Michigan Stadium

Michigan Stadium

"The Big House"
Michigan Stadium on September 17, 2011
Location	1201 South Main Street Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104-3722
Coordinates	42°15′57″N 83°44′55″W / 42.26583°N 83.74861°W / 42.26583; -83.74861Coordinates: 42°15′57″N 83°44′55″W / 42.26583°N 83.74861°W / 42.26583; -83.74861
Owner	University of Michigan
Operator	University of Michigan
Capacity	72,000 (1927) 85,752 (1928–1948) 97,239 (1949–1955) 101,001 (1956–1972) 101,701 (1973–1991) 102,501 (1992–1997) 107,501 (1998–2007) 106,201 (2008–2009) 109,901 (2010–2015) 107,601 (2015–present)
Record attendance	115,109 (September 7, 2013)
Surface	FieldTurf (2003–present) Natural grass (1991–2002) Artificial turf (1969–1990) Natural grass (1927–1968)
Construction
Broke ground	September 12, 1926
Opened	October 1, 1927
Renovated	2010
Expanded	1928, 1949, 1956, 1973, 1992, 1998, 2010
Construction cost	$950,000 ($13.1 million in 2017 dollars) $226 Million (2010 Stadium Renovation)
Architect	Bernard L. Green HNTB (2010 expansion)
General contractor	James Leck Company
Tenants
Michigan Wolverines football (NCAA) (1927–present) Michigan Wolverines field hockey (NCAA) (1973-1975) Michigan Wolverines men's lacrosse (NCAA) (2012-present) Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse (NCAA) (2014-present)

Michigan Stadium, nicknamed "The Big House", is the football stadium for the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the largest stadium in the United States, the second largest stadium in the world and the 34th largest sports venue. Its official capacity is 107,601, but it has hosted crowds in excess of 115,000.

Michigan Stadium was built in 1927 at a cost of $950,000 (equivalent to $13.1 million in 2017) and had an original capacity of 72,000. Prior to the stadium's construction, the Wolverines played football at Ferry Field. Every home game since November 8, 1975 has drawn a crowd in excess of 100,000, an active streak of more than 200 contests. On September 7, 2013 the game between Michigan and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish attracted a crowd of 115,109, a record attendance for a college football game since 1927, and an NCAA single-game attendance record at the time, overtaking the 114,804 record set two years previously for the same match up.

Michigan Stadium was designed with footings to allow the stadium's capacity to be expanded beyond 100,000. Fielding Yost envisioned a day where 150,000 seats would be needed. To keep construction costs low at the time, the decision was made to build a smaller stadium than Yost envisioned but to include the footings for future expansion.

Michigan Stadium is used for the University of Michigan's main graduation ceremonies; Lyndon Johnson outlined his Great Society program at the 1964 commencement ceremonies in the stadium. It has also hosted hockey games including the 2014 NHL Winter Classic, a regular season NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings with an official attendance of 105,491, a record for a hockey game. Additionally, a 2014 International Champions Cup soccer match between Real Madrid and Manchester United had an attendance of 109,318, a record crowd for a soccer match in the United States.