Rutgers Stadium

Rutgers Stadium

Infobox_Stadium
stadium_name = Rutgers Stadium
nickname = "On The Banks"
"R" House
"The Birthplace of College Football"


location = 1 Scarlet Knight Way
Piscataway, NJ 08854
broke_ground = March 9,1993
opened = September 3,1994
closed =
demolished =
owner = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
operator = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
surface = FieldTurf
construction_cost = $28 million
($102 million for expansion)
tenants = Rutgers Scarlet Knights (NCAA)
(1994-Present)
seating_capacity = 41,500 (official)
44,267 (record)

Rutgers Stadium is the home stadium for the football program at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey . It is located in the Busch Campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, USA, and overlooks the Raritan River. Rutgers Stadium was opened on 3 September 1994 [http://www.scarletknights.com/football/history/stadium3.asp Rutgers Stadium History - The New Stadium.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 20, 2008.] when the Rutgers Scarlet Knights hosted the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Rutgers Stadium seats 41,500 spectators, although on a few occasions several thousand more spectators have been accommodated by the addition of temporary bleachers.

History

The first intercollegiate football game, in which Rutgers beat Princeton by a score of 6-4 on 6 November 1869, was played on College Field, which is now the location of the College Avenue Gymnasium and its parking lot [http://scarletknights.com/football/history/stadium.asp Rutgers Stadium History - The Early Years.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 20, 2008] . From 1891 to 1938 the Rutgers football team played at Neilson Field on the College Avenue Campus in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

With the aid of grants from the Works Progress Administration, and after three years of construction, the original Rutgers Stadium was completed in 1938 [http://scarletknights.com/football/history/stadium1.asp Rutgers Stadium History - The Depression Years.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 20, 2008.] . The stadium was dedicated on November 5, 1938 and served the university's football program until 1992, hosting 225 football gamesFact|date=September 2008.

The current Rutgers Stadium was built on the site of the original Rutgers Stadium. During the construction of the second, and current, Rutgers Stadium, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team played the 1993 season at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a facility operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority which financed the construction of the current Rutgers Stadium through a bond issue. The Scarlet Knights had previously played several games at Giants Stadium, including the first college football game hosted at that venue: a 47-0 victory over Columbia University on October 23, 1976White, Gordon S. (October 24, 1976). [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10F1EFD3B5D15768FDDAD0A94D8415B868BF1D3 Passes Griffin as Pitt Rolls by 45-0; Rutgers Routs Columbia, 47-0, For 14 in Row.] "The New York Times". Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] .

Heralded by many newspapers, sports writers, and Rutgers fans as the "most important game in Rutgers history", on 9 November 2006, a then record crowd of 44,111 [http://www.scarletknights.com/football/history/records-stadium.asp Rutgers Stadium Records.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 20, 2008.] attended a football game between the Scarlet Knights and the Louisville Cardinals. The Scarlet Knights were ranked #6 and the Louisville Cardinals #3 in the nation in the Associated Press poll at the time. The game drew the third ESPN's third-largest audience for a college football gameHiestand, Michael (November 13, 2006). [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/hiestand-tv/2006-11-13-flex-schedule_x.htm NBC benefits from flexible Sunday night football scheduling.] "USA Today". Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] . The usual official capacity was exceeded by the addition of bleachers for extra student seating in the Southern end of the stadium, as well as by moving the marching band from their usual spot in the stands to temporary bleachers in the corner of the North end zone. At the next home game, against the Syracuse Orange on 25 November 2006, Rutgers Stadium posted its second largest crowd with 43,791 in attendance.

Other events hosted

In addition to football, Rutgers Stadium has also hosted NCAA tournament soccer and lacrosse games, including the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship games in 1998, 2001, and 2002. It is also worth noting that, prior to 1994, the original Rutgers Stadium hosted the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship games in 1974, 1978, 1983, 1987 and 1990.

On 25 September 2005, Rutgers Stadium was the site of a lecture delivered by the Dalai LamaAlvarez, Ashanti M. (October 10, 2005). [http://ur.rutgers.edu/focus/article/Dalai%20Lama%20charms,%20uplifts%20New%20Jersey/1639/ Dalai Lama charms, uplifts New Jersey.] "Rutgers Focus". Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] .

Attendance records

The stadium attendance records were repeatedly broken in the 2006 and 2007 football seasons, with the current record number of spectators being 44,267. This record was set on October 18, 2007, when the Scarlet Knights played against the then #2 ranked South Florida Bulls [ [http://scarletknights.com/football/news/release.asp?prID=5783 Rutgers Upends No. 2/3 South Florida 30-27.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] .

Current facilities

The Rutgers Stadium provides seating for 41,500 spectators [http://www.scarletknights.com/football/stadium/stadium.asp Rutgers Stadium.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] . The stadium features a 5,000-seat upper deck on each side of the field, as well as 968 loge and club seats on the mezzanine level of the East side of the stadium. Electronic scoreboards spanning the length of the field have been installed at the bases of both upper decks prior to the start of the 2008 season, which compliment the video scoreboard in the South end zone.

The stadium also features light stanchions that allow for night games, a two-level press box on the West mezzanine level, and eight 1,000 square foot concession stands. Until 2004, the field maintained a grass surface, but has since been replaced with Field Turf.

Stadium expansion

In January 2008, The Board of Governors of Rutgers University announced a $102 million stadium expansion project, which will increase the stadium’s seating capacity to nearly 56,000. [http://www.scarletknights.com/football/news/release.asp?prID=6088 Rutgers Board of Governors Approves Stadium Expansion.] The Official Site of Rutgers Athletics, the Official website of Rutgers Athletics. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.]

The $102 million cost of the stadium expansion project is to be financed by raising $30 million through private fundraising and $72 million by the issuance of Rutgers bonds [http://www.scarletknights.com/stadium/president.html Statements from the Administration.] Rutgers Stadium Expansion Project. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] . However, the private fundraising has fallen dramatically short of the goal (a recent tally put monies collected at under $2 million -- [http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/a_private_fundraising_effort_t.html] . Doubts have also arisen over the likelihood that Rutgers will be able to sell bonds in the midst of a nationwide credit crisis. [http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/credit-crisis-is-bad-news-for-colleges/?scp=3&sq=credit%20crisis&st=cse]

Construction began in 2008 with 968 loge and club seats having been installed prior to the commencement of the 2008 Scarlet Knights football season opener. Another 1,000 bench seats will be added to the North end zone and 12,000 new seats will be added as part of a newly constructed South end zone section [http://www.scarletknights.com/stadium/faq.html Stadium Expansion Facts/Frequently Asked Questions.] Rutgers Stadium Expansion Project. Retrieved on September 19, 2008.] . Funding concerns have left many skeptical that the stadium expansion will proceed into Phase 2. [http://www.politickernj.com/bguhl/23736/addiego-calls-legislature-address-accountabilityoversight-state-colleges] [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aZvFwGeOAwOI]

ee also

* Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
* Busch Campus (Rutgers University)
* Big East Conference
* College football

References

External links

* [http://www.rutgers.edu Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey]
* [http://www.collegegridirons.com/bigeast/RutgersStadium.htm Rutgers Stadium information] at College Gridirons
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=buVqZJrgSys Rutgers Stadium crowd noise] (YouTube clip)


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