Division IAA Football Stadium Capacities

[uofalbany]

STADIUMS: Championship subdivision (Division I AA)

 

University Name-------Enrollment---Stadium Name------ Stadium Capacity

 

Ualbany----------------17000

Montana----------------13600--------Grizzly------------------23100

Appalachian State-----15000--------Kidd Brewer------------16600

Youngstown State-----13100--------Stambaugh-------------20600

U Mass------------------25000-------Warren McGuirk--------17000

N. Dakota State--------12500-------Fargodome--------------20000

E. Kentucky------------16100--------Roy Kidd----------------22000

Richmond---------------4000---------University--------------22000

N. Iowa State----------13000--------Uni dome---------------16000

Columbia---------------23000--------Wien--------------------17000

Holy Cross-------------2700----------Fitton-------------------23500

Furman-----------------3100----------Paladin-----------------16000

Harvard----------------19600---------Harvard----------------30800

Texas Southern-------11500---------Robertson--------------32100

Sacramento State-----28000--------Hornet------------------17000

Sam Houston State---16000---------Bowers-----------------14000

Alabama A & M--------6600----------Louis Crews-----------21000

Georgia Southern-----16600---------Paulson----------------18000

Delaware--------------19000---------Delaware--------------22000

Jackson State---------8500-----------Miss. Veterans--------60000

Jacksonville State-----9100----------Paul Snow-------------15000

McNeese State--------7800----------Cowboy----------------17400

Norfolk State----------8500----------Dick Price--------------30000

Missouri State---------20500---------Plaster-----------------16300

Cornell-----------------20000--------Schoellkopf------------25500

Weber State-----------18000---------Stewart---------------17300

Alabama State---------5400---------Cramton Bowl---------21800

Alcorn State-----------3500----------Jack Spinks------------22500

Brown------------------7500-----------Brown-----------------20000

Yale--------------------11400---------Yale Bowl--------------64200

Butler-------------------4400-----------Butler-----------------19000

Tennesse - Chatten.--10200----------Finley-----------------26000

Dartmouth-------------5600----------Memorial field---------20400

North Carolina A & T--11100----------Aggie-----------------22000

Grambling State-------8000----------Robbinson-------------19600

Florida A & M----------12700-------Bragg Memorial---------25500

Princeton---------------6700-----------Princeton-------------27800

Murray State----------10000---------Roy Stewart-----------16800

Northwestern State----9800----------Harry Turpin----------15900

Pennsylvania----------19800----------Franklin Field---------52500

Portland State---------23000------------PGE Park-----------23000

S.Carolina State-------8500-------------Dawson------------22000

Southern---------------10300-----------Mumford------------28400

Tennessee State-------8700-------------Floyd --------------31000

 

AVERAGES-----------12265------------------------------23920

 

AVERAGES here are only to present the average of these higher capacity stadiums... just to clarify.

 

 

How about shooting for at least a 20000 permanent seat stadium, expandable.... for the amount of money estimated it will cost to build the stadium complex. There have been stadiums built this year constructed with 25,000-30,000 permanent seats, at a cost of 30-35 million dollars.

 

I don't like shooting too low, and can't imagine building something holding only 10000 permanent seats.

We already have or 5000 now.

 

With 60 million dollars proposed for 2010, it should get us a 20000 permanent seat stadium, expandable.

 

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story...sdate=9/16/2007

[danefan]

San Diego State-------10500--------Couglin-----------------16000

 

 

San Diego State is FBS, not FCS. University of San Diego is FCS.

 

Not criticizing, just pointing it out.

[uofalbany]

San Diego State-------10500--------Couglin-----------------16000

 

 

San Diego State is FBS, not FCS. University of San Diego is FCS.

 

Not criticizing, just pointing it out.

 

 

Yeah, you're right. I'm not sure how I pulled SDS into the mix. I compiled these numbers last Fall.

 

I edited the figures, replacing SDS with Sam Houston State University.

