Camp Randall Stadium

To view an ocean of red, imbibe an army of vociferous fans, and experience an unrivaled college football atmosphere, you must visit Camp Randall Stadium. 

Camp Randall Stadium is home of the Wisconsin Badgers, the football team for the University of Wisconsin.  The Badgers are aligned in the Big Ten.

Camp Randall is located on 1440 Monroe Street in Madison, Wisconsin.  The venue seats 80,000 and is replete with 72 suites, 337 club seats, and 590 varsity indoor seats. 

It's one of the largest school-owned venues in the world.

It's also one of the oldest. 

Camp Randall Stadium opened in 1917.  The only stadiums that are older are Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium (1913), Mississippi State's Davis Wade Stadium (1914), and Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium (1916).

Camp Randall Hockey Classic

The venue's namesake, Alexander W. Randall, was governor during that tumultuous time in the state's history.

The original stadium was beset by tragedy when its wooden bleaches collapsed.  In was then replaced by a 10,000-seat concrete stadium. 

The first game in the new construct was a 10-7 victory over Minnesota.  Even sweeter, it was the Badgers' homecoming.

Through the years, capacity for the stadium has grown (and with one exception, decreased).

To accomplish this the university undertook several major projects including lowering the playing surface and adding decks.

Camp Randall Stadium – Capacity Through the Years

1955 – 52,788
1958 – 63,435
1966 – 77,745
1994 – 76,129
2005 – 80,321

The stadium underwent a major overhaul from December of 2001 to the opening of the college football season in 2005. 

The renovation, which included a new Badger Alley, cost $109.5 million.

When attending a Badgers game at Camp Randall Stadium, make sure you stick around for the break between the third and fourth quarter. 

That's when House of Pain's “Jump Around” is pumped through the speakers and the student section “jumps around.” 

The energy of the song, as well as the rhythmic hopping, creates a memorable moment.  It's widely considered college football's best tradition.

University of Wisconsin marching band lines

The success of the Wisconsin Badgers football program, and the fervent fanbase that supports it, are major reasons why Camp Randall Stadium is a heaven for college football nuts.

Also adding to the experience is the fact that all seats are positioned so they face the center of the field.  In other words, there's not a bad seat in the house.