Autzen Stadium
Encyclopedia
Autzen Stadium is an outdoor football
stadium in Eugene
, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon
campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks
of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions. The official capacity
is 54,000, although attendance is routinely around 59,000 and has exceeded capacity for every game since the most recent expansion in 2002.
; the higher-attended games (against
schools like Washington
and USC) were played 110 miles (177 km) north in Portland
at the larger Multnomah Stadium. With the recognition that the football team had outgrown the campus facility and with popular support to bring all the home games to Eugene, Oregon athletic director Leo Harris
led a campaign to build a new stadium on 90 acre (0.3642174 km²) that the school had acquired for the purpose in the 1950s on his recommendation.
The stadium, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
, was built within an artificial landfill (over the refuse) to eliminate the need for multilevel ramps. As a result, construction took just nine months and cost approximately $2.5 million. $250,000 was contributed by the Autzen Foundation, headed by the son of Portland
lumberman and philanthropist Thomas J. Autzen
, for whom the stadium was named. Ironically, Thomas J. Autzen is actually an alumnus of Oregon State University
. The foundation's donation to the University of Oregon was linked to his son's attendance at the school during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
On September 23, 1967, Oregon hosted Colorado
in the first game played at Autzen Stadium, a 13–17 loss. Oregon won their first game in the new facility on October 21 over Idaho
31–6 in their only home victory of the season. The facility opened with a natural grass playing field; artificial turf
was installed for its third season in 1969.
The stadium alternates with Reser Stadium
at Oregon State
as host of the Civil War
, the annual rivalry game.
Autzen will host the inaugural
Pac-12 Conference Championship game
on December 2nd, 2011 as the Pac-12 North champion Ducks will take on the Pac-12 South champion UCLA Bruins
.
In 1981, a $650,000 meeting room complex, the Donald Barker Stadium Club, was constructed on the east rim above the end zone. The addition gave the stadium its first meeting facilities.
In 1988, a $2.3 million renovation built a new press box on the south side of the stadium and converted the original north side press box to luxury suites
. The renovation was designed by architecture firm Ellerbe Becket
.
In 1995, the field was named Rich Brooks
Field, after the Ducks' coach from 1977 to 1994. Brooks led Oregon to its first outright Pac-10 championship, and its first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years, in his last season. Brooks left Oregon after the 1994 season to become head coach of the St. Louis Rams
of the National Football League
.
In 2002, a $90 million facelift and expansion added seating and luxury boxes to the south sideline, bringing the stadium seating capacity up to its current level.
In 2007, the large yellow "O" was added onto the south end of the stadium exterior when ESPN
's College GameDay was on location. That season, "Gameday" originated two of its Saturday shows from Eugene.
In 2008, a new, 33-by-85-foot high-definition LED scoreboard and replay screen—known as DuckVision or "Duckvision 2.0"-- was installed; it replaced the original video screen installed prior to the 1998–1999 football season. It is the third largest video screen in the Pac-12.
In 2010, the field was replaced with new FieldTurf
that featured the new Pac-10 logo (even before the logo was officially revealed to the public). During the process, the crown was removed to make the field flat. In addition, new paneling was added to the walls surrounding the field.
The Ducks have a current streak of 79 straight sellouts at Autzen Stadium, dating back to the 1999 season. The highest attendance at Autzen was 60,055 on October 15, 2011, when the Ducks beat the Arizona State Sun Devils, 41-27. This stands as the largest crowd for a sporting event in the state of Oregon.
From 1997 to 2001, the Ducks had a 23-game home winning streak at Autzen Stadium. The streak ended with a 49–42 loss to Stanford
.
In 2011, the USC Trojans defeated the Ducks 38-35 ending a 21-game home winning streak as the Trojans handed Chip Kelly his first loss at Autzen as Oregon's head coach.
, next to Alton Baker Park
. Students typically walk to the stadium from the University of Oregon campus over the Autzen Footbridge, which passes over the Willamette, then through Alton Baker Park. The FieldTurf
playing field is at an elevation of 420 feet (128 m) above sea level and is laid out in a non-traditional east-west orientation, slightly skewed so that players will not have the sun shining in their eyes in late fall.
On October 27, 2007, during a 24–17 defeat of the USC Trojans
, a then-record crowd of 59,277 fans was recorded at 127.2 decibel
s. A similarly loud 31–27 upset of third-ranked Michigan
in 2003 prompted a Michigan Daily columnist to write
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
later said that Autzen Stadium was the loudest stadium he'd ever been in.
In 2006, a Sporting News
columnist named Autzen the most intimidating college football stadium in the nation.
