But each is pretty much a “tear it down and start over” thing, huge capital projects.
What would you do to improve Memorial Stadium?
- Status
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
We used to have temporary bleachers that extended the Horseshoe seats back into the air, and they were fit to stand up RIGHT next to the back of the Horseshoe to match its shape to a T and look like it had always been part of the seating structure:
Do the exact same thing to fit the (ABSURD) space between the current first row of the Horseshoe and field level ... we've done it in the past:
And what it might look like now:
The only argument I would kind of accept for not doing it is that a permanent solution is around the corner. Any concerns about storing random equipment under the Horseshoe (store it somewhere else or leave a gap in the middle...?) or how we currently use that space in practice (plenty of teams manage to practice without an embarrassing gap like that behind one end zone, lol) are so utterly unconvincing to me. That could be fixed TOMORROW for the cost of 1,000 or so portable bleachers.
The top thing that needs to be fixed ASAP is cell phone coverage / WiFi. Right behind that (and semi related) are the concession stand charges occurring sometimes weeks after a game. Heard some people are just now seeing charges from the Kansas game. Is the signal so bad the credit card machines can’t even connect in real time? Regardless, it is a complete embarrassment how bad signal is at this stadium in 2024. Figure it out.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
For those who note (correctly) that the Memorial Stadium horseshoe seats seem absurdly far from the end line: yes. But, as @The Galloping Ghost noted, it's a function of the track around the field. Here's Ohio Stadium in the '70s or '80s. Huge amount of room at both ends. The open end stands weren't close to the field until the '90s when they grew nearly to fill that end of the horseshoe. The closed end seats weren't close to the end zone until the renovation around 2000 when the field was lowered and the track removed.
It's how these stadiums were built (OSU's in 1922; ours in 1924). Multipurpose for football and track, the latter of which was a huge sport in the early/mid-20th century.
EDIT: Michigan Stadium, Spartan Stadium, and Kinnick (for example) were built for football only, which is why they're more appealing venues..
It's how these stadiums were built (OSU's in 1922; ours in 1924). Multipurpose for football and track, the latter of which was a huge sport in the early/mid-20th century.
EDIT: Michigan Stadium, Spartan Stadium, and Kinnick (for example) were built for football only, which is why they're more appealing venues..
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Need a statue of King Neptune ASAP
www.offtackleempire.com
For Whom the Bell Tolls: An Illini Tradition, a World War II Battleship, and a Multi-Million Dollar Pig
Or: The Life, Death, and Legacy of an Illinois War Pig
www.offtackleempire.com
I just got my $30 charge for parking last week. I attended the Kansas game. I don’t mind the cashless system for purchases but spacing for buying concessions needs to be fixed on the east side. Hopefully when the east side is renovated the concession stands will be better placed. The one idea someone had about mimicking the west side for the east side is a great idea.
The cashless system is great. The issue is this school refuses to invest in proper connectivity for cell phones and their own credit card machines.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
One more minor thing I thought of during the rededication posts … EVERYTHING in Memorial Stadium should be promoting how uniquely vintage and classic it is. Things like the 1LL1NO1S font look jarringly out of place with what the vibe should be at MS.
We’ve done a lot to correct this with the new uniforms being more classic, but my casual-fan mom said last weekend, “I feel like Illinois is kind of trendy” speaking to our general look … and I can’t blame her for thinking that with our font and what our jerseys used to look like. Well, as others have said, our ethos is literally the opposite of trendy. EVERYTHING about the Fighting Illini should be oozing the notion that we are a charter Big Ten member with a 100-year old stadium and whose most legendary player played in the 1920s, lol.
We’ve done a lot to correct this with the new uniforms being more classic, but my casual-fan mom said last weekend, “I feel like Illinois is kind of trendy” speaking to our general look … and I can’t blame her for thinking that with our font and what our jerseys used to look like. Well, as others have said, our ethos is literally the opposite of trendy. EVERYTHING about the Fighting Illini should be oozing the notion that we are a charter Big Ten member with a 100-year old stadium and whose most legendary player played in the 1920s, lol.
