SPARTAN STADIUM

Submitted by PSALM 23 Rod N… on

I have been to Spartan Stadium countless times, while in College, and a few times since. That place is a dump, especially relative to the Big House. Under the stadium, resembles High School bleachers, and was really dirty and old. There are Ramps, sorta steep to walk into the stadium. (I saw people tailgating at Parking Structures=with TENTS, strange)

I sat in section 16, the south end zone. There is ONE video Board in the whole stadium, in the SOUTH END ZONE. So, for any replays, the design actually encourages the South side of the stadium to turn away from the field of play to watch the video board. About the Video Board, that is what it was. It had very few Statistics, you had to be turned around looking away from play to happen to catch stats. There were very few replays of questionable plays, and camera angles always sucked.

The crowd was actually turned away from the game to watch some stupid video shell game. I could not believe they were staring up at the Board, screaming "Number 4". Speaking of screaming, I was sitting next to families of Spartans. It seemed to be OK, to yell "Get up P_ssy" when players shaken up. "1,2,3,4 First Down Bitch" It was OK to yell "F U" and Flip the Bird to the Referee, my entire row of Spartans did it. I heard screams of "Forcier is a C-Word" Stay Classy Sparty. (If I hear that stupid "Spartans what is your Occupation?" Cheer from the movie "300" I will puke.

I know this Board constantly discusses game day experiences in the Big House. This offered a very interesting contrast. I have taken my children and their friends to numerous UM Home Games. I can not imagine taking children, EVER, to Spartan stadium.

Discuss.

PS My friend and I stood with four other UM fans in row 14. We kept telling all of the Spartans "The Difference between UM and Spartan fans is that UM Fans always believe they can win and comeback, Spartans on the other hand, believe their team can snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

PSS I wore my "Michigan Tate is in Ann Arbor, Not Lansing" TShirt.

BlueinLansing

October 3rd, 2009 at 9:43 PM ^

that when the bands came out on the field the stadium was half full. Thats lame, 12 o'clock start or not.

They might as well not have video replay, the camera angles suck and they don't show half the plays anyway.

Hard Gay

October 3rd, 2009 at 9:47 PM ^

"300" is the worst movie ever thanks to Michigan State killing it dead.

Also, their pregame video involved a poorly animated spartan statue pointing his sword at a poorly animated Giant block M, then vaporizing it with a laser. Then they went nuts. You have got to be kidding me.

Also the canned music lists between Michigan and Spartan Stadium are pretty similar. Not good.

UMAmaizinBlue

October 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 PM ^

When I was there in 2007 (GLORIOUS GAME!) and sat in the student section, the entire section turned around to face away from the MMB whenever they were on the field, both at halftime and the start of the game. I don't particularly like other bands since they don't come close to the greatness of the MMB, but I've never even seen a glimmer of this happening at the Big House. Did you notice them doing it this year or years past? Either way, Spartans get the "Classy Fans Badge" at the next scout meting.

HartAttack20

October 3rd, 2009 at 9:55 PM ^

I've never been to Spartan Stadium, or any away stadium for that matter, and I'm thinking that I may be dissappointed with my experience to some degree when I do make a trip. This makes sense, though, that Spartan Stadium would be quite a bit worse than The Big House. I would like to make a trip at some point, but I am curious as to what is the best place to go to see a road game. I really don't want to visit Spartan Stadium or The Shoe. I was thinking Minnesota could be an interesting trip in the near future with their new stadium updates, but I was thinking Illinois would be nice because of the shorter distance.

PSALM 23 Rod N…

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:00 PM ^

Did not happen to notice. I sat one section from Spartan Band, the Band was not Loud. I never heard UM's band since I was under that dumb Board and next to MSU Band. It was nice to sit close to the MSU Cheerleaders, they were easy on the eyes.

MSU attempted THE WAVE about twenty times, never successful. They attempted a lame White out........60% of the Student section had on white, coulda been the rain or a fashion fax peau since it is past Labor Day? I hate ZOMBIE NATION....

