Ohio Stadium

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The stadium opened in 1922 as a replacement for Ohio Field and had a seating capacity of 66,210. In 1923, a cinder running track was added that was later upgraded to an all-weather track. Seating capacity gradually increased over the years and reached a total of 91,470 possible spectators in 1991. Beginning in 2000, the stadium was renovated and expanded in several phases, removing the track and adding additional seating, which raised the capacity to 101,568 by 2001 and to 102,329 in 2007. In 2014, additional seating was added in the end zone, raising the official capacity to 104,944. Another renovation to add more luxury suites began in 2017 and was completed in 2019, resulting in a decrease of 2,600 seats. It is the largest stadium by capacity in the state of Ohio, and the fourth largest on-campus football stadium in the United States. Ohio Stadium was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

In Their Own Story

The stadium's history is defined by its evolution from a cinder track facility to a modern sports complex. In 1923, a track was added and later named after Olympian Jesse Owens; it remained until 2001 when the OSU track teams moved to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Renovations have been frequent: a $2.1 million scoreboard arrived in 1984, and a massive $194 million overhaul from 1998 to 2001 removed the track entirely to lower the field 14.5 feet below the water table, adding seating that raised capacity to 101,568. In 2014, an additional 2,500 seats were added in the south stands, pushing the official count to 104,944. The surface itself has changed frequently, shifting from natural grass to AstroTurf in 1971, SuperTurf in 1979, back to "Prescription Athletic Turf" in 1990, and finally to FieldTurf in 2007 after repeated sod failures. The north end rotunda, designed to mimic the Pantheon in Rome, now features stained glass murals of offensive and defensive squads.

Reader's Guide

The stadium was built in 1922 by E. H. Latham Company of Columbus, with materials and labor from the Marble Cliff Quarry Co. at a construction cost of $1.34 million and a total cost of $1.49 million. The stadium's original capacity was 66,210. Upon completion, it was the largest poured concrete structure in the world. Smith employed numerous revolutionary architectural techniques while building the stadium. At the base is a slurry wall to keep out the waters from the Olentangy River; the stadium rests on the flood plain. Instead of building a large bowl like the previously constructed Yale Bowl, Ohio Stadium was designed to have an upper deck that would hang over part of the lower deck, giving Ohio Stadium its "A", "B", and "C" decks. Instead of employing numerous columns like those at Harvard Stadium, Smith designed double columns that allow for more space between columns. The rotunda at the north end of the stadium, which is now adorned with stained glass murals of the offensive and defensive squads that comprise the Buckeye football team, was designed to look like the dome at the Pantheon in Rome.

Did You Know?

• The first game in the stadium was against Ohio Wesleyan University on October 7, 1922, and brought a crowd of around 25,000.
• The stadium's formal dedication against Michigan on October 21, 1922, saw an announced crowd of 72,000, but no one is really sure how many people made it into the stadium.
• In 1923, a cinder track was built around the football field, which would later be named after Olympian and Ohio State athlete Jesse Owens.
• The stadium was heavily renovated from 1998 to 2001, with the press box replaced, additional seating installed, and 81 luxury suites and 2,500 club seats added.
• In 1971, the natural grass field was removed and AstroTurf was installed, compliments of a donation by Lou Fisher in dedication to fellow football player Joseph Campanella.