Ohio Stadium
Encyclopedia
Ohio Stadium is the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football
team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio
. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places
by the National Park Service
on March 22, 1974. With a capacity of 102,329, it is the fourth largest football stadium in the United States and the seventh largest non-racing stadium in the world. It is popularly known as "The Horseshoe
" because of its open south end.
Ohio Stadium provided a home to Major League Soccer
team Columbus Crew
from the league's inception in 1996 until soccer-specific
Columbus Crew Stadium
opened in 1999. Ohio Stadium is also a concert venue. U2
, The Rolling Stones
, Pink Floyd
& Metallica
are among the many acts who have played at Ohio Stadium.
The stadium does not have field lights. When night events do occur, special lighting must be temporarily installed (as in the 2005 game against Texas
and the 2006 nationally televised game versus Michigan
).
led to the design of a horseshoe-shaped stadium, conceptualized and designed by architect Howard Dwight Smith
in 1918. A public-subscription Stadium Campaign to fund the project began in October 1920 and raised over $1.1 million in pledges by January 1921, of which $975,001 were actually honored.
The stadium was completed in 1922 by E. H. Latham Company of Columbus, with materials and labor from the Marble Cliff Quarry Co.
at a construction cost of $1.34 million and a total cost of $1.49 million. The stadium's original capacity was 66,210. Upon completion, it was the largest poured concrete structure in the world. Many university officials feared that the stadium would never be filled to capacity.
Smith employed numerous revolutionary architectural techniques while building the stadium. At the base is a slurry wall
to keep out the waters from the Olentangy River
; the stadium sets on the flood plain. Instead of building a large bowl like the previously constructed Yale Bowl
, Ohio Stadium was designed to have an upper deck that would hang over part of the lower deck, giving Ohio Stadium its "A", "B", and "C" decks. Instead of employing numerous columns like those at Harvard Stadium
, Smith designed double columns that allow for more space between columns. The rotunda at the north end of the stadium, which is now adorned with stained glass murals of the offensive and defensive squads that comprise the Buckeye football team, was designed to look like the dome at the Pantheon
in Rome. The rotunda also features yellow flowers on a blue background, which, according to legend, is related to the outcome of the dedication game against the Michigan Wolverines
in 1922.
on October 7, 1922, and brought a crowd of around 25,000, which left people concerned because the stadium was half empty. This concern was put to rest at the stadium's formal dedication against Michigan on October 21, which the Wolverines won, 21–0. The crowd was announced at the game to be 72,000, but no one is really sure how many people made it into the stadium. This attendance mark was broken in a game against Michigan in 1925 when 90,411 came out to support the Buckeyes; this is also the last time standing-room-only tickets were sold for a game.
The stadium did not regularly sell out until after WWII, and in the 1920s and 1930s most games only drew in 20,000 or 30,000 fans with many more attending the annual game against Michigan. The 1935 contest with Notre Dame
was a sellout, with over 81,000 in attendance.
In 1923, a cinder track was built around the football field. The stadium became home to the track and field
team for OSU for many years.
to more than 90,000. In 1984, a new $2.1 million scoreboard was installed. The stadium was heavily renovated from 1999 to 2000. The press box was replaced, additional seating was installed above the existing upper deck, and 81 luxury suites and 2,500 club seats were added. The south end zone scoreboard was also replaced by a 90 ft. x 30 ft. video board that is able to show replays, highlights, animations, graphics and statistical information. Additionally, a smaller version of the south end scoreboard was added to the north end and a new LED ribbon board that runs end-zone to end-zone was added to the balcony prior to the 2009 season. The track and field
-specific Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
had been built by the university nearby, thus the track at Ohio Stadium was no longer needed. The track was removed and the field of play was lowered by 14.5 feet to add seating closer to the field. The temporary bleachers in the south end zone were replaced with permanent seating. However, the south end of the stadium remains partially open, thus allowing the stadium to maintain its notable horseshoe configuration.
General improvements were made in the seating and concourse areas. The result of the $194 million renovation was a capacity that rose to 101,568. Eighty percent of the cost of the renovation was funded by the sale of leases on the suites and club seats, with the remaining 20% funded by donations and the sale of naming rights for portions of the stadium. No public or university money was spent in the renovation process.