Yes! An iconic stadium needs grass not artificial turf. That’s like Wrigley Field having turf. Looks out of place.
do that right AFTER we lower the field
band camp
- STL City
Absolutely, let's get that water table working for us to irrigate the field.do that right AFTER we lower the field
Last weekend, I took in the Northwestern at Iowa game. BTW, the new QB, Sullivan is much better than McNamara. Mc was hurt during NW game, they switched, and Sullivan took over. Whatever Iowa was doing playing McNamara? Good lord. Anyway, Iowa is one tough team. They started the year slowly but have really come on as of late, at least at home.
Back the stadium. I have to say, I’m so much more like an Iowa fan than Illinois, I hate to say it. I sat near the top of the new (2019) end zone seats. Up comes Large Linda (LL) and her large father. Before she sits down, she apologizes before she says anything. She’s sorry she’s wild and very loud and crazy. I tell her no problem; I won’t have a problem with her craziness.
Then she starts asking who we were fans of. I tell her Illinois. She says that’s fine, we don’t play Illinois this year, she’s just worried about Nebraska and doesn’t like the Cornhuskers. She sees I have a cell phone and throughout the game is asking me for Nebraska updates. Later she’s asking about any upsets. I tell her Vandy is close to TX but it’s very early. She asks who is playing QB for TX, Ewers or Manning. Catches me a little off guard, I look and tell her it’s Ewers. She really wasn’t that wild. My wife gets pissed I’m talking to LL, at length.
But,…..
Sitting next to LL and her dad, we have plenty of room. Plenty. Not like Memorial Stadium. Here are my feet at Memorial Stadium vs. MN – with 2 tickets, just for me. So I pay the ticket fee twice for my feet -
My wife sits with a friend in the Balcony and I take our other two tickets, just for me, because, this is the room I get. The guy that sits next to me is always more nervous than me, manspreads like a champ, squirms like a 2-year-old and when the games were hot and we are wearing shorts, his leg bounces all over my leg, sweat and all, and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with it? Doesn’t even notice. WTF? Can I just watch the effing game without some dude basically sitting in my lap? I only spend about half my time in these seats, most standing. Every week, same. I wander around Memorial Stadium some and then around the 4th Q, the balcony clears out a little, my wife texts me and I go sit up top. Ahhhh, Freedom!
Earlier I talked about LL wanting updates. Did you know, I could watch IL at Oregon on my phone via YouTube TV (Ugh!) while simultaneously getting all the college score updates. No problem with Wi-Fi with a packed Kinnick Stadium? I had no idea that was possible. It is. I don’t know how.
Did you know, I could get past LL with no problem getting out of the row? No tripping over the brackets that hold the bleachers down, no walking on the bleachers, no sticking my
in someone’s face as I walk past, no stumbling onto the shoulders of the person sitting in the bleacher section below me, no making others have to clear out and stand in the aisle to let me get out of the row. I just simply got up, LL moved her knees to the side, as did her father, and I walked out of the row. Who knew there was such a place in a college football stadium.
Did you know I bought a Swarm Exile beer (actually 2), including a 20% tip for the org hosting the concession stand, for $10 per beer. $10.06 to be exact. It was probably a 20oz tap pour. First beer there was 1 person in line in front of me and the second beer it was just me. At Iowa, not BYU. Letting that beer loose down the drain also wasn’t a problem.
I do think Iowa fans really watch more of the game, maybe that’s why the ancillary parts weren’t crowded during the game? At Illinois, to many, watching the game is secondary. Except of course the section I sit in, then everyone wants to sit in that section (that’s why I go sit elsewhere). Reseat away lllini-ERA, I'm good with it. It can't be worse.
Did you know the people sitting near the top of those endzone seats at Iowa really like them. LL raved about the seats and her section. She's made friend with the ladies in front of her (also....not small - think East German). I paid ~95/ticket on the secondary market. One of the cheapest tickets in the house that day and they provide a fairly good view of the game. You can kinda see in the pic above the view (and the ladies). I tried to hide the Hawkeye stuff, unsuccessfully.
