Carter-Finley Stadium
Encyclopedia
Carter-Finley Stadium is home to the North Carolina State University
Wolfpack
football team. It was opened in 1966 and now has a seating capacity of 57,583 seats.
The stadium replaced the obsolete on-campus Riddick Stadium
and was originally named Carter Stadium, in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. The name of Albert E. Finley, another major contributor to the University, was added in 1978.
While located on University land, the stadium is a few miles to the west of the academic campus on Trinity Road, just off of Hillsborough Street
.
Carter-Finley Stadium's season tickets have been sold out for nine straight years.
Carter-Finley Stadium has the smallest clearance between the stands and the sidelines of any stadium in the ACC.
Prior to the 2001 season, the university began a program of modernization of the stadium by enclosing the southern endzone with seats, and the state-of-the-art Murphy Center (named for Wendell Murphy) was built behind it. Following the 2004 football season, Carter-Finley was again expanded with the completion of the "Vaughn Towers", a complex of luxury boxes, club seats, and media facilities which opened for the 2005 football season.
For the 2006 season, a new north end zone grandstand was added consisting of 5,730 new chairback, bench, and handicap-accessible seating with another 1,630 permanent bleacher seats built underneath the video scoreboard making Carter-Finley a bowl and giving it a capacity of 57,583 spectators. Additional upgrades to the stadium included a new north end zone plaza with concession stands and the addition of two video screens in each corner of the south endzone.
Retired numbers displayed on the west facade of Carter-Finley Stadium include those of Roman Gabriel
(18), Torry Holt
(81), Philip Rivers
(17), Bill Yoest (63), Dennis Byrd (77), Dick Christy
(40), Jim Ritcher
(51), and Ted Brown
(23). Carter-Finley also displays banners from NC State's Bowl appearances which include the Gator Bowl, Peach Bowl and Liberty Bowl.
On October 3, 2009, the stadium hosted a concert by U2
& their opening band Muse
, during their 360° Tour
. This was the first time the venue had hosted a similar event, since the modernization of the stadium.
On July 28, 2011 the World Football Challenge
held an exhibition match between Juventus of Itay's Serie A
,and Guadalajara Chivas of Mexico's Primera Division
at the stadium.
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack
The athletic teams of the North Carolina State University, known as the Wolfpack, compete in 24 intercollegiate varsity sports. NC State is a founding member of the Atlantic Coast Conference and has won eight national championships: two NCAA championships, two AIAW championships, and four titles...
football team. It was opened in 1966 and now has a seating capacity of 57,583 seats.
The stadium replaced the obsolete on-campus Riddick Stadium
Riddick Stadium
Riddick Stadium is a former college football stadium, home to the North Carolina State University Wolfpack football team. The stadium was named after Wallace Carl Riddick, N.C. State football coach during the 1898-1899 seasons...
and was originally named Carter Stadium, in honor of Harry C. & Wilbert J. "Nick" Carter, both graduates of the university. They were major contributors to the original building of the stadium. The name of Albert E. Finley, another major contributor to the University, was added in 1978.
While located on University land, the stadium is a few miles to the west of the academic campus on Trinity Road, just off of Hillsborough Street
Hillsborough Street
Hillsborough Street is a prominent business and cultural thoroughfare through Raleigh, North Carolina. The street serves as a center for social life among North Carolina State University students. Nearby Meredith College students also frequent the street's area businesses...
.
Carter-Finley Stadium's season tickets have been sold out for nine straight years.
Carter-Finley Stadium has the smallest clearance between the stands and the sidelines of any stadium in the ACC.
Prior to the 2001 season, the university began a program of modernization of the stadium by enclosing the southern endzone with seats, and the state-of-the-art Murphy Center (named for Wendell Murphy) was built behind it. Following the 2004 football season, Carter-Finley was again expanded with the completion of the "Vaughn Towers", a complex of luxury boxes, club seats, and media facilities which opened for the 2005 football season.
Retired numbers displayed on the west facade of Carter-Finley Stadium include those of Roman Gabriel
Roman Gabriel
Roman Ildonzo Gabriel, Jr. is a former American football player. The son of a Filipino immigrant, he was the first Asian-American to start as an NFL quarterback and is considered by many to have been one of the best players at that position during the late 1960s and early 70s.Gabriel attended and...
(18), Torry Holt
Torry Holt
After injuring his knee at the Senior Bowl, Holt, at 192 pounds, ran a 4.44 second 40-yard dash and had a vertical jump of 37 inches at the 1999 NFL Combine-St. Louis Rams:...
(81), Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
(17), Bill Yoest (63), Dennis Byrd (77), Dick Christy
Dick Christy
Dick Christy is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. The 5'11", 191 lb. Christy was a star halfback at North Carolina State University from 1955 to 1957, leading them to the 1957 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship in his senior year...
(40), Jim Ritcher
Jim Ritcher
-Career:He started his career playing high school football for Highland High School in Medina, Ohio and was an All-American at North Carolina State and won the Outland Trophy in 1979 as the nation's best offensive lineman. In the National Football League, Richer was moved to guard from center by...
(51), and Ted Brown
Ted Brown
Ted Brown is an American and former collegiate and professional football player. He attended High Point high school, before attending North Carolina State University.-Football career:...
(23). Carter-Finley also displays banners from NC State's Bowl appearances which include the Gator Bowl, Peach Bowl and Liberty Bowl.
On October 3, 2009, the stadium hosted a concert by U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
& their opening band Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, during their 360° Tour
U2 360° Tour
The U2 360° Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Launched in support of the group's 2009 album No Line on the Horizon, the tour visited stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It was named for a stage configuration that allowed the audience to almost completely surround the stage...
. This was the first time the venue had hosted a similar event, since the modernization of the stadium.
On July 28, 2011 the World Football Challenge
World Football Challenge
The 2009 World Football Challenge is the first World Football Challenge event, an exhibition international club football competition featuring football clubs from Europe and North America, which has been held first in summer of 2009. Chelsea F.C...
held an exhibition match between Juventus of Itay's Serie A
Serie A
Serie A , now called Serie A TIM due to sponsorship by Telecom Italia, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and has been operating for over eighty years since 1929. It had been organized by Lega Calcio until 2010, but a new...
,and Guadalajara Chivas of Mexico's Primera Division
Primera división
Primera división can refer to multiple top division football leagues:*in CONMEBOL **Argentine Primera División, Argentina**Chilean Primera División, Chile**Paraguayan Primera División, Paraguay...
at the stadium.
External links
- http://www.gopack.com/fls/9200/football_guide_2009/index.html?DB_OEM_ID=9200 - 2009 Media Guide - See Page 27 of guide for Stadium Facts
- http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=1523361&SPID=3730&SPSID=41957 - 2008 Media Guide Downloads Page from GoPack.com - PDF Format
- Carter-Finley Stadium -Summary from gopack.com
- http://ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=34&url_article_id=12778&change_well_id=2 - NCAA Football Info Page for Carter-Finley Stadium
- Clemson Players Discuss Toughest Venues
- Carter-Finley.com- Carter Finley Stadium History
- Carter Finley Stadium History