 

The reason for compiling these numbers, is to demonstrate what size facilities FCS football programs currently use.

I'd like to enter the mix, at least constructing a stadium with a permanent seating capacity around the average of what's in use today, which seems to be around 24,000.

 

Someday, it would be nice to move to the FBS, being the large New York State school that we are, representing the capitol of New York State. It would be nice to start off now with something a little more substantial.

 

I went down to Princeton for the Lacrosse UAlbany / Cornell Elite Eight matchup.... and I liked Princeton Stadium.

27,700 permanent seats for the cost of $45 million, although it was constructed back in '98

[UA_MA_2000]

uofalbany: Great research. The numbers certainly support a persuasive argument for the type of facility that we should strive to build (though I'd take anything at this point).

 

My initial thoughts:

If I were both Gov. Spitzer and a UAlbany football fan, I personally would like to see a 20,000-25,000 seat stadium, expandable to 40,000 to 50,000 seats if the day ever came for us to join, e.g., the Big East, etc. I feel strongly that the day where we'll be ranked in the top 2 tiers for academics will come (sooner rather than later I hope), and I posit that our university profile for sports will follow along with our academic growth. Perhaps one day we will be suitable for an invite to, for example, the Big East Conference?

 

Also of note: A 40,000-50,000 seat stadium is the capacity for many teams that play what we used to call Division I-A football. For example, I think Kansas State is around 45K capacity; Syracuse is around 56K or so, and the list goes on ... . My point here is that we can build a stadium that is more than suitable for now, and if it can be expanded, it would certainly be sufficient to a jump to Division I-A someday as well.

 

Whatever capacity this stadium supports is fine with me at the outset (just because we'd have a stadium), but I just want it to be built with the ability to upgrade and expand in the future. If UAlbany truly does evolve into a flagship-ish University of New York school, I would expect our athletic programs, like football, to also evolve and also support a larger fan base for its athletic programs (via a greater profile and greater numbers of alumni).

[UA_MA_2000]

uofalbany: I agree with you about the size of the stadium. I feel that 15,000 is a bit too small.

[haggyland]

You're killing me here.

You had to use dots instead of spaces or tabs, and now creating a spreadsheet is that much more difficult....

[Dane96]

Sorry to rain on the parade...but this post is WAY OFF. Marshall is not FCS...they are FBS. Further, some of these games are played in IVY Stadiums-- Built during a different era. Additionally, a few teams play in pro stadiums or REGIONAL stadiums.

 

The average capacity is FAR from 24k when you take that in account. More like 16k.

 

Additionally, you havent put actual seats in here. Some of these stadiums CAPACITIES have NOTHING to do with actual SEATS. Finally, some of these stadiums have significantly downsized (Dartmouth for one).

 

15k, expandable to 25k-30k is RIGHT for us.

[uofalbany]

Totally agreed UA MA 2000!!

 

I also compiled I-A figures.. here they are:

 

University Name Enrollment Stadium Name Stadium Capacity

 

Penn State ...............41000........Beaver......................93000

Ohio State ...............44000........ Ohio.........................101000

LSU..........................33000........Tiger........................92000

Michigan State...........45000........Spartan....................75000

Florida State..............37000........Doak Cambell...........82000

Syracuse..................18000.........Carrier Dome...........50000

NC State...................30000.........Carter Finley............57000

Mississippi State.........17000.........Davis Wade.............55000

Michigan....................39000...........Michigan...............107000

Iowa State............... 22000..........Jack Trice..............45000

Central Florida...........45000..........Bright House...........45000

Oregon State.............19000..........Reiser....................43000

Arizona State.............51000..........Sun Devil................73000

Perdue......................39000...........Ross Ade..................62500

Fresno State..............21000..........Bulldog.....................41000

Virginia Tech..............28000..........Lane.......................66000

Oklahoma..................27000...........Memorial...............82000

Georgia Tech..............16500..........Bobby Dodd...........55000

Connecticut...............27000...........Rentschler field........40000

North Carolina............25000...........Kenan....................60000

Kansas State...............23000.........Bill Snyder................52000

Oklahoma State..........21000..........Boone Pickens...........44000

Notre Dame................11000.............Notre Dame............80700

Miami.........................13300...........Orange Bowl...........75000

Nebraska....................21000.............Memorial..............81000

Texas........................50000...........Texas memorial...........85000

Rice...........................5000...................Rice..................72000

