Folsom Field

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This article is about a football stadium. For other uses, see Folsom Field (disambiguation).
Folsom Field
Folsom field.jpg
View to southwest & Flatirons, 2008
Boulder is located in the United States
Boulder
Boulder
Location in the United States
Boulder is located in Colorado
Boulder
Boulder
Location in Colorado
Former namesColorado Stadium
(1924–1944)
Location2400 Colorado Avenue
Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
Coordinates40°00′32″N 105°16′01″W / 40.009°N 105.267°W / 40.009; -105.267Coordinates: 40°00′32″N 105°16′01″W / 40.009°N 105.267°W / 40.009; -105.267
OwnerUniversity of Colorado
OperatorUniversity of Colorado
Capacity26,000 (1924–1955)
45,000 (1956–1966)
50,516 (1967–1975)
52,005 (1976–1978)
51,463 (1979–1990)
51,748 (1991–1995)
51,808 (1996–1998)
51,655 (1999–2000)
50,942 (2001–2002)
53,750 (2003–2009)
53,613 (2010–2013)
50,183 (2014–present)[1]
Record attendance54,972
SurfaceNatural grass
(1924–1970, 1999–present)
AstroTurf (1971–1998)
Construction
Broke groundJanuary 14, 1924[1]
OpenedOctober 11, 1924
97 years ago
Renovated1968, 1976, 2003
Expanded1956, 1967, 2003
Construction cost$65,000 (1924)
ArchitectWaldo E. Brockway[2]

Sink Combs Dethlefs (renovations)
Tenants
Colorado Buffaloes (NCAA) (1924–present)

Folsom Field is an outdoor college football stadium in the Western United States, located on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder. It is the home field of the Colorado Buffaloes of the Pac-12 Conference.

Opened 97 years ago in 1924, the horseshoe-shaped stadium runs in the traditional north-south configuration, opening to the north. The CU athletic administration center, named after 1950s head coach Dal Ward, is located at the north end.[3]

The playing field returned to natural grass in 1999 and sits at an elevation of 5,360 feet (1,630 m), more than a mile above sea level.[4] Folsom Field is the third highest stadium in major college football, behind only Wyoming and Air Force of the Mountain West Conference.

History[]

Gamble Field was the home of Colorado football for two decades, through 1924 mid-season. Opened as Colorado Stadium, Folsom Field has been the home of Colorado Buffaloes football since. Through the 2016 season, the Buffs have a home record of 308–169–14 (.642).

Colorado Stadium was renamed Folsom Field in 1944, following the death of former head coach Fred Folsom. He led the Silver and Gold for fifteen seasons (1895–99, 1901–02, 1908–15), compiling an overall record of 78–24–2 (.760).

In 2008, Folsom Field became the first "zero-waste" stadium in the NCAA by instituting a rigorous recycling and composting program.

Expansions and renovations[]

When opened in 1924, the horseshoe-shaped stadium had a capacity of 26,000. A major expansion in 1956 raised the height of the stadium, with a new seating capacity of 45,000. The removal of the running track in 1967 added six thousand seats; the track and field team relocated to Potts Field on the East Campus.[5][6]

A sizable, six-level press box was added in 1968 to the top of the west side grandstand, directly in front of Balch Fieldhouse, the former home of the basketball team. Renovations continued in 1976 when the old, rickety wooden bleachers were replaced with aluminum ones, raising the capacity to 52,005.

In 2003, suites and club seating were added to the east side of the stadium, raising the capacity to 53,750.[7] Since the 2003 renovation 137 seats with obstructed views have been removed lowering the seating capacity to 53,613.[8]

In 2014, construction for a further expansion has started. This expansion includes a new indoor practice facility, a high performance sports center, as well as extra seating on the northeast corner of the stadium.[9][10]

Playing surface[]

From 1924 through 1970, the playing surface at Folsom Field was natural grass. In the summer of 1971, AstroTurf was installed and the first game played on the new surface was a 56–13 win over Wyoming on September 18.[11] Unranked in the preseason, the 1971 Buffs finished third in the AP Poll behind Nebraska and Oklahoma, for a sweep of the top three spots by the Big Eight Conference.[12][13] The synthetic turf was replaced in 1978 and again in 1989, with "Astroturf-8."[14]

After 28 years of AstroTurf, Folsom Field returned to natural grass in the spring of 1999.[15] The project, which included bio-thermal heating, drainage, and a sub-air system, cost $1.2 million.

Other uses[]

Concerts[]

The Grateful Dead played at Folsom as part of their 15th anniversary June 7 & 8, 1980; The Rolling Stones were at the venue on October 3 & 4, 1981.

The stadium played host to a concert, later released on DVD, by the Dave Matthews Band on July 11, 2001. More recently, in keeping with the decision to bring back live music to Folsom Field, the stadium hosted Dead & Co. for two-night stands during their 2016, 2017 and 2018 summer tours.