In 1970, the natural grass field was removed, and AstroTurf
was installed, complements of a donation by Lou Fisher in dedication to fellow football player Joseph Campanella. A plaque was placed on the southeast corner in memory of Campanella. In 1979, the surface was replaced with Superturf. In 1990, natural grass made its return to the Horseshoe, a special grass called "Prescription Athletic Turf." New field designs were put in place for the 1992 season and existed through the 2006 season. During that last season problems with the natural grass began to arise. After serious damage to the field during use in the spring of 2006, the field never recovered and had to be resodded. That grass never took root because of bad weather, and the university was forced to resod the field again only three weeks after the old sod was laid. The university spent approximately $150,000 to perform both soddings. OSU replaced the natural grass with FieldTurf
for the 2007 season. This new artificial turf looks and feels like real grass but requires minimal upkeep.
List of Ohio Stadium Night Football Games
Ohio State has ranked in the top five for attendance for many years.
Ohio State holds the national spring game record, when they drew 95,722 fans for the 2009 Spring Game, on April 25, 2009. The attendance broke the previous record of 92,138 set by Alabama
in their 2007 Spring Game.
, in which the Trojans won 18–15. The previous record of 105,714 was set in a 2008 contest with Penn State
, which was also a Buckeyes loss, this time 13–6. In 2002, Mel Kiper, Jr.
ranked Ohio Stadium second in atmosphere, behind the Army-Navy Game
, and quoted Beano Cook
in saying "There is nothing that beats when the Ohio State Marching Band and the sousaphone
player dots the 'i' for Script Ohio."
The crowd attending these home games is known for creating harsh and difficult environments for opponents. University of Iowa
coach Hayden Fry
complained after a 1985 loss that the fans were too loud for his quarterback, Chuck Long
, to call plays and suggested sound meters be used to gauge the noise level, penalizing home teams if there was too much noise. He said, "It's a realistic fact that happened. He became mentally disturbed for the first time since he's been a starter for us because of his inability to communicate."
before 25,266 fans. Brian McBride
scored 2 goals and had an assist in a 4–0 rout. The field at Ohio Stadium was the smallest in the MLS, measuring only 62 yards wide by 106 yards long, limited by the track surrounding it. Because of the smaller market for soccer than Ohio State football, B Deck, C Deck, and the South end zone seats were closed, leading to a capacity of 25,243.
Attendance stayed strong through the first season, seeing a record audience of 31,550 September 15, 1996 win over the MetroStars
, 2–0. Despite the facility's size, problems like field dimensions and the lack of lighting pushed the Crew to find a new home. Jamey Rootes, Crew president and general manager stated, "We prefer a smaller, more intimate environment (than Ohio Stadium) ... We've got to create a major league environment. Ohio Stadium is a great stadium, but we cannot create a major league environment in a facility that is way too big for us." The Crew finished their tenure at Ohio Stadium 30–18.
Ohio State Buckeyes football
The Ohio State Buckeyes football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of The Ohio State University. The team is a member of the Big Ten Conference of the NCAA, playing at the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A, level. The team nickname is derived from the state...
team and is located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
by the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
on March 22, 1974. With a capacity of 102,329, it is the fourth largest football stadium in the United States and the seventh largest non-racing stadium in the world. It is popularly known as "The Horseshoe
Horseshoe
A horseshoe, is a fabricated product, normally made of metal, although sometimes made partially or wholly of modern synthetic materials, designed to protect a horse's hoof from wear and tear. Shoes are attached on the palmar surface of the hooves, usually nailed through the insensitive hoof wall...
" because of its open south end.
Ohio Stadium provided a home to Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew
The Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
from the league's inception in 1996 until soccer-specific
Soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States, Canada, Australia and South Korea coined by Lamar Hunt, to refer to a sports stadium either purpose built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multipurpose...
Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Columbus, Ohio and the home stadium of Major League Soccer club, Columbus Crew. Built in 1999, Crew Stadium was the first soccer-specific stadium built for a professional soccer team in the second pro era of American soccer...
opened in 1999. Ohio Stadium is also a concert venue. U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
& Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
are among the many acts who have played at Ohio Stadium.
The stadium does not have field lights. When night events do occur, special lighting must be temporarily installed (as in the 2005 game against Texas
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
and the 2006 nationally televised game versus Michigan
2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State football game
The 2006 Michigan vs. Ohio State Game was a regular season college football game between the unbeaten Michigan Wolverines , and the unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes . The game took place at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on the campus of the Ohio State University...
).
