Memorial Stadium (Clemson)

Memorial Stadium
"Death Valley"
Memorial Stadium in 2014
Memorial Stadium is located in South Carolina
Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium
Location in South Carolina
Memorial Stadium is located in the United States
Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium
Location in the United States
Former namesMemorial Stadium (1942–1974)
AddressAvenue of Champions
LocationClemson, South Carolina
Coordinates34°40′43″N 82°50′35″W / 34.67861°N 82.84306°W / 34.67861; -82.84306
OperatorClemson University
Capacity81,500 (2007–present)

Former capacity

List
    • 81,473 (1991–2006)
    • 79,575 (1988–1990)
    • 79,854 (1986–1987)
    • 74,724 (1985)
    • 73,915 (1983–1984)
    • 57,307 (1982)
    • 53,306 (1978–1981)
    • 43,451 (1963–1977)
    • 43,309 (1960–1962)
    • 40,000 (1958–1959)
    • 20,500 (1942–1957)
Record attendance86,092 (Clemson Tigers v Florida State) (1999)
SurfaceTifway 419 Bermuda Grass
Construction
Broke groundOctober 6, 1941[1]
OpenedSeptember 19, 1942
Expanded1958, 1960, 1978, 1982, 1983, 2006, 2022
Construction cost$125,000 (original stadium)
($2.8 million in 2023 dollars[2])
ArchitectCarl Lee and Professor H.E. Glenn
General contractorA.N. Cameron and Hugh Webb[3]
Tenants
Clemson Tigers (NCAA) (1942–present)
Carolina Panthers (NFL) (1995)
Website
clemsontigers.com/memorial-stadium

Frank Howard Field at Memorial Stadium, known as "Death Valley", is an outdoor stadium on the campus of Clemson University in Clemson, South Carolina. It is home to the Clemson Tigers football team of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Built between 1941–1942, the stadium was originally named Memorial Stadium in memory of "all Clemson men who have made the supreme sacrifice for their country."[4] In 1974, when legendary, long-time head coach and athletic director Frank Howard retired from the university, it was announced that the playing surface would be named in his honor.

The stadium has seen expansions throughout the years with the most recent being the WestZone with Phase 1 construction beginning in 2004 and completing in 2015 with the addition of the Oculus, the final piece of Phase 3. Phase 1 of the EastZone project began in 2020.

Prior to the completion of Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, Memorial Stadium served as the home venue for the National Football League (NFL)'s Carolina Panthers during the team's inaugural 1995 season.

Currently, the stadium is the largest in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Blackman was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "Memorial Stadium". Ballparks.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  4. ^ Vandervort, Wil. "The story on why Death Valley's real name is Memorial Stadium". Clemson Tigers on SI. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 1, 2024.