University of Michigan Football Stadium

The University of Michigan football stadium was built in 1927 and is located at 1201 South Main Street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was the result of the growing popularity of the Wolverines during the decade of the 1920s. With coach Fielding Yost at the helm, the club had enjoyed tremendous success in the early part of the century, and Yost realized that the team's fanbase had outgrown little Ferry Field. At first, the university's board of regents approved an addition to Ferry Field that expanded maximum capacity from 21,000 to 40,000, but Yost envisioned more. With six other schools in the conference receiving new stadiums in recent years, Yost petitioned for a 100,000 to 150,000 seat venue to serve as the new home of Wolverine football. It wasn't easy, but the wily coach eventually convinced the university to begin construction on what would become Michigan Stadium, which cost $950,000 to build at the time and continues to serve as the team's home field.

The Ever-Growing University of Michigan Football Stadium

Ultimately, Yost's vision for a 100,000 to 150,000 University of Michigan football stadium would be realized, but it would take some time. When the venue opened for its first game, a 33-0 U of M victory over Ohio Wesleyan on October 1, 1927, it held an measly 72,000. While a marked improvement over Ferry Field, it fell far short of what the legendary coach has in mind. Slowly but surely, though, Michigan Stadium has grown throughout the years. In 1928, capacity was increased to over 85,000. In 1949, an expansion project bumped that number up to 97,000, and six years later, the 100,000 seat barrier was broken. Currently, the Big House can officially hold approximately 107,500 fans, although estimates place gameday attendance as topping the 110,000 mark. Thus, the Big House is once again getting bigger, as a current renovation and expansion project is set to be completed in time for the 2008 season.