Date Artist Opening act(s) Tour / Concert name Attendance Revenue Notes
September 3, 1972 Grateful Dead — Summer '72 Tour - - Rained during show. Officially released on Dick's Picks Volume 36.
July 16, 1978 The Rolling Stones US Tour 1978 60,000 / 60,000   $690,000
June 7, 1980 Grateful Dead Warren Zevon Summer '80 Tour - -
June 8, 1980
October 3, 1981 The Rolling Stones — American Tour 1981 120,000 $1,920,000
October 4, 1981 120,000
July 12, 1986 Colorado Sun Day Festival
Van Halen
Loverboy
Dio
Bachman-Turner Overdrive 		5150 Tour - -
May 26, 1993 Paul McCartney — The New World Tour 37,245 / 39,137 $1,210,463
July 11, 2001 Dave Matthews Band Angelique Kidjo
Wyclef Jean 		Summer 2001 Tour 43,041 / 43,041 $2,130,593 This show was recorded for the album and DVD entitled, Live at Folsom Field, Boulder, Colorado.[16]
July 2, 2016 Dead & Company N/A Dead & Company Summer Tour 2016 49,166 $4,179,233 [17]
July 3, 2016 85,582
June 9, 2017 Dead & Company Summer Tour 2017 55,882 $4,365,860
June 10, 2017 86,982
July 13, 2018 Dead & Company Summer Tour 2018 62,904 $5,369,669
July 14, 2018 86,982
July 5, 2019 Dead & Company Summer Tour 2019 67,835 $6,512,990
July 6, 2019 86,982
July 10, 2020 Dead & Company Summer Tour 2020
July 11, 2020

In popular culture[]

The south end zone was featured in the opening and closing credits of the late 1970s television show Mork and Mindy, which was set in Boulder.

Other events[]

Folsom Field is also used as the finish line for the Bolder Boulder, a popular 10K run.

The first Promise Keepers stadium conference was held at Folsom in June 1992.

Attendance records[]

The largest crowd for a CU football game at Folsom Field was 54,972 in 2005, against in-state rival Colorado State on September 3, in which the Buffaloes won with a 47-yard field goal by Mason Crosby with four seconds remaining.[18] This early-season, non-conference rivalry game, the Rocky Mountain Showdown, is more often played in neutral Denver at Mile High Stadium and its successor Empower Field at Mile High.[1]

The largest crowd ever at Folsom Field was in 1977 for a rock concert, one of the popular Colorado Sun Day concert series. The attendance on May 1 was an estimated 61,500 (exceeding the seating capacity by about 9,000) for a show featuring Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, Firefall, and John Sebastian.