Construction
As early as 1913, Ohio Field at High Street and Woodruff Avenue was unable to contain the crowds attracted to many Buckeye home football games. This led to faculty discussion of moving the site elsewhere and building a new facility. The growing popularity of football in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
led to the design of a horseshoe-shaped stadium, conceptualized and designed by architect Howard Dwight Smith
Howard Dwight Smith
Howard Dwight Smith was an architect most known for his designs of the Ohio Stadium for which he was awarded the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal for Public Building Design....
in 1918. A public-subscription Stadium Campaign to fund the project began in October 1920 and raised over $1.1 million in pledges by January 1921, of which $975,001 were actually honored.
The stadium was completed in 1922 by E. H. Latham Company of Columbus, with materials and labor from the Marble Cliff Quarry Co.
Marble Cliff Quarry Co.
The Marble Cliff Quarry Co., headquartered in Upper Arlington, Ohio, operated the largest limestone quarry in the United States from its opening in the mid-19th century until its sale in approximately 1985. The influential Kaufman family of the Columbus area owned and operated this plus of...
at a construction cost of $1.34 million and a total cost of $1.49 million. The stadium's original capacity was 66,210. Upon completion, it was the largest poured concrete structure in the world. Many university officials feared that the stadium would never be filled to capacity.
Smith employed numerous revolutionary architectural techniques while building the stadium. At the base is a slurry wall
Slurry wall
A slurry wall is a technique used to build reinforced-concrete walls in areas of soft earth close to open water or with a high ground water table. This technique is typically used to build diaphragm walls surrounding tunnels and open cuts, and to lay foundations.A trench is excavated to create a...
to keep out the waters from the Olentangy River
Olentangy River
The Olentangy River is a tributary of the Scioto River in Ohio.It was originally called keenhongsheconsepung, a Delaware word literally translated as "stone for your knife stream", based on the shale found along its shores. Early settlers to the region translated this into "Whetstone River"...
; the stadium sets on the flood plain. Instead of building a large bowl like the previously constructed Yale Bowl
Yale Bowl
The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1½ miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446, reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869...
, Ohio Stadium was designed to have an upper deck that would hang over part of the lower deck, giving Ohio Stadium its "A", "B", and "C" decks. Instead of employing numerous columns like those at Harvard Stadium
Harvard Stadium
Harvard Stadium is a horseshoe-shaped football stadium in the Allston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States. Built in 1903, the stadium seats 30,323. The stadium seated up to 57,166 in the past, as permanent steel stands were installed in the north end of the stadium in 1929...
, Smith designed double columns that allow for more space between columns. The rotunda at the north end of the stadium, which is now adorned with stained glass murals of the offensive and defensive squads that comprise the Buckeye football team, was designed to look like the dome at the Pantheon
Pantheon, Rome
The Pantheon ,Rarely Pantheum. This appears in Pliny's Natural History in describing this edifice: Agrippae Pantheum decoravit Diogenes Atheniensis; in columnis templi eius Caryatides probantur inter pauca operum, sicut in fastigio posita signa, sed propter altitudinem loci minus celebrata.from ,...
in Rome. The rotunda also features yellow flowers on a blue background, which, according to legend, is related to the outcome of the dedication game against the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan Wolverines football
The Michigan Wolverines football program represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins and the highest winning percentage in college football history...
in 1922.
History
The first game in the stadium was against Ohio Wesleyan UniversityOhio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
on October 7, 1922, and brought a crowd of around 25,000, which left people concerned because the stadium was half empty. This concern was put to rest at the stadium's formal dedication against Michigan on October 21, which the Wolverines won, 21–0. The crowd was announced at the game to be 72,000, but no one is really sure how many people made it into the stadium. This attendance mark was broken in a game against Michigan in 1925 when 90,411 came out to support the Buckeyes; this is also the last time standing-room-only tickets were sold for a game.
The stadium did not regularly sell out until after WWII, and in the 1920s and 1930s most games only drew in 20,000 or 30,000 fans with many more attending the annual game against Michigan. The 1935 contest with Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
was a sellout, with over 81,000 in attendance.
In 1923, a cinder track was built around the football field. The stadium became home to the track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team for OSU for many years.
