Yale Bowl

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = The Yale Bowl
nickname =

location = 276 Derby Ave
West Haven, CT 06516-1046
broke_ground = August, 1913
opened = November 21, 1914
closed =
demolished =
owner = Yale University
operator = Yale University
surface = Natural Grass
construction_cost = $750,000
architect = Charles A. Ferry,
Class of 1871
former_names =
tenants = Yale Bulldogs (football)
New York Giants (NFL) (1973-1974)
Connecticut Bicentennials (NASL) (1976-1977)
1995 Special Olympics World Summer Games
seating_capacity = 64,246

Infobox_nrhp | name =Yale Bowl
nrhp_type =nhl


caption =
location= Chapel St. and Yale Ave., New Haven, Connecticut
locmapin = Connecticut
area =
built =1914
architect= Charles A. Ferry; Sperry Engineering Co.
architecture=
designated= February 27, 1987cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1972&ResourceType=Structure
title=Yale Bowl |accessdate=2007-10-03|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = February 27, 1987cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum=87000756

The Yale Bowl is a football stadium in New Haven, Connecticut on the border of West Haven, about 1-1/2 miles west of Yale's main campus. Completed in 1914, the stadium seats 61,446 – reduced by renovations from the original capacity of 70,869. It is the home to the Yale University football team (the "Bulldogs" or the "Elis"), and also hosted the New York Giants from 1973–1974 while Yankee Stadium was being renovated and Giants Stadium was under construction.

Ground was broken on the stadium in August 1913. It was built by excavating the field area and then building up a berm around the perimeter with the excavated earth to create an elliptical bowl. It was the first bowl-shaped stadium in the country, and provided inspiration for the design of such stadiums as the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Rose Bowl, and Michigan Stadium. The current scoreboard (notable for the time clock being arranged vertically instead of horizontally) was added in 1958, and in 1986 the current press box was added. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.citation|title=PDFlink| [http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/Text/87000756.pdf National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Yale Bowl] |762 KiB |date=December, 1985 |author=James H. Charleton |publisher=National Park Service]

The facility was designed to partially echo the campus's neogothic design. As such, parts of the façade were treated with acid to imitate the effects of aging, a procedure that has instead required constant upkeep and renovation to prevent deterioration. As of summer, 2005, many of the outside retaining walls and portal entries were deteriorating as a result. However, in the spring and summer of 2006, the bowl underwent a partial renovation, which was finished just in time for the Yale home-opener on Saturday, September 16, 2006.

During the 1970s, the "Bowl" hosted several concerts. The June 14, 1980 concert featuring the Eagles, Heart, and The Little River Band proved to be the final concert for the venue, as opposition from neighbors became increasingly vehement. A picture from this final show can be seen in packaging of the vinyl edition of the Eagles double live album, issued later that year, though no recordings from the event are included on the discs. A planned Paul McCartney concert was scheduled for June of 1990, but because of neighborhood opposition the New Haven show was cancelled and the date was rescheduled for Chicago.

On Friday, October 5, 2001, the closing ceremony of the Yale Tercentennial was held at the Yale Bowl. Guests included Tom Wolfe '57, William F. Buckley '50, Sesame Street's Big Bird, Mike Ucci, Paul Simon '96, and Garry Trudeau '70.

The Connecticut Tennis Center, home to the annual ATP/WTA event (the Pilot Pen tournament), is located across Yale Avenue from the stadium.

Visitors' sun advisory - If you are sitting on the visitors' side, you will be facing approximately southwest. On an autumn afternoon, the sun will be boring a hole in your left temple. Wearing sun glasses and a hat or visor can make the afternoon much more enjoyable.

References

Gallery

External links

* [http://yalebulldogs.cstv.com/facilities/facbowl.html The Yale Bowl (from YaleBulldogs.com)]
* [http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/documents/02yalefbv.asp Summary at Ivy League official site]
* Photos: [http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/gallery/gallery?id=3016261&
] , [http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/gallery/gallery?id=3016261&
] , [http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/gallery/gallery?id=3016261&
]

succession box
title = Home of the
New York Giants
years = 1973 – 1974
before = Yankee Stadium
after = Shea Stadium