Home Field Advantage
Around 70,000 screaming fans may be rooting for the football Wildcats next season, thanks to the current work being done to expand Commonwealth Stadium. Russell Pear, assistant athletic director for facilities at UK, said that the project should be complete in August of 1999.
Pear said that Turner Construction oversees all bids and companies involved in the project, but that there were over 20 companies included in the construction. He also added that the estimated capacity of the stadium after the expansion should be between 67,500 and 68,00, but that the actual number could shift once construction begins. The total estimated cost of the project is 24 million, including design and construction, said Pear. That price tag for expansion is twice as much as it cost to build Commonwealth in the early 1970's. However, UK football has not always had such expensive, state of the art facilities to play football in.
The roots of UK football began on Stoll Field in McLean Stadium. This old home of the Wildcats was located where the Singletary Center is now, on Rose and Euclid Streets. The field was named for Judge Richard Stoll and the stadium, which was named in 1916, honors a UK football player who was injured in a game and later died. Stoll Field was initially a cow pasture and during games, the cows were steered to the sidelines and were kept there. The Cats began playing on Stoll in 1881 and played there from the beginning of UK football until Commonwealth opened. Highlights from the old complex include an 80-0 UK win over the University of Georgia in 1893 and the first night game under the lights in 1929.
However, as UK grew, the need for a new compound was deemed necessary and the idea for Commonwealth Stadium was born. Located on acreage that used to be an UK farm, Commonwealth Stadium became a reality in September of 1973, as the Wildcats beat Virginia Tech. Commonwealth was designed by Finch-Heery of Atlanta. The firm of Huber, Hunt and Nichols built the stadium at a cost of 12 million dollars, according to the UK Football Facts Book produced in 1979, 6 years after Commonwealth opened. From then until now, it seated approximately 58,000, although the record attendance topped out at 59, 384 for the UK-Louisville game in 1996, according to UK Sports Online.
Student and fan reaction to the addition seems positive.
"I think the expansion is a much needed addition to Commonwealth Stadium because of the growing interest in Kentucky football," said Keli Back, an elementary education junior. She hopes that the increase in seats will mean an increase in numbers of student tickets. "There definitely needs to be more student tickets." Fred Brassfield, a UK season ticket holder, agrees. "I think its great," Brassfield said of the expansion. "They'll have no trouble filling it up. It will give more people the chance to see the Cats that normally wouldn't be able to."
UK's storied history of football is equaled by its history of stadiums. Though few students know of Stoll Field , many more will remember Commonwealth Stadium once its seating capacity increases to accommodate additional fans and students.
Email: hlstan1@pop.uky.edu