Lee Corso
of ESPN College Gameday frequently says that; "Per person Autzen Stadium is the loudest stadium that I have ever been in my entire life!"
Jahvid Best
, a starting running back for the California Golden Bears
said of his game in 2007 at Autzen Stadium, "The biggest thing I remember about that game is the crowd. The crowd noise is crazy up there. Honestly, any other away game I don't really even hear the crowd. Oregon was the only place where it really got on my nerves."
Prior to the football team taking the field, a highlight video of previous games is shown on the jumbotron, nicknamed "Duckvision". The last highlight on the clip is almost always Kenny Wheaton's game-clinching 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Washington Huskies in 1994. "The Pick" is often seen as the turning point for Oregon football, which went on to the Rose Bowl that year and have enjoyed success for the most part ever since after years of losing records.
After the video, a motorcycle with the Oregon Duck mascot riding on the back, rides on to the field leading the team behind them. This is followed by the north side of the stadium chanting "GO" with the south side chanting "DUCKS!".
competitions and musical concerts.
Bob Dylan
and The Grateful Dead
recorded a portion of their collaborative live album, entitled Dylan & the Dead
, here on July 19, 1987.
It was also used as the location for the fictional Faber College football stadium in the 1978 movie, National Lampoon's Animal House
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
stadium in Eugene
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
, Oregon, United States. Located north of the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
campus, it is the home field of the Oregon Ducks
Oregon Ducks football
The Oregon Ducks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University of Oregon located in the U.S. state of Oregon. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. Known as the Ducks, the...
of the Pacific-12 Conference. Opened in 1967, the stadium has undergone several expansions. The official capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
is 54,000, although attendance is routinely around 59,000 and has exceeded capacity for every game since the most recent expansion in 2002.
History
Prior to 1967, the Ducks typically played only three games a year on campus at Hayward FieldHayward Field
Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, is one of the best-known historic track and field stadiums in the United States. Nearly a century in age, it was the home of the University of Oregon's football team from 1919 through 1966, and has been the home to the Ducks' track and field teams since 1921...
; the higher-attended games (against
schools like Washington
Washington Huskies football
College football has a long history at the University of Washington. The Washington Huskies have won 15 Pacific-10 Conference championships, seven Rose Bowl titles, and three national championships. Washington's all-time record of 653-398-50 ranks 20th by all-time winning percentage and 21st by...
and USC) were played 110 miles (177 km) north in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
at the larger Multnomah Stadium. With the recognition that the football team had outgrown the campus facility and with popular support to bring all the home games to Eugene, Oregon athletic director Leo Harris
Leo Harris
Leo A. Harris was an American athlete, coach, and renowned athletic director. He played college football at Stanford University, coached football and basketball at Fresno State College, and was the first athletic director for the University of Oregon, bringing success to a financially troubled...
led a campaign to build a new stadium on 90 acre (0.3642174 km²) that the school had acquired for the purpose in the 1950s on his recommendation.
The stadium, designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
, was built within an artificial landfill (over the refuse) to eliminate the need for multilevel ramps. As a result, construction took just nine months and cost approximately $2.5 million. $250,000 was contributed by the Autzen Foundation, headed by the son of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
lumberman and philanthropist Thomas J. Autzen
Thomas J. Autzen
Thomas J. Autzen was a Danish-American pioneer in plywood manufacturing, and founder of a family-run philanthropic foundation known as the Autzen Foundation. The Autzen Foundation supplied the single largest donation, $250,000, to support the construction of a football stadium at the University of...
, for whom the stadium was named. Ironically, Thomas J. Autzen is actually an alumnus of Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. The foundation's donation to the University of Oregon was linked to his son's attendance at the school during the late 1930s and early 1940s.
On September 23, 1967, Oregon hosted Colorado
Colorado Buffaloes football
The Colorado Buffaloes football program represents the University of Colorado at Boulder in college football at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The team is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, having previously been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference. Before joining the Big 12,...
in the first game played at Autzen Stadium, a 13–17 loss. Oregon won their first game in the new facility on October 21 over Idaho
Idaho Vandals football
The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I...
31–6 in their only home victory of the season. The facility opened with a natural grass playing field; artificial turf
Artificial turf
Artificial turf is a surface manufactured from synthetic fibers made to look like natural grass. It is most often used in arenas for sports that were originally or are normally played on grass. However, it is now being used on residential lawns and commercial applications as well...
was installed for its third season in 1969.
