Autzen Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Autzen Stadium
nickname =


location = 2727 Leo Harris Parkway
Eugene, OR 97401
coordinates = coord|44|03|29.6|N|123|04|06.4|W
broke_ground = 1967
opened = September 23, 1967
renovated = 2002
demolished =
owner = University of Oregon
operator = University of Oregon
surface = FieldTurf
construction_cost = $2.5 million USD,
$80 million (2002 renovation)
architect = Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Ellerbe Becket (2002 renovation)
former_names =
tenants = University of Oregon Ducks (NCAA) (1967-Present)
seating_capacity = 54,000 (official)

Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football stadium in Eugene, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks of the Pacific-10 Conference. Originally opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions; the official capacity is 54,000, though official attendance has exceeded that number every game since 1999.cite web|url=http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=22175|title=Autzen Stadium|publisher=GoDucks.com|accessdate=2007-10-29]

History

Prior to 1967, the Ducks played on Hayward Field. Recognizing that the football team had outgrown that facility, Oregon athletic director Leo Harris led a campaign to build a new stadium on 90 acres that he had acquired for the purpose in the 1950s.cite web|url=http://sportshistory.uoregon.edu/details/show/33|title=Autzen Stadium: Milestone of Momentum|publisher=University of Oregon|accessdate=2007-10-30] cite news|title=Harris, former UO athletic director, dies|date=April 26 1990|work=The Oregonian]

The stadium, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, was built within an artificial crater to eliminate the need for multilevel ramps. As a result, construction took just nine months and cost approximately $2.5 million. $250,000 was contributed by the Autzen Foundation, headed by Portland lumberman Thomas J. Autzen, for whom the stadium was named.cite web|url=http://libweb.uoregon.edu/guides/architecture/oregon/autzen.html|title=Autzen Stadium: Architecture of the University of Oregon|accessdate=2007-10-30|publisher=University of Oregon] Thomas J. Autzen is actually an alumnus of Oregon State University. His donation to the University of Oregon is linked to his son's attendance at the school during the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The first game played at Autzen Stadium was on September 23, 1967 in which Colorado defeated Oregon, 17-13. Oregon's first win in the stadium occurred on October 21, when Idaho was defeated 31-6. That was the only victory for Oregon at Autzen Stadium that year.

The stadium alternates with Reser Stadium at Oregon State University in hosting the Civil War game between Oregon and Oregon State.

Renovations

.

In 1995, the field was named Rich Brooks Field. Brooks, currently the head coach at Kentucky, coached the Ducks from 1977-94, and led the Ducks to their first outright Pac-10 title in school history in 1994.

In 2002, a $90 million facelift and expansion added seating and luxury boxes to the south sideline, bringing capacity up to its current size.. In 2008, a new scoreboard and replay screen was installed. It is the largest scoreboard in the Pacific-10 Conference.cite web|url=http://www.idahostatesman.com/boisestatefootball/story/508565.html|title=Oregon's Autzen Stadium one of the most intimidating places in football|publisher=Idaho Statesman|accessdate=2008-09-20]

tadium records

The Ducks have a current streak of 55 straight sellouts at Autzen going back to the 1999 season. The highest attendance at Autzen was 59,379 on November 3 2007, when the Ducks beat the Arizona State Sun Devils 35-23.

From 1997 to 2001, the Ducks had a 23-game home winning streak at Autzen Stadium that ended with a 49-42 loss to Stanford.

Location and configuration

The stadium is located just north of the Willamette River, next to Alton Baker Park. Students typically travel to the stadium by walking from the Oregon campus over the Autzen Footbridge, which passes over the Willamette. The FieldTurf playing field is at an elevation of ft to m|420 above sea level and is laid out in a non-traditional east-west orientation.

Crowd noise

]

cquote|Autzen's 59,000 strong make the Big House sound like a pathetic whimper. It's louder than ... The Swamp at Florida, The Shoe in Columbus, and Death Valley at Louisiana State. Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr later said that Autzen Stadium was the loudest stadium he'd ever been in.cite news|last=Smith|first=Jeff|title=Ducks savor '03: a Michigan loss|date=September 8 2007|work=The Oregonian]

In 2006, a "Sporting News" columnist named Autzen the most intimidating college football stadium in the nation.cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=115554|title=No venue more intimidating than Autzen Stadium|date=August 7 2006|last=Hayes|first=Matt|accessdate=2007-10-29|work=The Sporting News]

Lee Corso of ESPN College Gameday frequently says that; "Per person Autzen Stadium is the loudest stadium that I have ever been in my entire life!" [ [http://oneclicksportsblog.wordpress.com/2007/09/28/ducks-have-you-read-these/ Ducks, You Need To Read These « OneClickSportsBlog ] ]

Other uses

Besides Ducks football, Autzen also plays host to other events, marching band competitions, Oregon high school football 6A, 5A, and 4A championships (until the 2006 season), and musical concerts, including U2 and numerous performances by the Grateful Dead. It is currently the largest sporting arena in the state of Oregon. It was also used as the fictional Faber College football stadium in the 1978 movie "Animal House".

External links

* [http://www.sports-venue.info/NCAAF/Autzen_Stadium.html Sports-Venue.com] - Autzen Stadium - Info and Photos
* [http://www.goducks.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=500&ATCLID=22175 Goducks.com] - Official Autzen Stadium Information

References