Camp Randall Stadium, built in 1917, is the home for Wisconsin's football team. The current capacity (76,118) ranks among the nation's largest school-owned stadiums.
Location
Camp Randall is located at the corner of Monroe and Regent streets on the west side of the UW campus. (1440 Monroe Street; Phone: 608-262-1866)
The Facility
Distinguished by its impressive double-deck structure, Camp Randall Stadium has been the Badgers' facility since its opening game on Nov. 3, 1917. It has been host to UW football games, outdoor concerts, Drum Corps International, Green Bay Packer exhibition games, and other large public events.
Besides the field, the historic Camp Randall Stadium complex houses the athletic department offices in Kellner Hall, the Athletic Operations Building, a team training table, lounges, the Fetzer Center study area for student-athletes, as well as film, training and weight rooms and a display of football memorabilia in the new football offices located in the eastside superstructure.
The stadium is the centerpiece of Wisconsin's athletic complex. Located on the same block on the west side of campus are the Dave McClain Athletic Facility, the state-of-the-art indoor practice building, the Camp Randall Memorial Recreation Center (Shell), and the Wisconsin Field House.
Crowds and Success
Wisconsin set a school record in 2004 when an average of 82,368 fans attended games at Camp Randall Stadium. The season was sold out in advance for the first time in 2004, ad in 2005, a record 69,290 season tickets sold. UW drew a single game attendance record of 83,069 against Minnesota on Nov. 6. Since 1972, Wisconsin has ranked among the top 16 in the nation in attendance.
Heading into 2023, Wisconsin has tallied 72 wins at Camp Randall since 2010. That's the second-most home wins for any Big Ten team, trailing only Ohio State. Wisconsin's 72 home wins over that span rank sixth in the nation.
The History
Camp Randall Stadium and its grounds had a rich history prior to its affiliation with Wisconsin athletics.
In the days before the Civil War, the site was owned by the Wisconsin Agricultural Society, which held its annual state fair on the grounds. When hostilities broke out in 1861, the society gave the land to the government for a major military training center. More than 70,000 troops attended training drills at the Camp Randall complex.
After peace was restored nationally, the land was returned to state fair property. The fair later moved to Milwaukee, and Wisconsin's Civil War veterans urged the legislature to purchase the land. In 1893, the state presented the site to the university as a memorial athletic field.
Intercollegiate athletics began on campus in 1881, and football joined the scene in 1889. The first games were played on the lower part of campus. The stadium was built at its present site in 1913. A tragic collapse of the wooden bleachers in 1915 prompted the UW to make plans for concrete stands. | Early History of Camp Randall
Stadium Construction
Two years later, a 10,000-seat concrete stadium was built with a grant of $15,000 from the state legislature. The rest of the money came from department revenues.
The first game played in the present Camp Randall Stadium was a thrilling 10-7 homecoming victory over Minnesota in 1917. Capacity of the structure has increased several times, jumping to 51,000 by 1951.
A revision of the seating arrangements in 1955 boosted the capacity to 52,788. In 1958, the running track was removed, the playing field was lowered 10 feet and capacity was increased to 63,435. A second deck on the west side was added in 1966, raising the capacity to 77,745. Restructuring in the student section in '94, lowered capacity to 76,129. The renovation completed in 2005 raised the capacity to 80,321. The facility is designed so that all seats point toward the center of the field, providing excellent sight lines.
The Communications Center, which is one of the Midwest's best facilities for working media, was built after the 1966 season and renovated in 2005. The three-level structure includes areas for media, game personnel, department and other campus officials.
Facility improvements have been with the installation of an artificial turf playing field in the summer of 1990 and a computerized scoreboard and message center was added in 1992. A video replay scoreboard and new sound system were introduced in 2004, and the turf replaced with Field Turf.
Camp Randall Stadium Renovation 2005
The 84-year old Camp Randall Stadium underwent a four-year renovation begun in December of 2001. The $109.5 million renovation concluded with the opening of the 2005 football season.
Among the many changes included in the renovation were a new seating capacity of 80,321 (from 76,129); increased square footage to 319,000-square feet, including 84,540-square feet that underwent renovation; an east-side premium seating super structure that includes 72 suites, 337 club seats and 590 varsity indoor seats; and a wider third level concourse that extends around the north end to the west side of the stadium.
The playing surface has a new FieldTurf covering, and has expanded over the former pedestrian track providing both teams on the field with more room. Other major aspects include construction of the five-floor Kellner Hall office building, the Athletic Operations Building, the football offices, the McGinnis Family Athletic Ticket Office, new visiting team lockers, the Camp Randall Media Room, and renovations and upgrades to the press box that include an external relations area for use by other groups on campus.
Fans walking through the new Badger Alley, the former tunnel on the east side of the stadium, will notice new flooring, and new restrooms and concession areas. Among restroom fixtures, women's fixtures improved from 212 to 463, and men's increased from 445 to 499; concession points of sale increased from 135 to 157; and accessible seating improved from 99 seats to 292. To allow back-loading of the stadium, two portals were built to provide patrons a path to their seats. A dining room for UW team meals was also added to this area. And Bucky's Locker Room has a new merchandise corner located near Gate 1.
The 2005 Camp Randall Stadium Renovation assures Badger fans and Athletic Department personnel will be able to compete well into the 21st century. There is not one student-athlete or athletic department staff member whose life has not been improved by the renovation.
Camp Randall Stadium Seating Chart