The stadium alternates with Reser Stadium
Reser Stadium
Reser Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. on the campus of Oregon State University. It is the home of the Oregon State Beavers of the Pacific-12 Conference. Originally opened in 1953 as Parker Stadium, the stadium was renamed in 1999, and its current...
at Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers football
The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive...
as host of the Civil War
Civil War (college football game)
The Civil War is the colloquial name for an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Oregon Ducks football team of the University of Oregon and the Oregon State Beavers football team of the Oregon State University...
, the annual rivalry game.
Autzen will host the inaugural
2011 Pacific-12 Football Championship Game
The 2011 Pacific-12 Football Championship Game will be played on Friday, December 2, 2011 to determine the 2011 football champion of the Pacific-12 Conference . The game will feature UCLA, champion of the South Division, playing against the North Division champion Oregon...
Pac-12 Conference Championship game
Pacific-12 Football Championship Game
The Pacific-12 Championship Game is a college football game that will be held by the Pacific-12 Conference each year to determine the Pacific-12 Conference's season champion. The inaugural game will be held December 2, 2011 at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT...
on December 2nd, 2011 as the Pac-12 North champion Ducks will take on the Pac-12 South champion UCLA Bruins
2011 UCLA Bruins football team
The 2011 UCLA Bruins football team represents the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team is coached by fourth year head coach Rick Neuheisel and plays their home games in Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California...
.
Renovations
In 1988, a $2.3 million renovation built a new press box on the south side of the stadium and converted the original north side press box to luxury suites
Luxury box
A Luxury box is a special seating section located within stadiums, arenas and other sporting and entertainment venues. They are typically located in the midsection of a stadium grandstand, usually providing the best views of the event...
. The renovation was designed by architecture firm Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket
Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company, is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based architectural, engineering, interior design and construction firm – ranked as one of the world's largest architectural firms – and with offices in Dallas, TX, Kansas City, MO, San Francisco, CA, Washington, DC, Dubai,...
.
In 1995, the field was named Rich Brooks
Rich Brooks
Rich Brooks is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Oregon from 1977 to 1994 and at the University of Kentucky from 2003 to 2009, compiling a career college football record of 128–154–4. Brooks was also the head coach of the...
Field, after the Ducks' coach from 1977 to 1994. Brooks led Oregon to its first outright Pac-10 championship, and its first Rose Bowl appearance in 37 years, in his last season. Brooks left Oregon after the 1994 season to become head coach of the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
In 2002, a $90 million facelift and expansion added seating and luxury boxes to the south sideline, bringing the stadium seating capacity up to its current level.
In 2007, the large yellow "O" was added onto the south end of the stadium exterior when ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's College GameDay was on location. That season, "Gameday" originated two of its Saturday shows from Eugene.
In 2008, a new, 33-by-85-foot high-definition LED scoreboard and replay screen—known as DuckVision or "Duckvision 2.0"-- was installed; it replaced the original video screen installed prior to the 1998–1999 football season. It is the third largest video screen in the Pac-12.
In 2010, the field was replaced with new FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
that featured the new Pac-10 logo (even before the logo was officially revealed to the public). During the process, the crown was removed to make the field flat. In addition, new paneling was added to the walls surrounding the field.
Stadium records
From 1997 to 2001, the Ducks had a 23-game home winning streak at Autzen Stadium. The streak ended with a 49–42 loss to Stanford
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
.
In 2011, the USC Trojans defeated the Ducks 38-35 ending a 21-game home winning streak as the Trojans handed Chip Kelly his first loss at Autzen as Oregon's head coach.
| Autzen Stadium Attendance Records | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Attendance | Date | Note | |
| 1 | Arizona State | 60,055 | October 15, 2011 | |
| 2 | Washington | 60,017 | November 6, 2010 | |
| 3 | Arizona | 59,990 | November 26, 2010 | |
| 4 | USC | 59,933 | November 19, 2011 | |
| 5 | Stanford | 59,818 | October 2, 2010 | |
| 6 | Oregon State | 59,597 | December 3, 2009 | |
| 7 | USC | 59,592 | October 31, 2009 | |
| 8 | Arizona State | 59,379 | November 3, 2007 | |
| 9 | UCLA | 59,277 | October 21, 2010 | |
| 10 | USC | 59,277 | October 27, 2007 | |
Location and configuration
The stadium is located just north of the Willamette RiverWillamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
, next to Alton Baker Park
Alton Baker Park
Alton Baker Park is located in Eugene, Oregon, United States, near Autzen Stadium. It was named for Register-Guard founder Alton F. Baker, Sr...
