Washington–Grizzly Stadium

Washington–Grizzly Stadium

The Mecca of the FCS
Aerial view from northwest in 2019
Missoula Location in the United States Show map of the United States Missoula Location in Montana Show map of Montana
Address	Campus Drive
Location	University of Montana Missoula, Montana, U.S.
Coordinates	46°51′50″N 113°58′52″W / 46.864°N 113.981°W / 46.864; -113.981
Elevation	3,190 feet (970 m) AMSL
Owner	University of Montana
Operator	University of Montana
Capacity	25,217 (2008–present) 23,183 (2003–2007) 19,005 (2002) 18,845 (1995–2001) 12,500 (1986–1994)
Record attendance	27,178 (November 18, 2023)
Surface	FieldTurf – (2016–present) SprinTurf – (2001–2016) Natural grass – (1986–2000)
Construction
Broke ground	September 1985
Opened	October 18, 1986; 38 years ago (1986-10-18)
Construction cost	$3.2 million[1] ($8.89 million in 2023[2])
Architect	Fox, Ballas & Barrow[1] Rossman, Schneider & Gadvery[1]
Tenants
Montana Grizzlies – NCAA (1986–present) Missoula County Public Schools

Washington–Grizzly Stadium is an outdoor college football stadium in the western United States, located on the campus of the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Opened 38 years ago in 1986, it is home to the Montana Grizzlies, a member of the Big Sky Conference in Division I FCS (formerly Division I-AA).

Its infilled FieldTurf playing field is twenty feet (6 m) below ground level at an elevation of 3,190 feet (970 m) above sea level and runs in the traditional north–south orientation.^[3] The press box is above the west sideline and lights were added for the 2012 season.^[4]

With 26,217 seats, it is the largest all-purpose stadium in the state of Montana, and is the largest on-campus stadium in the Football Championship Subdivision that participates in the playoffs. The Yale Bulldogs' 61,446–seat Yale Bowl is the largest on-campus stadium in the FCS, but Ivy League members abstain from postseason play.^[a]

The stadium is named after construction magnate Dennis Washington, born in Washington, who donated $1 million to finance the stadium's construction in 1985. The inaugural game came in mid-season in 1986 (October 18), and the Griz have a record of 233–35 (.869) at the venue, through the 2023 season. Montana has gone undefeated at home in twelve of those seasons; the Griz won all ten home games in 2004 and posted a 9–0 mark seven times (1994, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2009, 2023).

The current seating capacity is 25,217 and it has been expanded three times, most recently in 2008 with an upper deck expansion of 2,000 seats on the east side.

The original capacity in 1986 was 12,500 permanent seats on the sidelines with open grass seating behind the end zones, an approximate capacity of 15,000, weather-permitting. Permanent seating for the end zones was installed in 1995, which brought the seating to 18,845. Corner seating in the north end zone opened in 2003 and the most recent expansion in 2008 to the east grandstand brought the capacity to 25,217.

A new attendance record was set in 2015 when ESPN and four-time defending national champion North Dakota State opened the FCS season on August 29 and drew 26,472. The previous record was 26,352, set in 2014 against rival Montana State on November 22; both games were Grizzly victories. The current attendance record of 27,178 was set at the 2023 Brawl of the Wild when the Grizzlies beat Montana State to win the Big Sky Conference.^[5]

Infilled SprinTurf was installed in 2001, and replaced in 2008. For its first fifteen seasons, the playing surface was natural grass; with the addition of the artificial turf in 2001, the playing surface was renamed "John Hoyt Field."

After fifteen seasons of SprinTurf, the playing surface was replaced with multi-color FieldTurf in the summer of 2016. Following the installation of FieldTurf in the new softball stadium (Grizzly Field), FieldTurf pitched the university with a new football field and within a month, it was approved by the board of regents and installed.

The video screen GrizVision, was installed in 2002 in the south end zone; at 26 by 36 feet (8 m × 11 m), it was one of the largest screens in an FCS football stadium and was upgraded in 2016 to a much larger screen: it features HD-quality video and measures 32 by 55 feet (10 m × 17 m), approximately twice the area of the old display.

Before Washington–Grizzly Stadium, the Grizzlies played off-campus at "new" Dornblaser Field from 1968–86. Prior to 1968, Montana played on-campus at "old" Dornblaser Field from 1920–67 (both named for Paul Dornblaser, football captain in 1912, killed in World War I). The old field was at the site of the Mansfield Library.

Prior to 1920, Montana played its home games at a field in downtown Missoula, near the former Missoulian newspaper building.

• List of NCAA Division I FCS football stadiums

• GoGriz.com – about Washington–Grizzly Stadium
• World Stadiums.com – Washington–Grizzly Stadium