Why is Michigan Stadium called The Big House?

Here is why Michigan Stadium is often referred to as The Big House.

Although the Michigan Wolverines’ home football stadium is officially called Michigan Stadium, it is far more often referred to as The Big House.

Given how massively popular the Wolverines are as a college football brand, they are more than capable of packing their massive stadium. So how big is it really? Well, The Big House has seated 107,601 people since the 2015 college season. The nearly century old sports cathedral has been expanded seven times, making the largest stadium in the United States and Western Hemisphere.

So it goes without saying that Michigan Stadium is called The Big House because of its great size.

College football: Why Michigan Stadium is referred to as The Big House?

When the stadium was constructed in the late 1920s, it replaced Ferry Field, which sat about 40,000 at the time. The new venue was modeled after the Yale Bowl, originally seating about 72,000 patrons. It was first expanded to 82,000 with temporary bleachers upon inception. Over the years, it just grew and grew and grew, now to the point where no U.S. stadium can match it.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, The Big House nickname had become synonymous with Michigan Wolverines football. How synonymous is it? Well, even the most diehard of college football fans often forget that it is called Michigan Stadium; it is just The Big House, man! And even during down years for the program, fans would pack this stadium to the brim, as they should!

Ultimately, these are the type of venues that make college football the best sport in the world. In the NFL, even 20-something stadiums are replaced with something cooler, hipper and perceived better. Well, that is not always the case. Going to a college football game has always been about watching the game. The atmosphere at a place like The Big House is always and will be electric.

For a rather simple stadium in design, The Big House remains one of the best in college football.