After watching PSU v Iowa and MSU attempted White Out and Attempted WaVes, Attempted Zombie Nation, State is weak, PSU does it up. (I hate Zombie Nation)

PSALM 23 Rod N…

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:06 PM ^

Wisconsin is fun...However the UM Tickets are lousy. I went 2 yrs ago, and pushed another UM fan in a Wheelchair up like five ramps to get to get the nosebleed seats. Madison is cool. Stayed in Milwaukee, short drive. (The Only bad thing in Madison: Watch out for ketchup packets on the ground near the Frats, they like to inadvertently step on them and spray ketchup)

NW is Fun too. Went to 54-51 Loss. Wildcat screech gets annoying. Illinois was not that bad. Never been to PSU or Iowa.

PSALM 23 Rod N…

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:21 PM ^

Today, I felt like I was in the middle of Deer Camp with a band of drunk toothless "Deliverance Extras" Some apparent woman behind me, with a Billy Bob Thorton Slingblade Husband verbally unloaded on a UM fan for no real reason. This apparent woman, spoke like a Sailor, stringing together a slew of F Bombs and C-Suckers right in front of about 3 eight year olds.

One Spartan guy in front of me had a yellow poncho with Black writing on the back. "Weather Protection" I am not a Wolverine" I thought that was funny.

Miss Meeechigan

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:15 PM ^

a. they plug all of their sponsors ALL OF THE TME. There are ads plastered everywhere

b. they should have hired a Michigan engineer to design the place. You have to climb SEVERAL steep ramps to get to the upper deck. They should add a line to the back of the ticket that says, "please remember your climbing gear as you may have to repel the ramp to leave this dump after the game"

c. the score boards are ancient. They could add a few more sponsors and raise some smack to get those babys swapped out

d. after being in the Big House, you sit in sparty stadium thinking "awww this is a cute little place"

megalomanick

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:31 PM ^

I thought they renovated that place a few years back? Sounds like they didn't do a very good job. I'll be the first to admit that The Big House has it's share of issues (I haven't been there in a few years, so I can't speak to recent updates) but at least most of the issues have to do with the fact that it's a massive stadium built in to a hole that was dug back in 1684.

Heston_The_Great

October 3rd, 2009 at 11:06 PM ^

The parking situation was an embarassment to say the least. I have been to all sorts of sporting events and as long as I was willing to pay I could find a spot. Not today,. thye want 15, i would have paid 40 just to get out of my car and get my drink on. I had to park in the dunhams/ halloween USA (for one month then who knows what it is) lot. Granted it was zero bucks, and I got all my exercise in.

Anyway, they need a golf course. And they still suck, b/c they could not get into Michigan!

2PointConversion

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 PM ^

This was my first time in Spartan Stadium. We sat in section 125, which is sort of under the pressbox, near, but not in, the visiting team's section.
We had a good view of the field from close to the 30 yard line.

There were a mix of fans in our area, though mostly MSU fans. Most were 'mature' adults. There was no unsavory hackling, in fact, not much family-unfriendly language at all.

I think staying away from the student sections is a good idea.

wolpherine2000

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:33 PM ^

...vis-a-vis the dumpiness of Spartan Stadium, I should note that some of us love dumpy stadiums. I lament that they grafted that unbelievable medical insurance headquarters/press box onto MSU's stadium, especially since they seemed to have removed the trough urinals at the same time.

Irrespective of team allegiances, dumpy facilities should be celebrated, because stadium improvements are part of a slippery slope that leads to the hybridization of college football and disney land. If a stadium provides adequate sanitary facilities, it's only one step away from sushi sold on the concourse level. Fancy press boxes lead inevitably to Valet Parking. And right after Valet Parking you start hosting home games for the Lions.

MaizeNBlue

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:35 PM ^

Made the trip up there today, agreed that Spartan Stadium is pretty dumpy. Not only does the stadium itself look kind of ghetto, but the movement in the stadium is constricted HORRIBLY (well, Michigan's used to be too, so whatever). I noticed that the place was pretty trashed afterwards (I guess they don't use trash bins there). We were up in section 106 with mostly Michigan fans - unfortunately a few "Down-in-Front" people made the trip over just to torture us for the first half (they stopped after a row of girls came in behind us and stood basically the whole time).

winterblue75

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:36 PM ^

My wife and I walked past the student entrance gate (gate A I believe) on the way to out seats and were constantly stepping on and kicking all sorts of trash while walking. It was an absolute garbage dump there. It seems the majority of people who attend games at Spartan Stadium go there to tailgate, drink, harass opposing fans, and act like assholes....football is secondary.