Renovations
As time passed, minor adjustments raised the seating capacitySeating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
to more than 90,000. In 1984, a new $2.1 million scoreboard was installed. The stadium was heavily renovated from 1999 to 2000. The press box was replaced, additional seating was installed above the existing upper deck, and 81 luxury suites and 2,500 club seats were added. The south end zone scoreboard was also replaced by a 90 ft. x 30 ft. video board that is able to show replays, highlights, animations, graphics and statistical information. Additionally, a smaller version of the south end scoreboard was added to the north end and a new LED ribbon board that runs end-zone to end-zone was added to the balcony prior to the 2009 season. The track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
-specific Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is a 10,000-capacity stadium located in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The stadium is home to the Ohio State Buckeyes men's and women's lacrosse teams as well as the soccer and track and field teams. The stadium opened for soccer in the fall of 2001. It also hosts the...
had been built by the university nearby, thus the track at Ohio Stadium was no longer needed. The track was removed and the field of play was lowered by 14.5 feet to add seating closer to the field. The temporary bleachers in the south end zone were replaced with permanent seating. However, the south end of the stadium remains partially open, thus allowing the stadium to maintain its notable horseshoe configuration.
General improvements were made in the seating and concourse areas. The result of the $194 million renovation was a capacity that rose to 101,568. Eighty percent of the cost of the renovation was funded by the sale of leases on the suites and club seats, with the remaining 20% funded by donations and the sale of naming rights for portions of the stadium. No public or university money was spent in the renovation process.
In 1970, the natural grass field was removed, and AstroTurf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
was installed, complements of a donation by Lou Fisher in dedication to fellow football player Joseph Campanella. A plaque was placed on the southeast corner in memory of Campanella. In 1979, the surface was replaced with Superturf. In 1990, natural grass made its return to the Horseshoe, a special grass called "Prescription Athletic Turf." New field designs were put in place for the 1992 season and existed through the 2006 season. During that last season problems with the natural grass began to arise. After serious damage to the field during use in the spring of 2006, the field never recovered and had to be resodded. That grass never took root because of bad weather, and the university was forced to resod the field again only three weeks after the old sod was laid. The university spent approximately $150,000 to perform both soddings. OSU replaced the natural grass with FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
for the 2007 season. This new artificial turf looks and feels like real grass but requires minimal upkeep.
Night football games
| Game | Date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 14, 1985 | Ohio State 10 - Pittsburgh 7 |
| 2 | September 11, 1993 | #16 Ohio State 21 - #12 Washington 12 |
| 3 | August 28, 1997 | Ohio State 24 - Wyoming 10 (Thursday night game) |
| 4 | September 10, 1999 | Ohio State 42 - UCLA 20 |
| 5 | October 6, 2001 | Ohio State 38 - #14 Northwestern 20 |
| 6 | August 30, 2003 | #2 Ohio State 28 - #17 Washington 9 |
| 7 | September 10, 2005 | #2 Texas 25 - #4 Ohio State 22 |
| 8 | October 25, 2008 | #3 Penn State 13 - #9 Ohio State 6 |
| 9 | September 12, 2009 | #3 Southern California 18 - #8 Ohio State 15 |
| 10 | September 2, 2010 | #2 Ohio State 45 - Marshall 7 (Thursday night game) |
| 11 | October 29, 2011 | Ohio State 33 - #15 Wisconsin 29 |
Largest attendance
| Rank | Date | Attendance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 12, 2009 | 106,033 | #3 USC 18 - #8 Ohio State 15 |
| 2 | October 25, 2008 | 105,713 | #3 Penn State 13 - #9 Ohio State 6 |
| 3 | November 18, 2006 | 105,708 | #1 Ohio State 42 - #2 Michigan 39 |
| 4 | September 10, 2005 | 105,565 | #2 Texas 25 - #4 Ohio State 22 |
| 5 | November 22, 2008 | 105,564 | #10 Ohio State 42 - Michigan 7 |
| 6 | November 23, 2002 | 105,539 | #2 Ohio State 14 - #11 Michigan 9 |
| 7 | October 29, 2011 | 105,511 | Ohio State 33 - #15 Wisconsin 29 |
| 8 | November 27, 2010 | 105,491 | #8 Ohio State 37 - Michigan 7 |
| 9 | November 13, 2010 | 105,466 | #9 Ohio State 38 - Penn State 14 |
| 10 | November 20, 2004 | 105,456 | Ohio State 37 - #7 Michigan 21 |
Ohio State has ranked in the top five for attendance for many years.
