a press box raised the stadium's official capacity to 101,001. The one "extra seat" in Michigan Stadium is said to be reserved for [[Fritz Crisler]], athletic director at the time.<ref name="crisler">{{cite web |title=Facilities: Michigan Stadium |url=http://www.mgoblue.com/facilities/michigan-stadium.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419162602/http://www.mgoblue.com/facilities/michigan-stadium.html |archive-date=April 19, 2014 |access-date=November 4, 2015 |publisher=mgoblue.com}}</ref> Since then, all official Michigan Stadium capacity figures have ended in "-01", although the extra seat's ___location is not specified.<ref name="history"/>
Before 1968, Michigan Stadium maintained a policy of "No women or children allowed on the field". Sara Krulwich, now a photojournalist for ''[[The New York Times]]'', was the first woman on the field.<ref name="Essay">{{cite news |title=Essay: "No Women" Was No Barrier |first=Sara |last=Krulwich |url=http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/22/essay-first-woman-on-the-field/ |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 22, 2009 |access-date=May 12, 2010}}</ref> Longtime radio announcer [[Bob Ufer]] dubbed Michigan Stadium "The hole that Yost dug, Crisler paid for, [[Don Canham|Canham]] carpeted, and [[Bo Schembechler|Schembechler]] fills every cotton-pickin' Saturday afternoon".<ref name="Feldman">{{cite news| title=Through Transition, Class of '09 Had Its Ups, But Mostly Downs| first=Dan| last=Feldman| url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/2009-04-24/through-transition-class-09-had-its-ups-mostly-downs| newspaper=[[The Michigan Daily]]| publisher=michigandaily.com| date=April 20, 2009| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> Since November 8, 1975, the stadium has held over 100,000 fans for every home game (the [[Indiana Hoosiers football|Indiana University]] contest on October 25, 1975 attracted "only" 93,857 fans).<ref name="MUAtt1">{{cite web|url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/mattend.htm|title=The Michigan Stadium Story: Michigan Stadium Attendance Records|date=January 15, 2011|publisher=Bentley Historical Library|access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref><ref name="1975 team">{{cite web| title=1975 Football Team| date=March 31, 2007| publisher=Bentley Historical Library| url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1975fbt.htm| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>—and 24 of the 25 most attended NCAA games are at the stadium.<ref name="NCAA att" /> Michigan Stadium's size is not wholly apparent from the outside as most of the seats are below ground level.
By the mid-1980s, Michigan Stadium had become known by the nickname "The Big House", with [[Keith Jackson]] credited for popularizing the nickname.<ref>{{cite news| title=Pinkett overcomes doubt with confidence| newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]| date=September 13, 1985| page=2F| url=https://freep.newspapers.com/clip/3691340/pinkett_overcomes_doubt_with_confidence/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=Fighting Irish hold off Michigan| newspaper=[[The Pantagraph]]| date=October 9, 1985| page=29 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3691370/fighting_irish_hold_off_michigan/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title=U-M gunning for Gophers| newspaper=Detroit Free Press| date=November 15, 1986| page=D1| url=https://freep.newspapers.com/clip/3691323/um_gunning_for_gophers/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=University of Michigan Stadium {{!}} Ann Arbor |url=https://www.annarbor.org/university-of-michigan/michigan-stadium/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=www.annarbor.org}}</ref>
===21st century===
[[File:MichStadium Renovation8.jpg|thumb|The west side structure at Michigan Stadium]]