Boston College...........13300................Alumni.................44500

West Virginia.................26000.........Mountaineer field........60000

South Carolina.............27000...........Williams Brice............80000

Wisconsin....................41000.............Camp Randall...........80000

Tennessee ..................27000................Neyland...............104000

Alabama......................23000............Bryant Denny...........92000

U at Buffalo..................27000............U at Buffalo............31000

Texas A & M.................43000..................Kyle...................82600

Illinois............................40600..............Memorial..............70900

Indiana..........................37000..............Memorial...............52100

Virginia.........................19200...................Scott.................61500

Iowa.............................29600...............Kinnick.................75000

Baylor..........................14000.............Floyd Casey............50000

Pittsburgh......................32000...................Heinz...............65000

Clemson.........................17100...............Memorial..............81400

Maryland........................34000..................Byrd.................51500

East Carolina..................24000............Dowdy Ficklen...........48000

Kentucky........................26600...........Commonwealth..........67500

 

AVERAGES .....................28226.............................................73582

 

 

I sent all of this I-AA and 1-A figures to Dr. McElroy, some NYS senators, the two US senators of NY, Mayor Jennings, some of the local US House Reps, etc...... along with a letter expressing my opinions and desires for a large stadium.

[Patch]

I know I'll take some heat for this but.......

 

You know guys it's apparent we're struggling for funds maybe we should build something that is 10-12K but expandable to 20K.

 

With the cost of full scholarship football (remember Title IX) and the building of a stadium coming at about the same time could be a bit much!!!!

 

We also have many other needs - Bleachers, storage by the new turf fields, a track, major renovations to SEFCU and improve softball and baseball facilities.

 

I hope I'm wrong but there is a ton of distance between the real and the ideal!!!!

 

Wasn't there a Golf Outing down state recently did UA raise "Big Money"?

 

If so they haven't even mentioned the event, I thought by now we would have atleast some pictures up on the UA site.

 

Have we found benefactors or is everything suppose to be paid by the state?

[Dane96]

Totally agreed UA MA 2000!!

 

I also compiled I-A figures.. here they are:

 

University Name Enrollment Stadium Name Stadium Capacity

 

Penn State ...............41000........Beaver......................93000

Ohio State ...............44000........ Ohio.........................101000

LSU..........................33000........Tiger........................92000

Michigan State...........45000........Spartan....................75000

Florida State..............37000........Doak Cambell...........82000

Syracuse..................18000.........Carrier Dome...........50000

NC State...................30000.........Carter Finley............57000

Mississippi State.........17000.........Davis Wade.............55000

Michigan....................39000...........Michigan...............107000

Iowa State............... 22000..........Jack Trice..............45000

Central Florida...........45000..........Bright House...........45000

Oregon State.............19000..........Reiser....................43000

Arizona State.............51000..........Sun Devil................73000

Perdue......................39000...........Ross Ade..................62500

Fresno State..............21000..........Bulldog.....................41000

Virginia Tech..............28000..........Lane.......................66000

Oklahoma..................27000...........Memorial...............82000

Georgia Tech..............16500..........Bobby Dodd...........55000

Connecticut...............27000...........Rentschler field........40000

North Carolina............25000...........Kenan....................60000

Kansas State...............23000.........Bill Snyder................52000

Oklahoma State..........21000..........Boone Pickens...........44000

Notre Dame................11000.............Notre Dame............80700

Miami.........................13300...........Orange Bowl...........75000

Nebraska....................21000.............Memorial..............81000

Texas........................50000...........Texas memorial...........85000

Rice...........................5000...................Rice..................72000