The east side of the stadium with the newer club and suite level suites; "1990 National Champions" noted between the two suite levels
Folsom Field sold out against Utah in 2016.
Season Coach Games Sellouts W-L-T Attendance Average
1937 Oakes 6 6-0-0 46,826 7,804
1942 Yeager 4 4-0-0 15,796 3,949
1946 Yeager 5 4-0-1 53,000 10,600
1947 Yeager 4 2-2-0 54,000 13,500
1948 Ward 5 3-2-0 79,479 15,896
1949 Ward 5 2-3-0 98,776 19,755
1950 Ward 5 4-1-0 97,748 19,550
1951 Ward 5 5-0-0 107,121 21,424
1952 Ward 5 2 3-0-2 123,481 24,696
1953 Ward 5 3-2-0 113,640 22,728
1954 Ward 5 2 3-2-0 129,700 25,940
1955 Ward 5 1 4-1-0 113,500 22,700
1956 Ward 5 2 3-2-0 175,000 35,000
1957 Ward 5 3-2-0 152,500 30,500
1958 Ward 5 1 2-3-0 187,500 37,500
1959 Grandelius 6 3-3-0 177,903 29,651
1960 Grandelius 5 1 4-1-0 185,653 37,131
1961 Grandelius 6 1 5-1-0 199,987 33,331
1962 Davis 4 2-2-0 116,000 29,000
1963 Crowder 5 1-4-0 135,000 27,000
1964 Crowder 5 1-4-0 140,600 28,120
1965 Crowder 5 3-1-1 129,700 25,940
1966 Crowder 5 1 3-2-0 196,188 39,238
1967 Crowder 5 4-1-0 196,817 39,363
1968 Crowder 5 1 3-2-0 215,574 43,115
1969 Crowder 5 5-0-0 175,104 35,021
1970 Crowder 5 1 3-2-0 219,521 43,904
1971 Crowder 5 5-0-0 220,171 44,034
1972 Crowder 6 3 5-1-0 307,044 51,174
1973 Crowder 5 3-2-0 246,521 49,304
1974 Mallory 5 2 3-2-0 253,762 50,752
1975 Mallory 6 6-0-0 281,199 46,867
1976 Mallory 6 2 5-1-0 300,191 50,032
1977 Mallory 6 2 5-1-0 293,483 48,914
1978 Mallory 8 2 5-3-0 383,048 47,881
1979 Fairbanks 6 1-5-0 265,956 44,326
1980 Fairbanks 6 1 1-5-0 245,868 40,978
1981 Fairbanks 6 3-3-0 209,224 34,871
1982 McCartney 7 1 1-6-0 251,909 41,985
1983 McCartney 6 1 3-3-0 237,674 39,612
1984 McCartney 6 1 1-5-0 235,670 39,278
1985 McCartney 6 4-2-0 220,734 36,789
1986 McCartney 6 2 3-3-0 269,546 44,924
1987 McCartney 6 1 4-2-0 268,711 44,785
1988 McCartney 6 4-2-0 235,142 39,190
1989 McCartney 6 2 6-0-0 293,726 48,954
1990 McCartney 6 4 6-0-0 310,374 51,729
1991 McCartney 6 4 4-1-1 311,458 51,910
1992 McCartney 6 4 5-0-1 309,900 51,650
1993 McCartney 6 5 4-2-0 311,360 51,893
1994 McCartney 6 3 6-0-0 304,897 50,816
1995 Neuheisel 6 4 4-2-0 312,958 52,160
1996 Neuheisel 6 4 5–1 312,586 52,098
1997 Neuheisel 6 2 3–3 309,947 51,658
1998 Neuheisel 6 5–1 284,512 47,419
1999 Barnett 5 1 4–1 239,313 47,863
2000 Barnett 5 1–4 249,950 49,990
2001 Barnett 6 1 5–1 284,848 47,475
2002 Barnett 6 2 5–1 295,286 49,214
2003 Barnett 6 2 3–3 302,588 50,431
2004 Barnett 6 1 4–2 287,368 47,895
2005 Barnett 6 2 5–1 302,452 50,409
2006 Hawkins 6 2–4 276,286 46,048
2007 Hawkins 6 3–3 303,051 50,509
2008 Hawkins 6 1 4–2 296,858 49,476
2009 Hawkins 6 3–3 300,527 50,088
2010 Hawkins 6 4–2 281,182 46,864
2011 Embree 5 1–4 251,777 50,355
2012 Embree 6 0–6 273,235 45,539
2013 MacIntyre 6 3–3 230,773 38,462
2014 MacIntyre 6 1–5 226,670 37,778
2015 MacIntyre 6 2–4 236,331 39,389
2016 MacIntyre 6 1 6–0 279,652 46,609
2017 MacIntyre 6 3–3 282,335 47,056
2018 MacIntyre 6 3–3 274,852 45,809
2019 Tucker 6 2 3–3 297,435 49,573
2020 Dorrell 3 2–1 — —
2021 Dorrell 6 4–2 278,906 46,484

Gallery[]

  • The Colorado Buffaloes play at Colorado Stadium sometime in the 1920s.

  • Folsom Field between 1933 and 1950. The team is practicing in the North end of the field.

  • Folsom Field 135th commencement on June 9, 1967. 1,836 degrees were awarded.

  • Club and box seats built prior to 2003 season on July 13, 2006

  • Facade built prior to 2003 season on July 13, 2006

  • View from the club level seats before the football Spring Game on April 14, 2007

  • View to the southwest of the Flatirons in 2016

  • A view of the north side of the stadium in 2016.

  • New video boards were added before the 2012 season.

  • Folsom Field's east side as it looked in 2016 after the addition of the Champions Center.

See also[]

  • List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Folsom Field Home". University of Colorado Department of Athletics. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  2. ^ "Historic Building Inventory Record" (PDF). Colorado Historical Society. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  3. ^ Colorado.edu - CU campus map
  4. ^ Color aerial view (& topographic map) of CU campus from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps
  5. ^ "Folsom track goes". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. June 24, 1966. p. 26.
  6. ^ "New track ready for Colorado meet". Lawrence Journal-World. (Kansas). Associated Press. April 28, 1967. p. 15.
  7. ^ "Folsom Field History". University of Colorado Department of Athletics. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  8. ^ "Game 2–California" (PDF). University of Colorado Department of Athletics. September 7, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  9. ^ Whitehair, Stuart (January 2, 2012). "Colorado Daily – January". CU at the Game. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  10. ^ "Fly through of the upcoming Colorado Buffaloes facilities upgrades". 14 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Colorado rolls past Wyoming". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. September 19, 1971. p. 9, sports.
  12. ^ "Grid poll sweep for Big Eight; Huskers, Sooners, Buffs, 1, 2, 3". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. January 4, 1972. p. 12.
  13. ^ College FB Data Warehouse Archived 2012-11-14 at the Wayback Machine 1971 Final AP poll
  14. ^ CU Buffs.com Folsom Field playing surface
  15. ^ "Colorado stadium changing to grass". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). Associated Press. December 4, 1998. p. 2B.
  16. ^ "DMBAlmanac entry for 7.11.01". Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  17. ^ "Photos: Dead & Company at Folsom Field". 12 June 2017.
  18. ^ "Colorado State – Three-Peat over the Rams – CU at the Game".

External links[]

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