Michigan's game versus [[Ball State Cardinals football|Ball State University]] on November 4, 2006, was the 200th consecutive crowd of over 100,000 fans.<ref name="200th Game">{{cite news |url=http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/110106acp.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524212705/http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stories/110106acp.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 24, 2011| title=For 200th Straight Game, 100,000 Will Pack Michigan Stadium| agency=[[Associated Press]]| work=CSTV.com| publisher=CBS College Sports| date=November 1, 2006| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> When the game's attendance is announced, the public address announcer, historically [[Howard King (public-address announcer)|Howard King]], thanks the fans for "being part of the largest crowd watching a football game anywhere in America today".<ref name="Centered">{{cite book| title=Centered By A Miracle| first1=Steve| last1=Rom| first2=Rod| last2=Payne| page=[https://archive.org/details/centeredbymiracl0000roms/page/45 45]| publisher=Sports Publishing| year=2006| isbn=978-1-59670-145-8| url=https://archive.org/details/centeredbymiracl0000roms/page/45}}</ref>
On September 9, 2006, attendees of Michigan's football game against the [[2006 Central Michigan Chippewas football team|Central Michigan Chippewas]] endured the first weather delay in the stadium's history after lightning struck nearby during the first quarter and play was suspended for approximately one hour.<ref name="LATimes">{{cite news |title=Michigan: The Season| first=Dave| last=Wharton| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jan-01-sp-michseason1-story.html| newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| page=S-12| date=January 1, 2007| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
On September 3, 2011, Michigan and [[2011 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan]] mutually agreed to end their game with 1:27 left in the third quarter because of an ongoing lightning delay. It was the first time Michigan had a football game called because of lightning. The stadium was evacuated at 6:38 p.m. and the game was called shortly after 7:00.<ref name=knight>{{cite web| last=Knight| first=Jim| url=http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-football/western-michigan-at-michigan-updates-start-at-330-pm/| title=Game called in 3rd quarter: Michigan football team wins, 34-10| access-date=2014-02-26| work=[[The Ann Arbor News]]| publisher=annarbor.com| date=September 3, 2011}}</ref>
On June 21, 2007, the University's Board of Regents approved a $226 million [[renovation]] (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|226000000|2007}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}) and expansion project for Michigan Stadium. The project included replacement of some bleachers, widening of aisles and individual seats, installing hand rails, and the addition of a new press box, 83 [[luxury box]]es, and 3,200 club seats. The renovation plan garnered opposition from a small number of students, alumni, and fans around the country, which waned as the renovation neared external completion.<ref name="AAnews">{{cite news |title=U-M Professors Urge Reconsideration of Michigan Stadium Expansion|first=Lynn|last=Monson|url=http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2007/09/um_professors_urge_reconsidera.html| newspaper=The Ann Arbor News| publisher=Mlive.com| date=September 14, 2007| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
A disabled-veterans group filed a federal lawsuit against the university on April 17, 2007, alleging that the design of the project did not meet federal standards for wheelchair-accessible seating.<ref name="lawsuit">{{cite news |title=Despite Lawsuit, Complaints, Stadium Construction Begins| first=Andy| last=Kroll| url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/despite-lawsuit-complaints-stadium-construction-begins| newspaper=[[The Michigan Daily]]| publisher=michigandaily.com| date=November 19, 2007| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
On March 11, 2008, as part of the settlement terms of a lawsuit filed against the university pursuant to the [[Americans with Disabilities Act]], the university announced that the official capacity of the stadium would be reduced to accommodate additional wheelchair-accessible seating beginning with the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Michigan Stadium Lawsuit Settled |first=Gabe |last=Nelson |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/university-reaches-settlement-big-house-lawsuit |newspaper=The Michigan Daily |publisher=michigandaily.com |date=March 10, 2008 |access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> The project was completed before the [[2010 Michigan Wolverines football team|2010 season]].