Boston College...........13300................Alumni.................44500

West Virginia.................26000.........Mountaineer field........60000

South Carolina.............27000...........Williams Brice............80000

Wisconsin....................41000.............Camp Randall...........80000

Tennessee ..................27000................Neyland...............104000

Alabama......................23000............Bryant Denny...........92000

U at Buffalo..................27000............U at Buffalo............31000

Texas A & M.................43000..................Kyle...................82600

Illinois............................40600..............Memorial..............70900

Indiana..........................37000..............Memorial...............52100

Virginia.........................19200...................Scott.................61500

Iowa.............................29600...............Kinnick.................75000

Baylor..........................14000.............Floyd Casey............50000

Pittsburgh......................32000...................Heinz...............65000

Clemson.........................17100...............Memorial..............81400

Maryland........................34000..................Byrd.................51500

East Carolina..................24000............Dowdy Ficklen...........48000

Kentucky........................26600...........Commonwealth..........67500

 

AVERAGES .....................28226.............................................73582

 

 

I sent all of this I-AA and 1-A figures to Dr. McElroy, some NYS senators, the two US senators of NY, Mayor Jennings, some of the local US House Reps, etc...... along with a letter expressing my opinions and desires for a large stadium.

 

 

You should not have done that-- Your figures are wrong...BELIEVE ME.

[Dane96]

Here-- Are your FCS STADIUMS-- Correct numbers are closer to an average of 16k. In fact, including the community stadium of FCS newbie Norfolk state, only 11 of 121 stadiums are even OVER 24k.

 

http://petespoll.com/petesstadiums.shtml

[UAalum72]

Yale, Penn, and Harvard kind of skew the average capacity upward. Jackson St. is at a public stadium, they have plans for about a 40K stadium of their own.

 

Average FCS attendance is around 8,000; NEC, MAAC, and PFL drag it down, balanced by the 20K+ at Delaware, Montana, and App St. But only about ten schools average over 15K, and no more than 35 schools of the 120 average over 10K.

[Dane96]

Yale, Penn, and Harvard kind of skew the average capacity upward. Jackson St. is at a public stadium, they have plans for about a 40K stadium of their own.

 

Average FCS attendance is around 8,000; NEC, MAAC, and PFL drag it down, balanced by the 20K+ at Delaware, Montana, and App St. But only about ten schools average over 15K, and no more than 35 schools of the 120 average over 10K.

 

 

Correct UA--- And I just tossed the 16k number in because I knew it was sigificantly lower. And Norfolk is a community stadium as well. Couple others in the South.

 

Ualbany- Great to see the enthusiasim, however please send out the correct info in your plea if you havent already mailed it. Correct info will help our cause.

[haggyland]

Here-- Are your FCS STADIUMS-- Correct numbers are closer to an average of 16k. In fact, including the community stadium of FCS newbie Norfolk state, only 11 of 121 stadiums are even OVER 24k.

 

http://petespoll.com/petesstadiums.shtml

 

A much better link by D96.

And remember, with higher numbers skewing the data, the median is a better measure.

[ATL_DANE]

I love the post, great to see the enthusiasm. I also like the fact that UA students and alumni are seeing the university as what it is, a New York flagship... way over due.

 

I think Dane96 makes a good point. We need to meet today's goals, which is full scholly 1AA football. That should mean a 15k seat stadium. I agree with our new poster that we need to be able to expand to full FBS in the future. Both needs should be addressed, today's needs and the needs in 8 years from now (I'm being optimistic).

 

One note, for the posters who keep wanting to rule out FCS teams as a bench mark because they use "community stadiums", keep in mind this is suppose to be a community stadium. There isn't a stadium within 100 miles of the Capitol District.

 

As an aside, I think a Michie Stadium would be real nice

 

http://football.ballparks.com/NCAA/ConfUSA/Army/index.htm

 

I'm sure it was fully paid for by Uncle Sam. I don't recall hearing any complaints there and it's not even open to the community. Go Army!