Bridgeforth Stadium
Encyclopedia
James Madison University
James Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
in Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Harrisonburg is an independent city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia in the United States. Its population as of 2010 is 48,914, and at the 2000 census, 40,468. Harrisonburg is the county seat of Rockingham County and the core city of the Harrisonburg, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical...
. The stadium is home to the James Madison University Dukes football team
James Madison Dukes football
The James Madison Dukes football team, founded in 1972, plays at Bridgeforth Stadium. Originally called JMU Stadium, it was renamed for William E. Bridgeforth in 1990. The JMU football team was rarely the centerpiece of JMU sports until the hiring of Mickey Matthews in 1999...
, the 2004 NCAA Division I (FCS) National Champions.
Originally named Madison Stadium, it was built in 1975 and had a capacity of approximately 5,200. The stadium was originally designed as a multi-purpose facility, and hosted football, track and field, lacrosse, and field hockey events. In addition, the stadium contained indoor racquetball courts, several classrooms, support space for the JMU ROTC program, and administrative offices for JMU varsity athletic teams and media relations. In 1981, the stadium then called JMU Stadium, underwent its first expansion which included a second set of seats giving it a total capacity of more than 12,000. The facility was again renamed in 1990 for William E. Bridgeforth, former member of the JMU Board of Visitors. In 2003 the field was named in honor of JMU benefactor Zane Showker (whose name is also on the building for JMU's School of Business). In 2004, the facility added a new scoreboard with video replay features, which was dismantled after the 2010 season to make room for the permanent seating, and a new and much larger video scoreboard installed on the south end zone above the Plecker Athletic Performance Center. In 2006, the existing artificial turf was replaced with 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...
. The stadium is situated in the Lakeside area of campus, and is adjacent to the multi-million dollar Plecker Athletic Center and a five story parking deck.
A major stadium renovation and expansion project, begun in December 2009 and scheduled to be completed in August 2011, will establish seating capacity at approximately 25,000 permanent seats.
Stadium expansion
On January 11, 2008 during the James Madison University Board of Visitors’ meeting, university officials presented Phase I of the planned expansion for Bridgeforth Stadium.Phase I features will include:
- The demolition of the existing west stands, removal of the track, and the construction of a two-tiered complex in its place
- Construction of 4200 permanent seats, restrooms and concessions in the north end zone
- Additional phase I seating (principally in the upper-deck) will total 9,100, bringing final capacity to approximately 25,000
- New premium viewing options from VIP suites and a club lounge with chairback seating
- Additional seating that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Increased fan amenities such as escalators, concourses, concessions and restrooms
- Relocated and expanded press box in the west stands
- Increased stadium lighting
- New and enlarged video scoreboard
Construction on Phase I expansion began in late 2009 and is set for completion prior to the 2011 season. When completed, the Bridgeforth Stadium and Zane Showker Field complex, including the Plecker Athletic Performance Center and parking deck, will represent an investment of approximately $90 million.
- On September 10 2011 the Dukes played for the first time in the newly expanded stadium against Central Connecticut in front of a sellout crowd of 25,102 fans. The Dukes won 14-9.