Basic Information
Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Location: Clemson, SC (34.67908, -82.84333)
Owner: Clemson University
Primary sport: football
Year constructed: 1942
Listed capacity: 81,500
Date last visited: April 2024
Stadium information: https://clemsontigers.com/sports/football/facilities/memorial-stadium/
(Aside: I am sorry about the first 2 pictures. I hope to get back to Clemson and take some new ones at some point.)
Summary Review: 5 stars (out of 5)
Many big and old college football stadiums consist of a patchwork of pieces built at different times that have been glued together, but Memorial Stadium is remarkably unified for a structure of its age. The stadium features only 2 levels of seating, unlike most stadiums of its size that feature at least 3. The stadium is located on a natural hillside, so you can enter either at the field level (west side) or at the middle level (east side). Thus, pedestrian flow is quite good. Most seats offer a better than expected view of the field due to the stadium's design. The video and audio systems are second to none, though the concession options could be improved. Many people view Clemson as an SEC or Big 10 football program playing in the ACC, and indeed the fan support this program enjoys is as good as any in its conference. Memorial Stadium is my favorite place to watch a football game in the Carolinas, and it is worth coming here if you get the chance.
Detailed Review:
Gameday Atmosphere: almost incomparable. Clemson football has a large and enthusiastic fan base. They have a small but loud cannon. Like most major college football programs, watching a game here is an all-day affair due to crowd size and traffic. Howard's Rock and the run down the hill is one of the best stadium entrances for any team anywhere.
Seating: mostly bench seating, a few have backs; some chairback seating in the expensive areas of the stadium.
Field View: the seating is built at a sharper than usual arc relative to the sidelines, so every seat feels closer to midfield than it actually is. The seating also has a fairly steep grade.
Audio/Video: this stadium has a great new video board on the east end with 2 smaller video boards on the west end. The audio is as good as any large stadium I have been in.
Concessions/Hot Dogs: located in the concourse behind the stands, where you would expect them. They serve mostly just the usual fare. The menu is easy to read. The hot dogs were satisfactory but nothing more.
Pedestrian Flow: wide concourses and plenty of entrances, so foot traffic flows pretty well.
Parking: there is parking everywhere, but little of it is free. As with any major college football stadium, it will take awhile to enter or exit before/after the game due to traffic.