WilsonHawk

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^

Today was my first visit to Spartan Stadium. Let me tell you, it'll be my last. While trying to find a place to park for 20 minutes, driving around campus with everything being locked down with "Passes" only. To the drunk ass fans jumping in front of cars and screaming explicit sayings to anyone wearing Maize & Blue. Today just reaffirmed my hatred for their fans! Being a native of Michigan, I wish I could root for the other program, but after seeing the blantant differences between Wolverines & Spartans, I'm glad to proudly say GO BLUE.

We win some, we lose some. I'll still take 4-1 after last season's mess.

Section 1

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:52 PM ^

And it should make us appreciate the Big House. A lot.

Spartan Stadium is on a much more cramped footprint; like Camp Randall, your first problem is that you have to enter through a certain Gate, and it is a pain in the rear to get up to the upper decks where they have jammed more seats to keep up with bigger stadiums.

Those upper wings are horrible to get to; steep, slow, jammed stairways on the west and weird ramps on the east.

Yeah, the scoreboards, such as they are, are pretty lame. (Ours are decidedly not state of the art; but they are a lot better than the Spartans', in just every practical way. Camp Randall is arguably better than Michigan's with the caveat that they have sold it top to bottom with sponsor advertising.)

With all of the things at Spartan Stadium that are substandard, contrived, lame, etc.; it makes me wonder why we would ever want to emulate them in ANY way, and by that I am specifically referring to the recorded music. I've been going to games at Spartan Stadium and Camp Randall for many years before 2009, and I always thought that the Michigan game-day experience was significantly better (and it will get MASSIVELY BETTER in 2010) than E. Lansing and Madison, precisely because we didn't do cheap, hokey stuff with recorded music during the game.
Doesn't the Big 10 Conference have a rule about playing recorded music as a visiting offense is calling its signals? What they do in East Lansing is disgraceful; trying to blast opposing signal-callers with loudspeaker music until the instant the ball is snapped.

And did I count four times today that the refs had to ask the official clock-keeper to put more time back on the clock as Michigan staged its regulation-time comeback? Spartan Bob lives.

MaizeNBlue

October 3rd, 2009 at 11:15 PM ^

For as much as I've disagreed with things you've said in the past, I agree with most your post here. The piped in music there made the game feel...well, un-authentic in general. There were lame time-out break "activities" and it just overall felt really, really lame. And I would say the same thing if we won.

One thing I didn't notice that other people seemed to was "fan classlessness." We weren't actually treated all that bad.

Ryan

October 4th, 2009 at 12:54 AM ^

What they do in East Lansing is disgraceful; trying to blast opposing signal-callers with loudspeaker music until the instant the ball is snapped.

I attended 2009 UM/ND and I think ND could make the same argument. I think the NCAA needs to take a look at their rules and consider prohibiting recorded music after the offense breaks the huddle.

loosekanen

October 3rd, 2009 at 10:55 PM ^

I've been to all the Big 10 venues minus PSU and Spartan Stadium is absolutely on the bottom. Even uninspiring Northwestern has some charm being where it is. I'll agree with the previous fan who said Illinois fans are jerks.

I'll give thumbs up to road games at Indiana and Purdue as well. You'll find the typical bad apple (more at Purdue it seemed) but their fans, in general are fairly accommodating. Indiana is especially nice because there is tons of room in their massive parking lots to tailgate.

Bando Calrissian

October 3rd, 2009 at 11:16 PM ^

Every time I see a Michigan State fan talk about the "Big Hole," I will delight them in stories of how horrendous it is to sit in the upper deck at Spartan Stadium.

-Mens' bathrooms with one tiny door that serves as both the entrance and exit, causing insane backups. As one other Michigan fan said, the only thing they got right was the troughs. Worst stadium bathroom i've ever seen. Dirty, dingy, and impossible to get in and out.

