Ohio Stadium - Home of the Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio Stadium
Nestled snugly on the banks of the Olentangy River, stately Ohio Stadium is one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of college athletics. Ohio Stadium is one of the most recognizable landmarks in all of sports. Built in 1922 at a cost of $1.3 million and refurbished in 2001 for slightly more than $194 million, the horseshoe-shaped stadium is a monument to college football. As part of the renovation, the once portable South Stands became a permanent fixture.

With its present seating capacity of 102,329, Ohio Stadium is the fourth largest on-campus facility in the nation. Since the opening game against Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 7, 1922, more than 36 million fans have streamed through the stadium's portals.


Attending games in Ohio Stadium has become a Saturday afternoon ritual for Ohio State fans, who flock to the parking lots early to enjoy the gala atmosphere and pageantry that surrounds each and every game. From 1951 to 1973, the Buckeyes led the nation in attendance 21 times, including the 14 consecutive years from 1958 to 1971. Since 1949, Ohio State has never been lower than fourth nationally in average home attendance.

Unique in its double-deck horseshoe design, Ohio Stadium is both intimate and intimidating. The closeness of the seating provides a definite home-field advantage for the Buckeyes, at the same time allowing fans to view the game from unobstructed vantage points. As part of the renovation, there are now 81 hospitality suites and 2,625 club seats on the west side of the stadium. All the seats are good, including the 17,000 in the new and permanent south stands.

Ohio Stadium is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Anyone who has seen a game in the giant horseshoe understands why. There are few experiences in athletics that are more enjoyable!

Ohio State heads into the 2007 season with a string of 34 consecutive crowds of 100,000 or larger in Ohio Stadium.
  

 
Buckeye football
Script OhioOhio Stadium saw its largest crowd on September 12, 2009, with 106,033 fans in attendance for the Buckeyes' matchup against USC, 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."