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The football team plays its games in the beautiful 65,000-seat LaVell Edwards Stadium (formerly called Cougar Stadium). Broadcasters and sports writers from around the country are inevitably impressed with the magnificent view of Mt. Timpanogos and the Wasatch Mountain Range that can be seen from the stadium press box. New to the south end zone of LaVell Edwards Stadium in 1996 is a 23 x 31 foot video wall that shows instant replays during football games. A new 17 x 25 animation board and sound system will be located above the north stands.
When BYU launched its football program at the turn of the century, pasture lands and city parks were used for football playing fields. Now, the 65,000-seat LaVell Edwards Stadium is home to BYU football, and since its expansion in 1982, ranks consistently among the nation's top-25 in attendance every year.
Fan support at home has enabled BYU to schedule home and away contests with the likes of Notre Dame, Penn State and UCLA. Since the expansion, the facility has been applauded by fans, players and the media as one of the finest football facilities in the country.
Among its many features are a box-bowl configuration, a grass playing surface deemed one of the best in the country and a four-level press box.
In 1982 and 1988, the Football Writers of America cited BYU for its "Outstanding Press Box Working Area."
The press box has been nicknamed the "Provo Marriott" by the media who cover BYU football. It runs the entire length of the west stands, rising more than 10 stories high. It also contains 42 loges which each seat up to 12 people, on the first two levels.
"Almost anyone that goes in for the first time will say that it is the finest press box they've ever seen," said BYU's electronic media director Jay Monsen.
"I've been to places like USC, Nebraska and Oregon and I haven't seen anything that compares," said promotions director Dave Champlin.
The third level is reserved for working media and the fourth level is for television coverage and game filming. Press box access is aided by three elevators standing 144 feet (approximately 14 stories).
BYU's first stadium was a 10,000-seat hillside facility where the Richards Building now stands. A 30,000-seat stadium at the present location opened in 1964 but as many as 47,000 crammed into the stands and the grassy hill above the north endzone. Interest in BYU football grew more and more with each year and each WAC championship. In the year before its expansion, the 35,000-seat Cougar stadium averaged over 40,000 a game in attendance.
Expansion included lowering the field eight feet, taking out the track (which hosted the 1967 and 1975 NCAA Track and Field Champion-ships), adding end zone seating and box seats along the west stands. Over 15,000 yards of concrete were used in the expansion effort, which is enough to build a sidewalk from BYU to the University of Utah and then some.
Each end zone structure contains 4.3 million pounds of steel and seats 15,000 people. Concession and areas are on the ground level under the end zone seats.
The playing field has a special sand-based drainage system capable of disposing of two inches of rain per hour. Under the grass, there are six inches of gravel and 12 inches of sand mixed with loam and the sod. An automatic sensor system regulates the moisture content of the field by turning on sprinklers when they are needed. A light snow can be washed off the field via the sprinkling system.
Besides fall and spring football, the stadium is used for the July 4th Spectacular - Stadium of Fire - part of America's Freedom Festival.
The stadium houses the Athletic Hall of Fame in the Cougar Club Room, which is used for pre- and post-game activities as well as for meetings and banquets during the year.
In addition to office areas, the stadium has a great deal of storage space, including one of North America's largest Jurassic dinosaur collections.
Source: Brigham Young University Sports Information Office
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