Renovations in April 2008 caused that year's University of Michigan graduation ceremony to be moved to [[the Diag]].<ref name="diag">{{cite news |title=Keynote Woodruff Shares Life Lessons, Hope| first=Jillian| last=Bogater| url=http://www.ur.umich.edu/0708/Apr28_08/00.php| newspaper=The University Record Online| publisher=University of Michigan New Service| date=May 28, 2008| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
In August 2011, the University completed a six-month scoreboard replacement project; the new boards measured {{convert|4000|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} each with a resolution of 900 x 1632 pixels.<ref name="founding">{{cite press release| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/040511aaa.html| title=TS Sports/Lighthouse Selected as Scoreboard Provider| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics Department| date=5 April 2011| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref>
Michigan Stadium was [[Opening ceremony|rededicated]] on September 4, 2010, before Michigan's first home football game of the 2010 season against the [[Connecticut Huskies|University of Connecticut]],<ref name="rededication">{{cite web| title=Michigan Stadium Rededication| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/stadium-rededication.html| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics| date=September 4, 2010| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> with a listed capacity of 109,901.<ref name="mgoblue.com">{{cite press release| title=Big House Again! Michigan Stadium Capacity Announced at 109,901| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071410aad.html| publisher=mgoblue.com| date=July 14, 2010| access-date=June 7, 2011| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191237/http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/071410aad.html| archive-date=October 29, 2013| url-status=dead}}</ref>
After the renovation, the stadium lacked permanent lights, although platforms for temporary lights were included in the design. In September 2010, a few days after the rededication, the University of Michigan's Board of Regents approved a plan to add permanent lights, at a cost of $1.8 million (equivalent to ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US-GDP|1800000|2010}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US-GDP}}{{inflation-fn|US-GDP}}). The lights were first used at the men's hockey game on December 11, 2010. The following season saw the stadium's first night football game on September 10, 2011. The Wolverines defeated the [[2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame Fighting Irish]] 35–31.<ref name="goblue-lights">{{cite press release |title=Permanent Lights to be Installed at Michigan Stadium| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/091610aan.html| date=September 16, 2010| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics| access-date=June 16, 2011}}</ref>
The Michigan lacrosse program was elevated to NCAA varsity status in spring 2011, effective in the 2011–12 academic year.<ref name=lacrosse>{{cite press release| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/genrel/052511aaa.html| title=U-M Athletics Announces Men's and Women's Lacrosse as Varsity Sports| date=May 25, 2011| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref> The team played most of its 2012 games in Michigan Stadium, including a match against [[Ohio State Buckeyes men's lacrosse|Ohio State]] on April 14, 2012, after the annual Wolverine football spring game.<ref name=oosterbaan>{{cite web| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-lacros/spec-rel/m-lacros-facilities.html| title=Michigan Men's Lacrosse Facility Information| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref>
Before the 2023 season, new video boards were installed in the north and south end zones. The identically-sized screens each measure {{convert|152|by|55|ft}} or {{convert|8360|ft2}}, are the third-largest in college football behind the video boards at [[Jordan-Hare Stadium]] and [[Ross–Ade Stadium]], and are among the [[List of largest video screens|largest in the world]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside Michigan football's new scoreboard, lights and audio system |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2023/08/02/michigan-football-unveils-massive-scoreboard/70514657007/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> The new video boards were part of a $41 million Michigan athletic department renovation that also upgraded the production room and audio system, and introduced a new LED stadium lighting system.
