Big House may get 5,200 more seats

After receiving a wave of negative feedback from first-year students who got split-season football tickets, Michigan Athletic Director Tom Goss is taking action to correct the problem.

The Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics approved Goss' proposal yesterday to add 5,200 seats to Michigan Stadium for a total of 107,701 seats, easily making it the largest venue in the nation.

"This whole project started with the need to accommodate first-year students as we move forward into 1998," Goss said. "The issue is, if you're a student, you should be able to experience a football game."

The proposal seeks to add four rows of seats to the top of the stadium, which would first make room for 3,000 more students, the number that received split-season tickets this year. It also would free-up tickets for the hundreds of fans who were unable to purchase season tickets this year.

The estimated cost of the expansion is $6 million, which Goss said will be paid during the next eight years through the revenue generated by the extra seats.

If approved by the University Board of Regents, construction would begin after this year's football season is over, and would be scheduled for completion by the beginning of next season. Goss said he hopes the proposal will be on the agenda of next month's regents' meeting.

Goss attributed the increased demand for tickets to the addition of Penn State to the Big Ten Conference three years ago.

"Now that Penn State is in the Big Ten, we think that assures us a quality schedule," Goss said. "It almost guarantees you a sellout every year."

The new rows would be supported by brick columns and encased in brick that would match the existing fence that surrounds the stadium.

"It's actually going to improve the looks of the stadium," said Walter Harrison, vice president for University relations.

Harrison, who serves on the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, said the addition will not be used to provide more corporate boxes or to make other drastic changes to the stadium.

"What we're really trying to do is accommodate all the students who want tickets," Harrison said.

The stadium would be expanded by eight feet, allowing for the much-needed addition of restrooms, and the possible relocation of vendors to directly under the stadium, Harrison said.

Goss said the idea for the expansion was not motivated by a desire to have the country's biggest stadium.

"It's nice to have the largest stadium, but it's even better to come up with some alternatives for our students," Goss said.

Associate Medical Prof. Steve Papadopolous, financial chair of the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, said he feels confident that the renovation will pay for itself.

"History has told us that the demand for regular-season ticket holders stays relatively constant," Papadopolous said.

Goss said he is optimistic that the regents will vote in favor of the proposal.

"I think they recognize what our problems are this year," Goss said. "Since the priority will be students first and everyone else second, that should fit into the regents overall objectives."

Students said they were pleased Goss has come up with a solution to the ticket shortage problem.

"Increased seating will be beneficial to all the students," said LSA first-year student Michael Frishman. "Since our football team is so good, our stadium should be expanded."

10-29-97