Anyway, when the south endzone gets rebuilt at the beloved, maybe 2040 or....2050, look no further than to our west, Kinnick. It’s my kinda seating. Zero complaints and very fan friendly.
Back the stadium. I have to say, I’m so much more like an Iowa fan than Illinois, I hate to say it. I sat near the top of the new (2019) end zone seats. Up comes Large Linda (LL) and her large father. Before she sits down, she apologizes before she says anything. She’s sorry she’s wild and very loud and crazy. I tell her no problem; I won’t have a problem with her craziness.
Then she starts asking who we were fans of. I tell her Illinois. She says that’s fine, we don’t play Illinois this year, she’s just worried about Nebraska and doesn’t like the Cornhuskers. She sees I have a cell phone and throughout the game is asking me for Nebraska updates. Later she’s asking about any upsets. I tell her Vandy is close to TX but it’s very early. She asks who is playing QB for TX, Ewers or Manning. Catches me a little off guard, I look and tell her it’s Ewers. She really wasn’t that wild. My wife gets pissed I’m talking to LL
, at length.But,…..
Sitting next to LL and her dad, we have plenty of room. Plenty. Not like Memorial Stadium. Here are my feet at Memorial Stadium vs. MN – with 2 tickets, just for me. So I pay the ticket fee twice for my feet -
My wife sits with a friend in the Balcony and I take our other two tickets, just for me, because, this is the room I get. The guy that sits next to me is always more nervous than me, manspreads like a champ, squirms like a 2-year-old and when the games were hot and we are wearing shorts, his leg bounces all over my leg, sweat and all, and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with it? Doesn’t even notice. WTF? Can I just watch the effing game without some dude basically sitting in my lap? I only spend about half my time in these seats, most standing. Every week, same. I wander around Memorial Stadium some and then around the 4th Q, the balcony clears out a little, my wife texts me and I go sit up top. Ahhhh, Freedom!
Earlier I talked about LL wanting updates. Did you know, I could watch IL at Oregon on my phone via YouTube TV (Ugh!) while simultaneously getting all the college score updates. No problem with Wi-Fi with a packed Kinnick Stadium? I had no idea that was possible. It is. I don’t know how.
Did you know, I could get past LL with no problem getting out of the row? No tripping over the brackets that hold the bleachers down, no walking on the bleachers, no sticking my
in someone’s face as I walk past, no stumbling onto the shoulders of the person sitting in the bleacher section below me, no making others have to clear out and stand in the aisle to let me get out of the row. I just simply got up, LL moved her knees to the side, as did her father, and I walked out of the row. Who knew there was such a place in a college football stadium.Did you know I bought a Swarm Exile beer (actually 2), including a 20% tip for the org hosting the concession stand, for $10 per beer. $10.06 to be exact. It was probably a 20oz tap pour. First beer there was 1 person in line in front of me and the second beer it was just me. At Iowa, not BYU. Letting that beer loose down the drain also wasn’t a problem.
I do think Iowa fans really watch more of the game, maybe that’s why the ancillary parts weren’t crowded during the game? At Illinois, to many, watching the game is secondary. Except of course the section I sit in, then everyone wants to sit in that section (that’s why I go sit elsewhere). Reseat away lllini-ERA, I'm good with it. It can't be worse.
Did you know the people sitting near the top of those endzone seats at Iowa really like them. LL raved about the seats and her section. She's made friend with the ladies in front of her (also....not small - think East German). I paid ~95/ticket on the secondary market. One of the cheapest tickets in the house that day and they provide a fairly good view of the game. You can kinda see in the pic above the view (and the ladies). I tried to hide the Hawkeye stuff, unsuccessfully.
Anyway, when the south endzone gets rebuilt at the beloved, maybe 2040 or....2050, look no further than to our west, Kinnick. It’s my kinda seating. Zero complaints and very fan friendly.
