Kyle Field: Original Home of The 12th Man
Home of the 12th Man | |
 | |
| Former names | N/A |
|---|---|
| Location | College Station, Texas |
| Owner | Texas A&M University |
| Operator | Texas A&M University |
| Capacity | 82,600 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1927 |
| Opened | 1927 |
| Closed | Open |
| Demolished | N/A |
| Construction cost | $300,000 USD |
| Tenants | |
| Texas A&M Aggies (NCAA) (1927-Present) | |
Originally built in 1927 and 1929, Kyle Field was named for Edwin Jackson Kyle, who served as Texas A&M's dean of agriculture and athletic council president.
The stadium was expanded in 1967 to include two decks of grandstands, and the third decks were added to the east and west sides in 1980. The Aggies played on grass through the 1960s, Kyle Field switched to artificial turf in the early 1970s. Grass returned to Kyle Field in 1996.
In 1999 the $32.9 million Bernard C. Richardson Zone raised the capacity of Kyle Field to 82,600 making it the largest football stadium in the state of Texas. "The Zone" also brings the fans in the north end zone 65 feet closer to the action on the field of play.
Kyle Field and its amenities continue to expand with the addition of the Bright Football Complex on the south end of the stadium. The facility opened in Fall 2003 and includes a players' lounge overlooking Kyle Field, dressing rooms, one of the largest training and rehabilitation facilities in the country, and a state-of-the-art academic center.
In 2004, Texas A&M's Athletic Director Bill Byrne announced an ambitious master plan for the athletic facilities. After its upgrade, the now open end of Kyle Field would look similar in design to the current "Zone", located in the north end of the field. The stadium will contain big screens at each corner and seat 150,000 fans. This addition will make Kyle Field the largest football venue in the nation. The master plan is expected to take 10 years to complete.
Kyle Field is often regarded as one of the hardest stadiums for visiting teams to play in. It is ranked as the #4 college football stadium in the nation by the Sporting News. [1]
- LOCATION: College Station, Texas
- CAPACITY: 82,600
- BUILT: 1927, 1929
- CURRENT OWNERSHIP: Texas A&M at College Station
- SURFACE: Natural Grass
- LARGEST CROWD: 87,555 (November 23, 2001)