Well, for at least 2 seasons, Michigan Stadium will not be the largest college football stadium in the country. According to changes that need to be made due to the settlement by the University to the Michigan Paralyzed Veterans of America (Michigan is still only in America, right?). The settlement will immediately add 237 to the existing 92 handicapped accessible seats already in place. That's a total of 329 seats, plus a companion seat for each.
According the reports...the capacity will fall from 107,501 right now, to somewhere around 106,201. Penn State's Beaver Stadium currently holds 107,282. Although after the stadium expansion project is finished, the capacity is said to be around 108,000. But no one knows for sure.
This settlement, which has been a point of contention for the community against the University, and their $226 million expansion of Michigan Stadium has been widely debated since the plans to expand were unveiled last year. From what I remember, the group wanted 1000 handicapped seats inside the stadium. With all due respect, thats a ton of seating!
Now I'm all for helping out the disabled...and I don't want to sound like this is a non-issue. It's important to keep the stadium accessible to all fans. I think everyone can walk away from this process happy with a little coordination and some common sense. Michigan wants their luxury suites, the veterans want their handicapped seating, and the general fans want the stadium to be the biggest. But what everyone wants is for the Big House to be the standard for all other stadiums in the country. I don't see how this is such an issue. Make improvements and eventually the stadium will be the biggest again. I guarantee it.
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