NCAA Football NEWS
College Football’s Best Stadiums – Part 4
Published by MoonDog on August 21, 2008
Over the past several weeks I’ve highlighted some of the best stadiums in college football. I started on the east coast working my way west and this week I conclude this four-part series with a look at the best stadiums on the left coast.
Please take a moment to review the first three parts of the series where I highlighted the best stadiums on the east coast, the midwest and the south.
Here we go with the best of the west.
Sun Devil Stadium – Arizona State University
Located on the campus of Arizona State University, Sun Devil Stadium has been the home of the Sun Devils for 50 years. In the mid 1950s university officials decided it was time to construct a stadium for its football program. The stadium was constructed at a cost of $1 million and was situated between two small mountains.
Construction was completed in time for the start of the 1958 season with a seating capacity of 30,000. On October 4, 1958 ASU hosted West Texas State in the inaugural game played at Sun Devil Stadium.
Since its opening, the stadium has seen numerous renovations, the first of which began in 1976 with the addition of 27,000 seats which raised capacity to 57,000.
The following year an additional 13,000 seats were added with the construction of an upper deck, raising capacity to 70,000. After the 1987 NFL season, the St. Louis Cardinals relocated the franchise to Arizona making Sun Devil Stadium the team’s new home. Prior to the Cardinals first season in Arizona, more renovations to the stadium were completed.
Over 1,000 seats were added, along with an athletic complex on the south end of the stadium, a scoreboard and four video boards. In 1989, a three-story, 60,000 square-foot building was constructed atop the upper deck on the west side that contains two 30-suite levels, a press box, and eight additional private suites.
Today, Sun Devil Stadium has a capacity of 73,379 and is the fourth largest stadium in the Pac-10. Sun Devil Stadium has hosted some of the greatest college and professional football games ever played and was once the home of the Fiesta Bowl, the BCS national championship game and Super Bowl XXX.
Lavell Edwards Stadium – Brigham Young University
While it may not be known as one of the grand venues in college football, LaVell Edwards Stadium is provides one of the most picturesque settings of any stadium in the nation. Located in Provo, UT, Lavell Edwards Stadium has been the home of the Brigham Young Cougars for 45 years.
Construction began in October 1963 and was completed the following year prior to the beginning of the football season with a seating capacity of 28,000. Originally known as Cougar Stadium, nearly two decades would pass before the first renovation began.
In 1982, new stands were constructed on the north and south sides of the stadium, the track was removed and the field was lowered, allowing for additional seating to be added. When renovations were completed, Lavell Edwards Stadium had a seating capacity of 65,000, an increase of 37,000 from its original capacity.
Prior to the 1996 season, a new scoreboard was installed on the south side of the stadium. Upon the completion of the 2000 season the stadium was renamed after former Cougars head coach LaVell Edwards.
No additional seats have been added since the 1982 renovation project but 42 luxury suites have been constructed over the years. Lavell Edwards Stadium is the second largest in the Mountain West Conference.
Memorial Stadium – University of California
Located near the Berkeley Hills and the San Francisco Bay, Memorial Stadium has been the home of the California Golden Bears for 85 years. University officials began exploring the possibility of building a new stadium in the early 1920s.
Designed by John G. Howard, construction began in 1923 and was completed that same year at a cost of $1.43 million. Memorial Stadium was named in honor of the men who served in World War I.
Memorial Stadium was one of the few facilities in the nation that was originally built with a large seating capacity. Opening on November 24, 1923, the Golden Bears hosted Stanford in front of a capacity crowd of 72,000.
There have been two minor renovation projects at Memorial Stadium over the years, with seats added in the 1960s and 1980s which increased capacity to 75,662. Astroturf was installed prior to the 1981 season, but removed before the 1995 season when natural grass was added.
Prior to the 2003 season the grass turf was replaced with Momentum Turf, comprising the only other renovation project of note. Memorial Stadium is the third largest in the Pac-10.
Los Angeles Coliseum – University of Southern California
One of the more venerable stadiums in the nation, the Los Angeles Coliseum has been the home of some of the greatest sporting events in history. The L.A. Coliseum has been the home of the USC Trojans for over 85 years, with the Trojans playing the inaugural game in the Coliseum on October 6, 1923 against Pomona College.
The L.A. Coliseum has also been the home of the Los Angeles Rams, the Los Angeles Raiders and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was also the home of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, numerous Super Bowls and the World Series.
Construction began in 1921 with the idea the Coliseum would primarily be used as a football stadium. Construction was completed in less than two years with a seating capacity of nearly 76,000 seats, all of which circled the entire field. In 1930, the City of Los Angeles was awarded the 1932 Olympics. Over $950,000 was spent to enlarge the stadium to seat nearly 101,000 spectators for the Olympic games.
Beginning in February 1993, $15 million in renovations were completed to the coliseum. Seats replaced the original bleachers and an additional 14 rows of seats were added after the field was lowered 14 feet, decreasing capacity from 101,000 to its present day 92,000. Prior to the 1995 season a new press box was constructed at a cost of $6 million.
The L.A. Coliseum has a rich history and is currently the largest stadium in the Pac-10.
Rose Bowl – University of California – Los Angeles
Perhaps the most famous and one of the more beautiful stadiums in college football, the Rose Bowl has been the site of many historical sporting events. The Rose Bowl has hosted numerous Super Bowls and the World Cup and is the home of the oldest college football bowl game.
In 1897 the City of Pasadena purchased the land that would eventually become the site of the Rose Bowl. In 1917, the Tournament of Roses Association laid out the plans for the new stadium and construction began in 1920. Built only for football, the Rose Bowl was completed in 1922 at a cost of $272,198 with a capacity of 57,000.
The first game played at the Rose Bowl was on October 28, 1922 when Cal beat USC. On January 1, 1923 the first Rose Bowl Game was played when USC beat Penn State.
The first of several renovations began in 1929 when the stadium was enclosed on the south end increasing capacity to 76,000. Three years later the capacity increased again to 86,000 and to just over 100,000 in 1949.
In 1982, the UCLA Bruins made their debut at the Rose Bowl, moving from the Los Angeles Coliseum. In the past 10 years the Rose Bowl has undergone several renovations including the addition of new lights, a new three story press box, a video/scoreboard and in 1998 individual chairs replaced the bleachers between the end zones.
Today the Rose Bowl has a capacity of 91,136 and is the second largest in the Pac-10.
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