Gophers Ready to Embrace the Outdoors

Saturday, September 12 th, 2009, will mark the first time since 1981 that the Golden Gophers will be playing football outdoors in the Minnesota fall. Thankfully, gone is the emotionless Metrodome and in its place, and back on campus, is the marvelous structure known as TCF Bank Stadium.

Officials are hoping that a return to University grounds will reignite the excitement that only a truly collegiate atmosphere can provide, as well as some much needed revenue that has been missing since the original move into the Metrodome in 1982.

Home games against Air Force, California and South Dakota State University; as well as Big Ten rivals Purdue, Michigan State, Illinois and Wisconsin should only help enhance the experience at the new stadium. With my immediate apologies to the UM students, alcohol will not be served inside the Stadium doors. The bright side being that normal tailgating rules will apply, as well as several area bars and restaurants have submitted for permits to allow outside sales and consumption.

The $288.5 million dollar horse shoe shaped stadium is stunning. The video board in the East end zone is the third largest in college football, behind only Texas and Mississippi. Built by Daktronics, it stretches 48 feet high and 108 feet wide. It’s comparable to entire basketball court at Williams Arena. The Gopher’s Home Suite includes the coaches locker room, training room, equipment room, recruiting room, and post game interview room. The Suite also contains the football shaped Gophers’ locker room measure at 60 yards long and 25 yards wide. The stadium has 37 Premium seats, 57 Loge boxes, 113 restrooms, and 350 LCD televisions.

Capacity at TCF Stadium is at 50,805 however, officials designed the Stadium with possible expansion in mind, up to 80,000. Here is how TCF Bank Stadium compares to the other stadiums in the Big Ten Conference.

Big Ten Conference Stadium Capacities

Minnesota Gopher fans should be excited about the football team’s return to campus. Nothing creates a more hostile, buzzing energy than 50,000 geeked, hyped and jacked students screaming and yelling in a brand new stadium with a team that should be more than competitive in the Big Ten this season. It’s a good thing that a roof wasn’t put on the stadium, because it would never be able to withstand the raucous crowd on the very first Adam Weber to Eric Decker connection for a touchdown. Gopher fans are you ready for some football?

> More 2009 College Football Previews from CollegeSports-fans.com