Michigan Stadium, widely known as “The Big House,” is the home field of the University of Michigan football team in Ann Arbor. Its address is 1201 South Main Street, on the university’s athletic campus south of central Ann Arbor. With an official capacity of 107,601, it is the largest college-owned football stadium in the United States and one of the world’s largest sports venues. The scale can be hard to read from outside: the design places spectators close to the field and uses a broad bowl rather than a towering enclosed façade. On a fall Saturday, the surrounding streets and campus become part of the event experience.
The stadium’s story began before its first kickoff. On April 22, 1926, the university’s Board of Regents authorized athletic director and coach Fielding H. Yost to proceed with construction. Michigan played its first game there on October 1, 1927, beating Ohio Wesleyan 33–0; the stadium was formally dedicated on October 22 in a game against Ohio State. The original plan seated 72,000, but the facility was built with room for future growth. Its capacity has changed repeatedly over the decades, reaching today’s 107,601 in 2015. Michigan Athletics plans a year-long centennial celebration during summer and fall 2027.