The renovations also included replacing the video boards at [[Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium]], home of [[Michigan Wolverines softball|Michigan softball]]; Cliff Keen Arena, home of [[Michigan Wolverines men's gymnastics|Michigan men's gymnastics]], [[Michigan Wolverines women's volleyball|women's volleyball]], and [[Michigan Wolverines wrestling|wrestling]]; [[Phyllis Ocker Field]], home of [[Michigan Wolverines field hockey|Michigan field hockey]]; [[Ray Fisher Stadium]], home of [[Michigan Wolverines baseball|Michigan baseball]]; and U-M Soccer Stadium, home of [[Michigan Wolverines men's soccer|Michigan men's soccer]] and [[Michigan Wolverines women's soccer|women's soccer]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2023/08/02/michigan-football-unveils-massive-scoreboard/70514657007/|title=Inside Michigan football's new scoreboard, lights and audio system|last=Garcia|first=Tony|website=Detroit Free Press|language=en|date=August 2, 2023|access-date=September 9, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/michigan/football/michigan-football-wolverines-stadium-big-ten-national-championship|title=WATCH: Michigan Stadium Shows Off New Lighting System|last=Breiler|first=Christopher|magazine=Sports Illustrated|language=en|date=August 22, 2023|access-date=September 9, 2023}}</ref>
==Seating and surface==
The stadium's original capacity was 72,000, but Fielding Yost made certain to install footings that could allow for expansion over 100,000 seats.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Michigan Stadium -- Gettng It Built University of Michigan Athletics |url=https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/stadtext/stadbild.htm |access-date=2022-12-24 |website=bentley.umich.edu}}</ref> Initially, all seating consisted of wooden bleachers. These were replaced with permanent metal seating in 1949 by Fritz Crisler, athletic director at the time. From 1927 to 1968, the stadium's field was natural grass. This was replaced with [[3M]] [[Artificial turf|TartanTurf]] in 1969 to give players better traction. However, this surface was thought to be unforgiving on players' joints, and the stadium returned to natural grass in 1991. This too became problematic, as the field's below-surface ___location near the water table made it difficult for grass to permanently take root. The field was converted to [[FieldTurf]], an artificial surface designed to give grass-like playing characteristics, in 2003.<ref name="FieldTurf">{{cite news| title=FieldTurf Receives Praise From Carr| first=Michael| last=Nisson |url=http://www.michigandaily.com/content/fieldturf-receives-praise-carr| newspaper=The Michigan Daily| publisher=michigandaily.com| date=August 11, 2003| access-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> In 2010, it was upgraded with a newer version of FieldTurf called Duraspine.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/041710aai.html| title=2010 Football Spring Game Notes| date=April 17, 2010| publisher=University of Michigan Athletics| access-date=2014-02-26}}</ref>
==Attendance records==
Michigan Stadium holds the NCAA single-season average home attendance record, set in 2012 at 112,252 fans per game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017 |title=Attendance Records |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2017/attend.pdf |access-date=December 24, 2022 |website=NCAA}}</ref> In 2023, Michigan Stadium had the highest average attendance per game (109,971) and highest total attendance (769,797).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-06 |title=Michigan's Big House Boasts Highest College Football Attendance in 2023 |url=https://www.athleticbusiness.com/facilities/stadium-arena/article/15659738/michigans-big-house-boasts-highest-college-football-attendance-in-2023 |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Athletic Business |language=en-us}}</ref>
