Camp Randall Stadium
Camp Randall Stadium
1440 Monroe Street
Madison, Wis. 53711
Phone: (608) 262-1866
Camp Randall Stadium, built in 1917, is the home for Wisconsin's
football team. The current capacity (80,321) ranks among the nation's
largest school-owned stadiums.
Location
Camp Randall is located at the corner of Monroe and Regent streets
on the west side of the UW campus. (1440 Monroe Street; Phone: 608/262-1866)
The Facility
Distinguished by its impressive double-deck structure, Camp Randall
Stadium has been the Badgers' facility since its opening game on
Nov. 3, 1917. It has been host to UW football games, outdoor concerts,
Drum Corps International, Green Bay Packer exhibition games, and
other large public events.
Besides the field, the historic Camp Randall Stadium complex houses
the athletic department offices in Kellner Hall, the Athletic Operations
Building, a team training table, lounges, the Fetzer Center study
area for student-athletes, as well as film, training and weight
rooms and a display of football memorabilia in the new football
offices located in the eastside superstructure.
The stadium is the centerpiece of Wisconsin's athletic complex.
Located on the same block on the west side of campus are the Dave
McClain Athletic Facility, the state-of-the-art indoor practice building,
the Camp Randall Memorial Recreation Center (Shell), and the Wisconsin
Field House.
Crowds and Success
Wisconsin set a school record in 2004 when an average of 82,368
fans attended games at Camp Randall Stadium. The season was sold
out in advance for the first time in 2004, ad in 2005, a record
69,290 season tickets sold. UW drew a single game attendance record
of 83,069 against Minnesota on Nov. 6. Since 1972, Wisconsin has
ranked among the top 16 in the nation in attendance.
Success on the field has also been evident in Camp Randall Stadium.
Approaching the 2005 season, the Badgers have posted a 57-28-3 (.665 percent)
home mark since 1990 during the Barry Alvarez era including undefeated
campaigns in 1993, 1998 and 2004.
The History
Camp Randall Stadium and its grounds had a rich history prior to
its affiliation with Wisconsin athletics.
In the days before the Civil War, the site was owned by the Wisconsin
Agricultural Society, which held its annual state fair on the grounds.
When hostilities broke out in 1861, the society gave the land to
the government for a major military training center. More than 70,000
troops attended training drills at the Camp Randall complex.
After peace was restored nationally, the land was returned to state
fair property. The fair later moved to Milwaukee, and Wisconsin's
Civil War veterans urged the legislature to purchase the land. In
1893, the state presented the site to the university as a memorial
athletic field.
Intercollegiate athletics began on campus in 1881, and football
joined the scene in 1889. The first games were played on the lower
part of campus. The stadium was built at its present site in 1913.
A tragic collapse of the wooden bleachers in 1915 prompted the UW
to make plans for concrete stands.
Stadium Construction
Two years later, a 10,000-seat concrete stadium was built with a
grant of $15,000 from the state legislature. The rest of the money
came from department revenues.
The first game played in the present Camp Randall Stadium was a
thrilling 10-7 homecoming victory over Minnesota in 1917. Capacity
of the structure has increased several times, jumping to 51,000
by 1951.
A revision of the seating arrangements in 1955 boosted the capacity
to 52,788. In 1958, the running track was removed, the playing field
was lowered 10 feet and capacity was increased to 63,435. A second
deck on the west side was added in 1966, raising the capacity to
77,745. Restructuring in the student section in '94, lowered capacity
to 76,129. The renovation completed in 2005 raised the capacity
to 80,321. The facility is designed so that all seats point toward
the center of the field, providing excellent sight lines.
The Communications Center, which is one of the Midwest's best facilities
for working media, was built after the 1966 season and renovated
in 2005. The three-level structure includes areas for media, game
personnel, department and other campus officials.
Facility improvements have been with the installation of an artificial
turf playing field in the summer of 1990 and a computerized scoreboard
and message center was added in 1992. A video replay scoreboard
and new sound system were introduced in 2004, and the turf replaced
with Field Turf.
Camp Randall Stadium Renovation 2005
The 84-year old Camp Randall Stadium underwent a four-year renovation
begun in December of 2001. The $109.5 million renovation concluded
with the opening of the 2005 football season.
Among the many changes included in the renovation were a new seating
capacity of 80,321 (from 76,129); increased square footage to 319,000-square feet,
including 84,540-square feet that underwent renovation; an east-side
premium seating super structure that includes 72 suites, 337 club
seats and 590 varsity indoor seats; and a wider third level concourse
that extends around the north end to the west side of the stadium.
The playing surface has a new FieldTurf covering, and has expanded
over the former pedestrian track providing both teams on the field
with more room. Other major aspects include construction of the
five-floor Kellner Hall office building, the Athletic Operations
Building, the football offices, the McGinnis Family Athletic Ticket
Office, new visiting team lockers, the Camp Randall Media Room,
and renovations and upgrades to the press box that include an external
relations area for use by other groups on campus.
Fans walking through the new Badger Alley, the former tunnel on
the east side of the stadium, will notice new flooring, and new
restrooms and concession areas. Among restroom fixtures, women's
fixtures improved from 212 to 463, and men's increased from 445
to 499; concession points of sale increased from 135 to 157; and
accessible seating improved from 99 seats to 292. To allow back-loading
of the stadium, two portals were built to provide patrons a path
to their seats. A dining room for UW team meals was also added to
this area. And Bucky's Locker Room has a new merchandise corner located
near Gate 1.
The 2005 Camp Randall Stadium Renovation assures Badger fans and
Athletic Department personnel will be able to compete well into
the 21st century. There is not one student-athlete or athletic
department staff member whose life has not been improved by the
renovation.
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