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I think MS needs a seating reshuffling. Just realized there are no handrails in the lower or upper decks other than the exits. I felt very cramped during the Minnesota game too.Last weekend, I took in the Northwestern at Iowa game. BTW, the new QB, Sullivan is much better than McNamara. Mc was hurt during NW game, they switched, and Sullivan took over. Whatever Iowa was doing playing McNamara? Good lord. Anyway, Iowa is one tough team. They started the year slowly but have really come on as of late, at least at home.
Back the stadium. I have to say, I’m so much more like an Iowa fan than Illinois, I hate to say it. I sat near the top of the new (2019) end zone seats. Up comes Large Linda (LL) and her large father. Before she sits down, she apologizes before she says anything. She’s sorry she’s wild and very loud and crazy. I tell her no problem; I won’t have a problem with her craziness.
Then she starts asking who we were fans of. I tell her Illinois. She says that’s fine, we don’t play Illinois this year, she’s just worried about Nebraska and doesn’t like the Cornhuskers. She sees I have a cell phone and throughout the game is asking me for Nebraska updates. Later she’s asking about any upsets. I tell her Vandy is close to TX but it’s very early. She asks who is playing QB for TX, Ewers or Manning. Catches me a little off guard, I look and tell her it’s Ewers. She really wasn’t that wild. My wife gets pissed I’m talking to LL
But,…..
Sitting next to LL and her dad, we have plenty of room. Plenty. Not like Memorial Stadium. Here are my feet at Memorial Stadium vs. MN – with 2 tickets, just for me. So I pay the ticket fee twice for my feet -
View attachment 37103
My wife sits with a friend in the Balcony and I take our other two tickets, just for me, because, this is the room I get. The guy that sits next to me is always more nervous than me, manspreads like a champ, squirms like a 2-year-old and when the games were hot and we are wearing shorts, his leg bounces all over my leg, sweat and all, and he doesn’t seem to have a problem with it? Doesn’t even notice. WTF? Can I just watch the effing game without some dude basically sitting in my lap? I only spend about half my time in these seats, most standing. Every week, same. I wander around Memorial Stadium some and then around the 4th Q, the balcony clears out a little, my wife texts me and I go sit up top. Ahhhh, Freedom!
Earlier I talked about LL wanting updates. Did you know, I could watch IL at Oregon on my phone via YouTube TV (Ugh!) while simultaneously getting all the college score updates. No problem with Wi-Fi with a packed Kinnick Stadium? I had no idea that was possible. It is. I don’t know how.
Did you know, I could get past LL with no problem getting out of the row? No tripping over the brackets that hold the bleachers down, no walking on the bleachers, no sticking my
Did you know I bought a Swarm Exile beer (actually 2), including a 20% tip for the org hosting the concession stand, for $10 per beer. $10.06 to be exact. It was probably a 20oz tap pour. First beer there was 1 person in line in front of me and the second beer it was just me. At Iowa, not BYU. Letting that beer loose down the drain also wasn’t a problem.
View attachment 37104
I do think Iowa fans really watch more of the game, maybe that’s why the ancillary parts weren’t crowded during the game? At Illinois, to many, watching the game is secondary. Except of course the section I sit in, then everyone wants to sit in that section (that’s why I go sit elsewhere). Reseat away lllini-ERA, I'm good with it. It can't be worse.
Did you know the people sitting near the top of those endzone seats at Iowa really like them. LL raved about the seats and her section. She's made friend with the ladies in front of her (also....not small - think East German). I paid ~95/ticket on the secondary market. One of the cheapest tickets in the house that day and they provide a fairly good view of the game. You can kinda see in the pic above the view (and the ladies). I tried to hide the Hawkeye stuff, unsuccessfully.
Anyway, when the south endzone gets rebuilt at the beloved, maybe 2040 or....2050, look no further than to our west, Kinnick. It’s my kinda seating. Zero complaints and very fan friendly.
Well you are in luck. They are doing a seating reshuffling next year.