Ohio State holds the national spring game record, when they drew 95,722 fans for the 2009 Spring Game, on April 25, 2009. The attendance broke the previous record of 92,138 set by Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
in their 2007 Spring Game.
Buckeye football
Ohio Stadium had its largest crowd on September 12, 2009, with 106,033 fans in attendance for the Buckeyes' matchup against USC2009 USC Trojans football team
The 2009 University of Southern California Trojans football team represented the University of Southern California during the college football season of 2009–2010. The team played their home games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and was coached by Pete Carroll, who was in his ninth and final...
, in which the Trojans won 18–15. The previous record of 105,714 was set in a 2008 contest with Penn State
2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 college football season. The team is coached by Joe Paterno and plays its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.-Previous season:...
, which was also a Buckeyes loss, this time 13–6. In 2002, Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper, Jr.
Mel Kiper Jr. in Baltimore, Maryland is an American football analyst for the ESPN television channel. He has served as an analyst for ESPN's annual NFL draft coverage since 1984, providing in-depth information on the nation's potential draft picks.-Career:With the emergence of ESPN2 and ESPN.com,...
ranked Ohio Stadium second in atmosphere, behind the Army-Navy Game
Army-Navy Game
The Army–Navy Game is an an American college football rivalry game between the teams of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. The USMA team, "Army", and the USNA team, "Navy", each represent their services' oldest...
, and quoted Beano Cook
Beano Cook
Carroll Hoff "Beano" Cook is an American television personality who works for ESPN. He is a college football historian and commentator. He received his B.A...
in saying "There is nothing that beats when the Ohio State Marching Band and the sousaphone
Sousaphone
The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...
player dots the 'i' for Script Ohio."
The crowd attending these home games is known for creating harsh and difficult environments for opponents. University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
coach Hayden Fry
Hayden Fry
John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...
complained after a 1985 loss that the fans were too loud for his quarterback, Chuck Long
Chuck Long
Chuck Long is an American football coach. He played quarterback in college at Iowa for Hayden Fry and professionally with the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. He is an inductee of the College Football Hall of Fame. In the January 2008 issue of San Diego Magazine he was chosen as one of...
, to call plays and suggested sound meters be used to gauge the noise level, penalizing home teams if there was too much noise. He said, "It's a realistic fact that happened. He became mentally disturbed for the first time since he's been a starter for us because of his inability to communicate."
Columbus Crew
Major League Soccer games were held at Ohio Stadium between 1996 and 1999. The home opener was held on April 13, 1996, against D.C. UnitedD.C. United
D.C. United is an American professional soccer club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.Over the...
before 25,266 fans. Brian McBride
Brian McBride
Brian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
scored 2 goals and had an assist in a 4–0 rout. The field at Ohio Stadium was the smallest in the MLS, measuring only 62 yards wide by 106 yards long, limited by the track surrounding it. Because of the smaller market for soccer than Ohio State football, B Deck, C Deck, and the South end zone seats were closed, leading to a capacity of 25,243.
Attendance stayed strong through the first season, seeing a record audience of 31,550 September 15, 1996 win over the MetroStars
Metrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
, 2–0. Despite the facility's size, problems like field dimensions and the lack of lighting pushed the Crew to find a new home. Jamey Rootes, Crew president and general manager stated, "We prefer a smaller, more intimate environment (than Ohio Stadium) ... We've got to create a major league environment. Ohio Stadium is a great stadium, but we cannot create a major league environment in a facility that is way too big for us." The Crew finished their tenure at Ohio Stadium 30–18.
Concerts
- May 28, 1988 - Pink Floyd (63,016)
- May 22, 1992 - Genesis (71,550)
- May 29, 1994 - Pink Floyd (75,250)
- August 6, 1994 - Billy Joel & Elton John (67,606)
- May 24, 1997 - Fun Lovin' Criminals, U2 (43,873)
- September 27, 1997 - Blues Traveler, The Rolling Stones (60,621)
- July 19, 2003 - Mudvayne, Deftones, Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit, Metallica (41,458)
External links
- Stadium Journey Review of Ohio Stadium
- Official stadium info at OhioStateBuckeyes.com
- Stadium history on display at main library in The LanternThe LanternThe Lantern is the name of the official, daily student-published university newspaper at The Ohio State University. It is one of the largest campus newspapers in the United States, reaching a circulation of 15,000....
- WOSU history of stadium
- The Ohio Stadium Story Highly detailed account of genesis, funding, and construction of Ohio Stadium