On September 7, 2013, Michigan Stadium drew a crowd of 115,109 to see [[2013 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] defeat [[2013 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] 41–30, which at the time represented a post-1948 NCAA collegiate football attendance record. Previously, and prior to NCAA record keeping for attendance, a 1927 Notre Dame–USC game at [[Soldier Field]] in [[Chicago]] drew an estimated 117,000–123,000.<ref name="NCAA att">{{cite web|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2019/Attend.pdf|title=NCAA attendance records|publisher=[[National Collegiate Athletic Association]]|access-date=2019-10-02}}</ref><ref name="Ford">{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lg0jIiGg4HUC&q=notre+dame+navy+1928+SOldier+Field&pg=PA90| last=Ford| first=Liam T. A. |title=Soldier Field: A Stadium and its City|publisher=University of Chicago Press| year=2009| isbn=978-0-226-25706-8| pages=89–90}}</ref><ref name="Soldier">{{cite web |title=Stadium History |url=http://www.soldierfield.net/content/stadium-history |publisher=SoldierField.net |access-date=June 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717055344/http://www.soldierfield.net/content/stadium-history |archive-date=July 17, 2011 }}</ref> Both of these records fell in [[2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2016]] when [[2016 Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee]] and [[2016 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech]] drew 156,990 for [[2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol|a game]] held at [[Bristol Motor Speedway]], a [[NASCAR]] track with a capacity of over 150,000.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=400868989 |title=Record crowd watches No. 17 Vols beat Virginia Tech 45-24 |publisher=ESPN |date=September 10, 2016 |access-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref>
"The Big House" also holds the record for the largest attendance for an NCAA Division II football game, one involving [[Slippery Rock University]] of Pennsylvania. Back in 1959, stadium announcer Steve Filipiak thought it would be amusing to include Slippery Rock with the other football scores he read to the crowd, due to the school's unusual name. Soon, it was a tradition, and Slippery Rock became so popular with U of M fans that on September 29, 1979, "The Rock" played in-state rival [[Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania|Shippensburg]] at Michigan Stadium, in front of 61,143 fans (Shippensburg won, 45-14). Slippery Rock made repeat trips to Ann Arbor in 1981 and 2014.<ref>{{Cite news|first=Marc|last=Tracy|title=Slippery Rock's Tie to Michigan Is All in the Name|work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/08/sports/ncaafootball/slippery-rocks-tie-to-michigan-is-all-in-the-name.html|date=November 7, 2015|access-date=December 8, 2020}}</ref>
With an attendance of 104,173, "[[The Big Chill at the Big House]]" set the [[List of ice hockey games with highest attendance|record attendance for a hockey game]].<ref name=guinness>{{cite web |title=Highest attendance for an ice hockey match| url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-6000/highest-attendance-for-an-ice-hockey-match/| publisher=Guinness World Records| access-date=September 6, 2011}}</ref> The record was broken on January 1, 2014 for the NHL's 2014 Winter Classic, where a crowd of 105,491 saw the host [[Detroit Red Wings]] fall to the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] in a shootout.
On Saturday, August 2, 2014, a sell-out crowd of 109,318 watched [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] defeat [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] 3-1 in an [[2014 International Champions Cup|International Champions Cup]] match.<ref>{{cite news| title=Record crowd sees Manchester United beat Real Madrid| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/soccer/chi-manchester-united-beats-real-madrid-michigan-stadium-20140802-story.html| date=August 2, 2014| work=[[Chicago Tribune]]| agency=[[Reuters]]| access-date=September 10, 2017}}</ref> The official attendance figure was the largest for a [[Association football|soccer]] game [[Soccer in the United States|in the United States]] to date, overtaking the previous record set by the [[Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Olympics Gold Medal match]], when 101,799 saw [[France national football team|France]] defeat [[Brazil national football team|Brazil]] 2-0 at the [[Rose Bowl (stadium)|Rose Bowl]] in Pasadena, California.<ref name="ICC"/><ref>{{Cite news |first= Brian |last= Stubits |title= LOOK: More than 109,000 Fans Pack Big House for Real Madrid–Man U |url= http://www.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/24646959/look-more-than-109000-fans-pack-big-house-for-real-madrid-man-u |work= [[CBS Sports]] |date= August 2, 2014 |access-date= August 2, 2014}}</ref> Michigan Stadium also holds three of the top four U.S. Soccer attendances as a crowd of 105,826 watched a [[2016 International Champions Cup]] match on July 30, 2016 where Real Madrid defeated [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] 3-2 and a crowd of 101,254 watched a [[2018 International Champions Cup]] match on July 28, 2018 where [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] defeated Manchester United 4-1.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Highest attendance at Michigan Stadium'''