I wouldn't play videos over the Marching Illini while they perform the Three in One. Maybe put the people in charge of the video board somewhere where they can watch the crowd and gameday atmosphere?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I think some of the comments above touch on one of Memorial Stadium's biggest issue in my eyes. In contrast to literally ALL new stadiums where the no-brainer move is to build a structure that looks big while having more spread out (and comfortable) seating that actually has a smaller capacity. If there were ever a better representation of how NOT to distribute capacity in a fan-friendly and architecturally competent way, it's the Horseshoe. It is simply astonishing that these two areas hold about the same number of fans:
I know I have complained about this a lot ... but I truly think it should bother more Illini fans and DIA team members that we are annoyingly close to a damn-near perfect stadium, and we are seemingly ultra complacent to leave it as is. And yes, I do truly think the Horseshoe is THAT big of an eyesore. Iowa hit a home run, as I said in an earlier post and was just re-emphasized. Their stadium only holds 8k more fans than ours does ... and it does an infinitely better job at enclosing the space.
I know I have complained about this a lot ... but I truly think it should bother more Illini fans and DIA team members that we are annoyingly close to a damn-near perfect stadium, and we are seemingly ultra complacent to leave it as is. And yes, I do truly think the Horseshoe is THAT big of an eyesore. Iowa hit a home run, as I said in an earlier post and was just re-emphasized. Their stadium only holds 8k more fans than ours does ... and it does an infinitely better job at enclosing the space.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Has anyone determined the actual distances in this graphic? Because I had kind of a lightbulb moment here regarding why I find the Horseshoe even more visually jarring than I initially did compared to the rest of the stadium.
I actually thought of this when I was watching us play at Oregon and noticed that while their end zone stands really were not that tall, it also didn't look as bad as the Horseshoe. For us, when you combine the twin factors that (A) the East/West sides are fundamentally "square" in shaping rather than bowl-shaped and (B) the stands are so far from the field ... you get the following awkward visual:(1) The Horseshoe is already very "short" in comparison to the rest of the stadium. This is because it crams too many seats in there, it seems like a more gradual incline than the rest of the stands and it does not go down to field level like the other stands.
(2) It is, as previously mentioned, too far from the end zone, which makes it look even smaller by comparison.
(3) Because the stands that are the height of the Horseshoe need to go from tower to tower, that height of stands seems like it goes unnaturally wide.
Comparing Oregon and us, the yellow lines mark where the end zone seats theoretically end and transition into a "corner section," and the blue line marks the height of the shortest seats directly behind the end zone.
As you can see, Oregon's "end zone seats" *end* at what seems like a more naturally spot, starting to slope up. Additionally, due to the bowl nature, the stands begin to get taller and enclose more space. Meanwhile, in comparison, it seems like the Horseshoe is too wide.
Bottom line, IMO? If you have a "square" stadium, all sides must be as close to the field as possible, or you will have a very ugly end zone.
EDIT: This would be impossible now, but honestly I think in a perfect world, Memorial Stadium becomes truly "boxed in," and the column towers were somehow at the true CORNERS of the stands rather than perpendicular to the end zone seats. That would be truly unique and awesome, haha.
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Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Final spam post, I promise ... I'm just trying to avoid thinking about the Minnesota loss, and I have the morning off of work. I was looking at other stadiums around the country, and - NOT necessarily taking into account the rest of the stadium - these were some of the more interesting end zone seat designs that we could maybe take inspiration from for the Horseshoe renovation. I tried to prioritize some that have not been posted as often (e.g., Iowa). When taking into account my best estimate for cost and a presumed difficulty filling more than 61k seats in the near future, these are roughly in order from least ambitious to most ambitious. Once again for context, the Horseshoe (while a small structure) actually seats almost 10,000 people ... so that is theoretically what we have to work with before even touching any other area of the stadium.
Illinois: Capacity N/A
This is an original rendering from way back before the 2006-2007 renovation. It's honestly hard to tell what the specific changes would have been, but it pretty clearly brings the Horseshoe seats down to field level, and it looks like it extends them back a bit to give some extra height (the Horseshoe seats certainly do not go that far back from the towers, for example). I am not sure what the plans would have been for the exterior, but this at least solves our current issue somewhat with minimal cost.
TCU: 2,500 capacity
This is the "punt on capacity and care about architecture" option, lol. Keep the Horseshoe seats as is (but of course bring them closer to the field) and help entrap the noise of the stadium by building some type of brick/column structure behind those seats, likely on either side of the scoreboard.
