Many sports fans travel across state lines for the chance to root for their favorite teams in a different city. If you’re a fan of football, you’ll often find yourself in stadiums that hold upwards of 100,000 spectators. These feats of architecture and engineering can be just as much a highlight as the game itself. Curious about which stadiums in the U.S. hold the most fans? Visit America’s seven largest stadiums below.
7. Bryant-Denny Stadium – Tuscaloosa, Alabama
The University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa — home of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team — first opened in 1929. This massive stadium now has a capacity for a whopping 101,821 spectators. While that might sound like an unattainable amount of seats to fill, the stadium regularly sells out for big games. More than 38,000 students are enrolled at the University of Alabama, which was inaugurated in 1831. A stroll through this beautiful campus — or even a guided tour — is a must if you find yourself in western Alabama.
6. Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, Louisiana
With an official capacity of 102,321, Tiger Stadium at Louisiana State University was originally completed in 1924 but has had multiple improvements to get to its current (enormous) size. Also known as “Death Valley,” Tiger Stadium was last expanded in 2014, increasing its capacity to make it the sixth-largest stadium in America.
5. Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, Tennessee
Since opening in 1921, Neyland Stadium has been the home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers football team. Named after U.S. Army General Robert R. Neyland, a former football coach for the Volunteers, this stadium has a long history in American football in the South. It has drawn more than 25 million fans through its doors since its beginning, and today has a capacity of 102,455 fans at each game.
4. Kyle Field – College Station, Texas
Football is a staple in Texas, so it’s no wonder that Texas A&M University in College Station is home to the fourth-largest stadium in the U.S. Here, up to 102,733 fans can catch an Aggies football game — significantly more than the original capacity in 1929 of just 32,000. Visitors can even go on guided tour with field access, views from the top, and a brief history of the venue. The so-called “Home of the 12th Man” underwent a massive $450 million renovation that was completed in 2015, bringing it to its current size.
3. Ohio Stadium – Columbus, Ohio
The Ohio State Buckeyes’ home stadium has had quite an upgrade from its original capacity of 66,210 back in 1922. Thanks to a 2014 expansion, this stadium can now hold a whopping 102,780 fans. The largest crowd that this stadium has seen was 110,045 back in 2016 when the Buckeyes played Michigan. Check out Ohio State Stadium Tours to walk the sidelines, visit the press box, and more at this famous venue.
2. Beaver Stadium – State College, Pennsylvania
The Penn State Nittany Lions are lucky enough to call America’s second-largest stadium their home field. With a capacity of 106,572, Beaver Stadium is one of the nation’s most well-known sports facilities and the oldest on this list. The 500-seat Beaver Field got its start in 1893 with the first game played against Western Pittsburgh University, which would later become the University of Pittsburgh — a rival to this day. Visitors might have a chance for an exclusive tour by contacting the Penn State All-Sports Museum.
1. Michigan Stadium – Ann Arbor, Michigan
The largest stadium in the United States, and second-largest in the world, belongs to another school from the Big Ten, the University of Michigan. The “Big House” certainly lives up to its nickname with seating for up to 107,601 people, and over the years it has hosted crowds well over its official capacity for big rivalry games — sometimes in excess of 115,000. A tour of this stadium is a must during your southern Michigan trip. Visitors can even walk through the famous tunnel onto the field.
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