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Rank!! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Attendance !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Date !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Game result
|-
! 1
| 115,109 || Sept. 7, 2013 || '''Michigan 41''', Notre Dame 30
|-
! 2
| 114,804 || Sept. 10, 2011 || '''Michigan 35''', Notre Dame 31
|-
! 3
| 114,132 || Nov. 26, 2011 || '''Michigan 40''', Ohio State 34
|-
! 4
| 113,833 || Oct. 20, 2012 || '''Michigan 12''', Michigan State 10
|-
! 5
| 113,718 || Nov. 19, 2011 || '''Michigan 45''', Nebraska 17
|-
! 6
| 113,511 || Nov. 30, 2013 || Michigan 41, '''Ohio State 42'''
|-
! 7
| 113,090 || Sept. 4, 2010 || '''Michigan 30''', Connecticut 10
|-
! 8
| 113,085 || Oct. 11, 2014 || '''Michigan 18''', Penn State 13
|-
! 9
| 113,065 || Oct. 9, 2010 || Michigan 17, '''Michigan State 34'''
|-
! 10
| 113,016 || Nov. 17, 2012 || '''Michigan 42''', Iowa 17
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ '''Evolution of the largest crowd at Michigan Stadium'''
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Attendance !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Date !! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" |Game result
|-
| 115,109 || Sept. 7, 2013 || '''Michigan 41''', Notre Dame 30
|-
| 114,804 || Sept. 10, 2011 || '''Michigan 35''', Notre Dame 31
|-
| 113,090 || Sept. 4, 2010 || '''Michigan 30''', Connecticut 10
|-
| 112,118 || Nov. 22, 2003 || '''Michigan 35''', Ohio State 21
|-
| 111,726 || Sept. 13, 2003 || '''Michigan 38''', Notre Dame 0
|-
| 111,575 || Nov. 20, 1999 || '''Michigan 24''', Ohio State 17
|-
| 111,523 || Sept. 4, 1999 || '''Michigan 26''', Notre Dame 22
|-
| 111,238 || Sept. 26, 1998 || '''Michigan 29''', Michigan State 17
|-
| 111,012 || Sept. 12, 1998 || Michigan 28, '''Syracuse 38'''
|-
| 106,982 || Nov. 22, 1997 || '''Michigan 20''', Ohio State 14
|-
| 106,867 || Nov. 20, 1993 || '''Michigan 28''', Ohio State 0
|-
| 106,851 || Sept. 11, 1993 || Michigan 23, '''Notre Dame 27'''
|-
| 106,788 || Oct. 10, 1992 || '''Michigan 35''', Michigan State 10
|-
| 106,255 || Nov. 17, 1979 || Michigan 15, '''Ohio State 18'''
|-
| 106,024 || Nov. 19, 1977 || '''Michigan 14''', Ohio State 6
|-
| 105,543 || Nov. 22, 1975 || Michigan 14, '''Ohio State 21'''
|-
| 105,223 || Nov. 24, 1973 || Michigan 10, Ohio State 10 '''(tie)'''
|-
| 104,016 || Nov. 20, 1971 || '''Michigan 10''', Ohio State 7
|-
| 103,588 || Nov. 22, 1969 || '''Michigan 24''', Ohio State 12
|-
| 103,234 || Oct. 3, 1959 || Michigan 8, '''Michigan State 34'''
|-
| 101,001 || Oct. 6, 1956 || Michigan 0, '''Michigan State 9'''
|-
| 97,369 || Nov. 19, 1955 || Michigan 0, '''Ohio State 17'''
|-
| 97,366 || Oct. 8, 1955 || '''Michigan 26''', Army 2
|-
| 97,239 || Sept. 24, 1949 || '''Michigan 7''', Michigan State 3
|-
| 86,408 || Oct. 9, 1943 || Michigan 13, '''Notre Dame 35'''
|-
| 85,088 || Oct. 19, 1928 || Michigan 0, '''Ohio State 7'''
|-
| 84,401 || Oct. 22, 1927 || '''Michigan 21''', Ohio State 0
|-
| 27,864 || Oct. 8, 1927 || '''Michigan 21''', Michigan State 0
|-
| 17,483 || Oct. 1, 1927 || '''Michigan 33''', Ohio Wesleyan 0
|}
==Other events==
===Ice hockey===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Date
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Away Team
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Score
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Home Team
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Attendance
|-
| December 4, 2010 || [[Concordia University Wisconsin#Athletics|Concordia Falcons]] || 0–3 || '''[[Adrian College#Athletics|Adrian Bulldogs]]''' || 1,470
|-
| [[The Big Chill at the Big House|December 11, 2010]] || [[Michigan State Spartans men's ice hockey|Michigan State Spartans]] || 0–5 || '''[[Michigan Wolverines men's ice hockey|Michigan Wolverines]]''' || 104,173
|-
| [[2014 NHL Winter Classic|January 1, 2014]] || '''[[Toronto Maple Leafs]]''' || 3–2 (SO) || [[Detroit Red Wings]] || 105,491 (announced)
104,173 (certified)
|}
===Association Football===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Date