. Students typically walk to the stadium from the University of Oregon campus over the Autzen Footbridge, which passes over the Willamette, then through Alton Baker Park. The FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
playing field is at an elevation of 420 feet (128 m) above sea level and is laid out in a non-traditional east-west orientation, slightly skewed so that players will not have the sun shining in their eyes in late fall.
Crowd noise
Autzen is known for its crowd noise. The fans are very close to the field compared to other stadiums and the field is sunken, which contributes to the loudness of the stadium despite having a smaller capacity than most other 'noise comparable' stadiums. According to many in the Pac-10, it was actually even louder prior to the most recent expansion because the noise reverberated all the way up the stadium and bounced back down to the field—the so-called "Autzen bounce." Oregon officials say that any future expansions will trap more noise.On October 27, 2007, during a 24–17 defeat of the USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
, a then-record crowd of 59,277 fans was recorded at 127.2 decibel
Decibel
The decibel is a logarithmic unit that indicates the ratio of a physical quantity relative to a specified or implied reference level. A ratio in decibels is ten times the logarithm to base 10 of the ratio of two power quantities...
s. A similarly loud 31–27 upset of third-ranked Michigan
Michigan Wolverines
The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan. These teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men's ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, and women's water polo, which...
in 2003 prompted a Michigan Daily columnist to write
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
Lloyd Carr
Lloyd H. Carr is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Michigan from 1995 through the 2007 season. Under Carr, the Wolverines compiled a record of 122–40 and won or shared five Big Ten Conference titles...
later said that Autzen Stadium was the loudest stadium he'd ever been in.
In 2006, a Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
columnist named Autzen the most intimidating college football stadium in the nation.
Lee Corso
Lee Corso
Leland "Lee" Corso is a sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN. He has been featured on ESPN's College GameDay program since its inception and he appeared annually as a commentator in EA Sports' NCAA Football through NCAA Football 11...
of ESPN College Gameday frequently says that; "Per person Autzen Stadium is the loudest stadium that I have ever been in my entire life!"
Jahvid Best
Jahvid Best
Jahvid Andre Best is a running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was selected by the Lions with the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. In college, he played for the California Golden Bears, setting several records, including most all-purpose yards in a single season and...
, a starting running back for the California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
said of his game in 2007 at Autzen Stadium, "The biggest thing I remember about that game is the crowd. The crowd noise is crazy up there. Honestly, any other away game I don't really even hear the crowd. Oregon was the only place where it really got on my nerves."
Traditions
Since 1990, Autzen Stadium announcer Don Essig has repeated his ironic catchphrase "It never rains at Autzen Stadium" before each home game as the crowd chants along in unison. He often prefaces it with the local weather forecast, which quite often includes some chance of showers, but reminds fans that "we know the real forecast..." or "let's tell our friends from (visiting team name) the real forecast..." If rain is actually falling before the game, Essig will often dismiss it as "a light drizzle," or "liquid sunshine" but not actual rain by Oregon standards. Also, because of the use of Autzen stadium in 'National Lampoons Animal House' a jazz clip from the movie is often played in the third quarter.Prior to the football team taking the field, a highlight video of previous games is shown on the jumbotron, nicknamed "Duckvision". The last highlight on the clip is almost always Kenny Wheaton's game-clinching 97-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Washington Huskies in 1994. "The Pick" is often seen as the turning point for Oregon football, which went on to the Rose Bowl that year and have enjoyed success for the most part ever since after years of losing records.
After the video, a motorcycle with the Oregon Duck mascot riding on the back, rides on to the field leading the team behind them. This is followed by the north side of the stadium chanting "GO" with the south side chanting "DUCKS!".
Other uses
Autzen Stadium is the largest sports arena in the state of Oregon. State high-school football championship games were played at Autzen Stadium, until 2006. Four Eugene high schools played their home football games in the stadium, from 1969–2001. It also hosts football camps and coaches' clinics, marching bandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
competitions and musical concerts.
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
recorded a portion of their collaborative live album, entitled Dylan & the Dead
Dylan & The Dead
Dylan & the Dead is a collaborative live album by Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead, released in 1989 by Columbia Records. It consists of seven songs written and sung by Dylan, with the Dead providing accompaniment. The album was produced by Jerry Garcia and John Cutler.Dylan & the Dead was...
, here on July 19, 1987.
It was also used as the location for the fictional Faber College football stadium in the 1978 movie, National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House
National Lampoon's Animal House is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis. The film was a direct spin-off of National Lampoon magazine...
.
External links
- Sports-Venue.com – Autzen Stadium – Info and Photos
- Goducks.com – Official Autzen Stadium Information
- Building Oregon: Architecture of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest includes images and documentation for University of Oregon buildings