Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium

Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium

Halftime in October 2006
Former names Hughes Stadium (1968–2002)
Location S. Overland Trail
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526
Coordinates 40°33′44″N 105°8′30″W / 40.56222°N 105.14167°W / 40.56222; -105.14167Coordinates: 40°33′44″N 105°8′30″W / 40.56222°N 105.14167°W / 40.56222; -105.14167
Owner Colorado State University
Operator Colorado State University
Capacity 32,500 (2005–present)[1]
30,000 (1969–2004)
Record attendance 39,107 (vs. Utah, 1994)
Surface FieldTurf (2006–present)
natural grass (1968–2005)
Construction
Broke ground May 1967
Opened September 28, 1968
Renovated 2005
Construction cost $2,800,000
Architect Aller-Lingle Architects
(2005 renovation)
Tenants
Colorado State Rams (NCAA) (1968–2016)

Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium (stadium and field name) or Hughes Stadium (name of the stadium itself) is an outdoor football stadium in Fort Collins, Colorado owned and operated by Colorado State University but located about four miles (6 km) west of the school's main campus. It is the home field of the Colorado State Rams of the Mountain West Conference. The Rams are slated to move to Colorado State Stadium for the 2017 season. Future plans for Hughes Stadium are unknown but it is unlikely it will be left dormant, given away, nor developed for high density use.[2] Hughes Stadium opened in 1968. It replaced the old Colorado Field, a 12,000-seat on-campus stadium.[3]

Hughes Stadium sits in a natural oval bowl, with seating on three sides and an open grass berm (not open for seating) behind the south endzone. The west (home side) stands are expanded out of the bowl and capped by a press box. The stadium is named for Harry W. Hughes, the head coach for 31 seasons (1911–41) at what was then known as Colorado Agricultural.[4]

The playing surface itself was named in 2003 in honor of then head coach Sonny Lubick. The winningest coach in school history, Lubick led the Rams for 15 seasons (1993-2007), winning six conference titles and nine bowl games.

The stadium has a seating capacity of 32,500 with club seats and 12 luxury suites, completed in 2005. The playing field, at an elevation of 5,190 feet (1,582 m) above sea level,[5] was natural grass for the stadium's first 38 seasons; FieldTurf was installed in the summer of 2006.[6]

The first game at Hughes Stadium was played on September 28, 1968, a 17-12 loss to North Texas State, led by Mean Joe Greene. From October 1989 to August 1991, the Rams won eight consecutive games at the stadium, a school record.

Bob Dylan recorded the NBC television special and live concert album Hard Rain at Hughes Stadium during a rainstorm in May 1976.[7][8]

Attendance

Attendance information for primary tenant, Colorado State Rams.

Season Games Sellouts W-L Attendance Average % of Capacity
2002 5 3 4-1 152,037 30,461 102% of 30,000
2003 6 3 4-2 183,786 30,631 102% of 30,000
2004 6 3 3-3 163,776 27,296 91% of 30,000
2005 5 2 4-1 146,737 29,347 90% of 32,500
2006 5 1 2-3 120,916 24,183 75% of 32,500
2007 6 0 2-4 130,762 21,793 67% of 32,500
2008 6 0 4-2 126,046 21,007 65% of 32,500
2009 6 0 2-4 141,856 23,642 73% of 32,500
2010 5 0 2-3 111,998 22,399 69% of 32,500
2011 6 0 1-5 131,202 21,867 67% of 32,500
2012 6 0 3-3 115,501 19,250 59% of 32,500
2013 6 0 4-2 111,598 18,600 57% of 32,500
2014 6 2 6-0 159,450 26,575 82% of 32,500
2015 6 2 3-3 149,500 24,916 77% of 32,500
2016 6 1 5-1 165,598 27,600 85% of 32,500

See also

References

  1. ↑ Denver Post - Downsizing Hughes Stadium
  2. ↑ - 2016 to be Hughes Stadium’s swan song - December 28, 2015, Retrieved August 26, 2016
  3. ↑ MacCambridge, Michael, ed. ESPN College Football Encyclopedia. New York: Hyperion, 2005, p. 238.
  4. ↑ College Football Data Warehouse - CSU coaching records - Retrieved September 6, 2009
  5. ↑ Topographic map & aerial photo. USGS The National Map. Retrieved September 6, 2009.
  6. ↑ CSU Rams.com - FieldTurf installation - June 26, 2006, Retrieved September 6, 2009
  7. ↑ Björner, Olof (2006). "Still On The Road: 1976 Rolling Thunder Revue II".
  8. ↑ James, Peter (June 2003). "Warehouse Eyes - Hard Rain". Retrieved February 19, 2007.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/28/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.