The success that the Indiana Hoosiers have seen under Curt Cignetti has put Bloomington in the college football spotlight. Over the past two seasons, the Hoosiers have captured the attention of the college football world in a major way—and they don’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
With Hoosier Hysteria at an all-time high in regards to the football program, talks of Memorial Stadium expansion continue to be a hot topic of discussion among IU fans while also reflecting the program's newfound momentum and demand.
Tracking every Indiana Football transfer portal departure: Where are they now?
The most recent renovations to Memorial Stadium came in two parts that started almost two decades ago. Those projects included the enclosure of the north end zone in 2009 and the enclosure of the south end zone in 2018. Now, further renovations and expansion seem to be inevitable thanks to a recent development from the Indiana University Board of Trustees.
IU Board of Trustees approve funding for Memorial Stadium renovations
On Friday, the IU Board of Trustees approved the financing of $50 million for Memorial Stadium renovations. Furthermore, the board voted to make a $150 million capital project request to the state for further improvements to the historic stadium.
“This will fund immediate project needs related to deferred maintenance at Memorial Stadium, with the intent for larger investments around deferred maintenance as part of what Vice President [John] DeAngelo will present next,” said Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Jason Dudich.
Thus, it seems that renovations are on the docket first, while expansion funding remains in the works. No specific plans were announced, but it's safe to say that a Memorial Stadium facelift could be coming sooner rather than later.
Curt Cignetti vying for Memorial Stadium expansion
Cignetti is making his thoughts on expanding Memorial Stadium clear. Earlier this offseason, the Hoosier head coach spoke with Adam Breneman about stadium expansion rumors.
"The stadium will expand," Cignetti said. “We’re in the top third of the Big Ten in resources. Everything here has improved from a facility standpoint and rev share, etc. And I think, you know, what a lot of people don’t understand about Indiana and the term the old sleeping giant was the 800,000 plus alums. More alums than any university in America.”
Expanding Memorial Stadium makes plenty of sense
With the Hoosier athletic department putting more resources than ever into football, a stadium expansion would make sense. Memorial Stadium opened in 1960, and is showing its age in many places. Most notably in the concourses and lack of premium seating and other modern amenities.
In terms of capacity, the venue currently owns a capacity of 53,524, which ranks 14th out of 18 Big Ten stadiums. Adding anywhere from 10,000-25,000 more seats would make sense given that the demand for Hoosier football tickets is at an all-time high. It doesn't need to expand to over 100,000 like other Big Ten stadiums, but adding a good chunk of seats (perhaps in the form of an upper bowl or two) seems reasonable.
It will be interesting to see where these discussion go from here, and if a timeline is announced. Hoosier fans love packing The Rock, but it's clear that some work is needed. Some substantial renovations and additions could take the game day experience at Memorial Stadium to the next level.
Add us as a preferred source on Google