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Team 1
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Score
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Team 2
! style="{{CollegePrimaryStyle|Michigan Wolverines}};" | Attendance
|-
| [[2014 International Champions Cup#Utd vs Madrid|August 2, 2014]] || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]''' || 3–1 || {{flagicon|ESP}} [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] || 109,318
|-
| [[2016 International Champions Cup|July 30, 2016]] || {{flagicon|ESP}} '''[[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]]''' || 3–2 || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] || 105,826
|-
| [[2018 International Champions Cup|July 28, 2018]] || {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] || 1–4 || {{flagicon|ENG}} '''[[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]]''' || 101,254
|-
| [[2019 La Liga-Serie A Cup|August 10, 2019]] || {{flagicon|ESP}} '''[[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]]''' || 4–0 || {{flagicon|ITA}} [[S.S.C. Napoli|Napoli]] || 60,043
|-
|}
==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200" perrow="4">
File:MichiganStadiumWinter0001.jpg| Michigan Stadium, winter 2002
File:MichiganStadiumGraduation0001.jpg| Graduation ceremony at Michigan Stadium, 2003
File:BigHousePacked.JPG| The stadium filled for an American football game, 2003
File:BigHouseSign.JPG| Exterior view (2002-2009)
File:20090926 Michigan Wolverines football team enters the field with marching band salute.jpg|[[2009 Michigan Wolverines football team|2009 team]] enters Stadium under the M Club [[banner]] to a [[Michigan Marching Band]] salute
File:Block M @ Michigan Stadium (8296174814).jpg|Michigan Marching Band's Block M
File:MichStadium Renovation2.jpg| The completed east side structure, from the first floor of the new Jack Roth Stadium Club
File:MichStadium Renovation3.jpg| Inside the second floor of the Jack Roth Stadium Club in the new east side structure
File:MichStadium Renovation4.jpg| Inside the dining room on the second floor of the Jack Roth Stadium Club in the new east side structure
File:MichStadium Renovation1.jpg| The renovated Michigan Stadium, looking west toward new premium seating and press facilities, July 14, 2010
File:TheBigChillattheBigHouse.JPG| Opening face-off of ''The Big Chill at the Big House'', December 11, 2010
File:Notre Dame vs. Michigan 2011 05 (scoreboard).jpg| The new [[scoreboard]] before the stadium's first night game, [[2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame]] vs. [[2011 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]], September 10, 2011
File:Michigan Stadium - Michigan vs. Iowa 11-17-2012.JPG| Michigan vs. [[2012 Iowa Hawkeyes football team|Iowa]] at the start of the 2nd quarter on November 17, 2012
File:Real Madrid vs. Manchester United August 2nd, 2014.jpg|[[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]] vs. [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] friendly game which set a record for most fans to watch a soccer game in the United States, August 2, 2014
</gallery>
==See also==
* [[List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums]]
* [[List of stadiums by capacity]]
* [[Lists of stadiums]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061118035644/http://www.umich.edu/stadium/ Michigan Stadium Renovation]
* [https://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/stadium/index.html The Michigan Stadium Story – Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan Athletics History]
{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{Succession box
| title = Host of the [[NHL Winter Classic]]
| years = [[2014 NHL Winter Classic|2014]]
| before = [[Citizens Bank Park]]
| after = [[Nationals Park]]
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Michigan Wolverines football navbox}}
{{University of Michigan|athletics}}
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{{Michigan college football venues}}
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[[Category:College field hockey venues in the United States]]
[[Category:College
[[Category:Michigan Wolverines football venues]]
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[[Category:Soccer venues in Michigan]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1927]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in Michigan]]
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