Arkansas: 4,800 capacity
This is is a good, relatively simple, low-capacity option that adds some revenue-generating suites to the mix. A key component of any "real" renovation that involves substantial costs will be making the new SEZ seats genuinely desirable.
Utah: 6,049 capacity
Something like this is a bit more ambitious, but it would allow us to probably keep the scoreboard where it is and build capacity around it, gradually sloping up to meet the height of the towers on either side.
Illinois: Capacity N/A
Our original plan floated in 2016 or so (and later abandoned) would honestly still be an absolute home run.
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I was looking at other stadiums around the country, and - NOT necessarily taking into account the rest of the stadium - these were some of the more interesting end zone seat designs that we could maybe take inspiration from for the Horseshoe renovation. I tried to prioritize some that have not been posted as often (e.g., Iowa). When taking into account my best estimate for cost and a presumed difficulty filling more than 61k seats in the near future, these are roughly in order from least ambitious to most ambitious. Once again for context, the Horseshoe (while a small structure) actually seats almost 10,000 people ... so that is theoretically what we have to work with before even touching any other area of the stadium.Illinois: Capacity N/A
This is an original rendering from way back before the 2006-2007 renovation. It's honestly hard to tell what the specific changes would have been, but it pretty clearly brings the Horseshoe seats down to field level, and it looks like it extends them back a bit to give some extra height (the Horseshoe seats certainly do not go that far back from the towers, for example). I am not sure what the plans would have been for the exterior, but this at least solves our current issue somewhat with minimal cost.
TCU: 2,500 capacity
This is the "punt on capacity and care about architecture" option, lol. Keep the Horseshoe seats as is (but of course bring them closer to the field) and help entrap the noise of the stadium by building some type of brick/column structure behind those seats, likely on either side of the scoreboard.
Arkansas: 4,800 capacity
This is is a good, relatively simple, low-capacity option that adds some revenue-generating suites to the mix. A key component of any "real" renovation that involves substantial costs will be making the new SEZ seats genuinely desirable.
Utah: 6,049 capacity
Something like this is a bit more ambitious, but it would allow us to probably keep the scoreboard where it is and build capacity around it, gradually sloping up to meet the height of the towers on either side.
Illinois: Capacity N/A
Our original plan floated in 2016 or so (and later abandoned) would honestly still be an absolute home run.
The center of the horseshoe is about 30 yards(!) away from the back of the SEZ. The two sidelines and NEZ have a 12-15 yard gap.
Saw some complaining in the postgame thread about the student section. I really hate the north end zone situation. That block has 5,000 capacity and if 4,900 show up you still see those corners where it's empty and then it's "why can't the students show up?!"
I don't know what you do with that north end zone grandstand. They're not very desirable seats. Putting the students there has really destroyed the call-and-response I-L-L I-N-I chant that used to go from east to west.
I haven't heard from Bielema about that in a while but he needs to keep advocating for putting the students back on the east sideline. He definitely has the clout to affect that kind of change.
Nevertheless, moving the students back to the east sideline raises the question of what to do with that block of 5,000 north end zone seats. I don't have an easy answer. The aesthetics of it are terrible.
I don't know what you do with that north end zone grandstand. They're not very desirable seats. Putting the students there has really destroyed the call-and-response I-L-L I-N-I chant that used to go from east to west.
I haven't heard from Bielema about that in a while but he needs to keep advocating for putting the students back on the east sideline. He definitely has the clout to affect that kind of change.
Nevertheless, moving the students back to the east sideline raises the question of what to do with that block of 5,000 north end zone seats. I don't have an easy answer. The aesthetics of it are terrible.
MoCoMdIllini
- Montgomery County, Maryland
Maybe the visitor section? I'd really rather see them in the upper deck, though.
For sure I don't want the visitor section being right behind the band lol
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I absolutely do not want the visitor section controlling the noise going into one of the end zones. Send the visitors in purgatory of the corners of the East Balcony.
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