-Narrow aisles and rows. It amazes me MSU people complain about how tiny and cramped the seating in Michigan Stadium is when they put up with that every week. Well, at least in the sections that sell out...

-Nothing beats having to sit and wait 25 minutes before you can even get out of your section. If there's a disaster, everyone in the upper decks will surely die, because there is no way in hell anybody gets out of there.

-There's nothing that isn't sponsored by some trashy company. And their RAWK music and stadium graphics make our marketing strategy look professional.

The place is a lot better than it used to be, but it's so amazingly rough around the edges that I don't know how anybody could defend it. There are parts of that stadium I am sure have not been updated in 50 years. I don't think they've even made a lot of the fixtures in their bathrooms in that long. Easily the dingiest stadium I've been to aside from the Citrus Bowl.

mrjblock24

October 3rd, 2009 at 11:34 PM ^

Never been to Spartan Stadium...and this will probably encourage me to keep it that way. October 9 - 349 days until we can get some revenge.

Heston_The_Great

October 3rd, 2009 at 11:56 PM ^

While beating little brother means little in overall success, there is some significance to being able to rub his nose in the diaper with which he ruins. 2 years ago, after the late victory the echoes of its great to be a Michigan wolverine were brilliant through the stairwells of their stadium.

And their fans are not that bad... they expect to lose. However when they win they look for recognition. Just little brother stepping up, saying look what I did Mom and Dad... However, Mom and Dad know know Big bro' took it easy on the little guy and he will get a prize at Toys R' Us tomorrow.

goblue3127

October 4th, 2009 at 3:16 AM ^

back to back wins 4 1st time in 40 years... thats pretty impressive i think we should just give up and give u the b10 championship for the next 5 years...

when ur actually within 10 games of the overal record then talk to us...

Sgt. Wolverine

October 4th, 2009 at 12:03 AM ^

I've never been to Spartan Stadium for an MSU game, but I've been there twice for the high school football all-star game, and it really is an extraordinary dump. The grass field is nice (I was on the sidelines for the games), but the stadium is TERRIBLE. When I walked underneath the stadium structure to find a bathroom, I thought I'd wandered into some sort of off-limits maintenance area or something -- it didn't look like a place they'd let spectators.

I entered the stadium through the tunnel, and it has a very similar feel -- very drab and dumpy.

State 0f Glory

October 4th, 2009 at 12:05 AM ^

Looks like little brother hit puberty? You guys are unbelievable just complaining about the stadium because you are sore losers. Grow up accept you lost. 11/3/07 last time big brother beat little brother in football or basketball.

genericmichiganfan

October 4th, 2009 at 12:05 AM ^

1.This was my 4th trip to Spartan Stadium (been going since clock-gate), and their same crappy sound system is still there. Sitting in the U-M student section, I could barely hear anything from those speakers. (Probably a good thing)

2. A smoke machine entrance? Really? You're not Miami.

3. The notion that people in the upper deck are screwed if there is a disaster is absolutely correct. It took us at least 15 minutes just to get to the exit, and then it took another 10-15 minutes to get out of the stadium.

The Shredder

October 4th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^

My first trip to SS and I will say it is a giant dump. Outside the stadium there was trash all over the place. The fans were assholes. I like to have fun with people but when I have to walk 15 mins to the the stadium and hear 4-5 guys call me a fag for wearing a UM hat is a bit much. I had a cow bell as well and some dick behind me called me names the whole game for having it. I was also told I wasn't a real fan unless I was a UM student/alumni(I had to settle for WMU). I heard non stop bull shit from the time I left my seat. It was a classless showing for the Spartan's today from the perspective of a visiting fan.

JamesBondHerpesMeds

October 4th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^

The Spartan fans were generally good-natured -- in fact, I'd say I was the one swearing the most out of the lot of us (for good reason) nearby. A few even patted me on the back and said "you'll have a good season" as I clutched my head in my hands and starting humming the theme from Les Miserables.

On the other hand -- the longest I've ever - EVER - had to wait in line for the bathroom at the Big House was, meh, 5 minutes or so. 26 minutes just to pee in good ole Spartan Stadium. That in itself deserves some investigatory journalism.