In-Depth
Head of the class
Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Arizona State take on the biggest renovation projects in college sports, banking on the revenue riches of football. Will the math work out?
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| Photo by: Nike; Populous; Illustration by Corey Edwards |
College football stadium renovations have skyrocketed in cost at the sport’s highest level as schools in the five power conferences develop comprehensive plans to keep their facilities viable over the long term.
Not long ago, the top end for upgrading these aging venues was in the $100 million to $200 million range before Michigan Stadium’s $226 million renovation was completed in 2010. Two years later, in 2012, those costs jumped over the $300 million threshold with California Memorial Stadium’s $321 million refurb.
Now, the benchmark has crept closer to $500 million as Texas A&M heads into the home stretch of a $485 million renovation of Kyle Field.
In the pages that follow, SportsBusiness Journal looks at what’s driving the Aggies’ huge investment and similar projects at Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Arizona State that range in cost from $256 million to $400 million. What are the key design elements that will generate revenue and improve the fan experience, and how will the schools pay for the work?
Expect more of these extensive overhauls over the next five years as more schools develop master plans for sustaining their stadiums over the next several decades, said sports architect Earl Santee.
“Since football is the No. 1 generator of revenues of athletic programs, I think you’re going to see more major college programs wanting to reinvest in their campus,” Santee said.
