Wednesday, August 12, 2009
What is new for 2009 college football season?
The 2009 college football season is less than a month away, and it is a good time to check out what is new with college football stadiums.
The most significant change is the move of the Minnesota Golden Gophers from the off campus Metrodome to the on-campus TCF Bank Stadium. The new outdoor stadium promises to bring a more collegiate atmosphere to Minnesota games this season. It will be interesting to see the effects of Mother Nature during any November games.
The University of Akron also moves from an off-campus facility to an on-campus facility. The Zips are abandoning the Rubber Bowl and making their way to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. The new stadium will seat 30,000 and will have a synthetic playing surface.
Rutgers is completing renovation of Rutgers Stadium with construction of a new set of seats enclosing the south end zone. Seating capacity will increase by 12,500 to a total of 54,000.
The University of Texas transitioned from natural grass to FieldTurf at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.
Spartan Stadium, home of the football team from San Jose State University, has also moved from a natural grass field to one made of Field Turf.
Construction has completed on Indiana University's Memorial Stadium. The renovations have enclosed the north end zone and include enhanced training facilities under the stands. Club seats are now present in the new addition.
Another venue at which an extended array of construction has ended is Boone Pickens Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. This dramatic renovation started before the 2004 season. The latest phase has finished off the west end zone, pushing capacity to 60,000. The field is now ringed by over 100 suites and 4,000 club level seats.
The University of Michigan is in the middle of a three year renovation of Michigan Stadium. The project started following the 2007 season and is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2010 season.
Another venue in the middle of a renovation is Papa Johns' Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. Construction continues on a second deck on the east sideline of the stadium.
The most significant change is the move of the Minnesota Golden Gophers from the off campus Metrodome to the on-campus TCF Bank Stadium. The new outdoor stadium promises to bring a more collegiate atmosphere to Minnesota games this season. It will be interesting to see the effects of Mother Nature during any November games.
The University of Akron also moves from an off-campus facility to an on-campus facility. The Zips are abandoning the Rubber Bowl and making their way to InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field. The new stadium will seat 30,000 and will have a synthetic playing surface.
Rutgers is completing renovation of Rutgers Stadium with construction of a new set of seats enclosing the south end zone. Seating capacity will increase by 12,500 to a total of 54,000.
The University of Texas transitioned from natural grass to FieldTurf at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.
Spartan Stadium, home of the football team from San Jose State University, has also moved from a natural grass field to one made of Field Turf.
Construction has completed on Indiana University's Memorial Stadium. The renovations have enclosed the north end zone and include enhanced training facilities under the stands. Club seats are now present in the new addition.
Another venue at which an extended array of construction has ended is Boone Pickens Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University. This dramatic renovation started before the 2004 season. The latest phase has finished off the west end zone, pushing capacity to 60,000. The field is now ringed by over 100 suites and 4,000 club level seats.
The University of Michigan is in the middle of a three year renovation of Michigan Stadium. The project started following the 2007 season and is scheduled to be completed prior to the 2010 season.
Another venue in the middle of a renovation is Papa Johns' Cardinal Stadium in Louisville. Construction continues on a second deck on the east sideline of the stadium.
