Ohio Stadium is a must-see for any true football lover. Following the Ohio State Buckeyes on the weekend is like no other experience. Nicknames like “The House that Harley Built” and “The Horseshoe” attest to the loyalty of Ohio Stadium’s fans. There are few places more exciting than Ohio Stadium to be surrounded by a large group of raucous football fans. There are just three larger football stadiums in the entire country than this one, and it can accommodate more than 100,000 spectators. There’s a sea of red on game day, as fans wear their team’s colors in support. You won’t regret a visit to Ohio Stadium, even if you’re not a die-hard football fan. There aren’t many cities with fan bases as passionate as those in Columbus.
Located on the campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio is Ohio Stadium, a football stadium used for American football. It hosts the annual Spring Commencement ceremonies in May and is best known as the home of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team. The Horseshoe, the Shoe, and “The House That Harley Built” are just a few of the more common titles for the stadium. The Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew played in Ohio Stadium from 1996 to 1998 before moving to the brand new Columbus Crew Stadium in 1999. In addition to football games, the stadium also hosted track and field events for Ohio State University from 1923 to 2001. Besides being used for sports, Ohio Stadium also hosts concerts, with acts such as U2, Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and Metallica having previously performed there.
The stadium opened in 1922 as a replacement for Ohio Field and could hold 66,210 spectators. In 1923, an all-weather cinder track replaced an earlier dirt one. Over the years, the stadium was able to add seats until a maximum of 91,470 people could fit inside. Starting in 2000, the stadium underwent a multi-year renovation and expansion that saw the track removed and more seating added, increasing the stadium’s capacity to 101,568 by 2001 and 102,329 by 2007. The stadium’s official capacity was raised to 104,944 in 2014 after the addition of end zone seating. In 2017, construction began on a new project to create more luxury rooms, which will ultimately result in a reduction of 2,600 seats. The stadium has the third-highest capacity among all American college football venues. The National Park Service in March 1974 included Ohio Stadium on the National Register of Historic Places.