Folsom Field

Folsom Field

Sold out night game with Utah in 2016
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Former names	Colorado Stadium (1924–1944)
Address	2400 Colorado Avenue
Location	University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, U.S.
Coordinates	40°00′32″N 105°16′01″W / 40.009°N 105.267°W / 40.009; -105.267
Elevation	5,360 feet (1,635 m) AMSL
Owner	University of Colorado
Operator	University of Colorado
Capacity	50,183 (2014–present)[1] Former capacities: List 53,613 (2010–2013) 53,750 (2003–2009) 50,942 (2001–2002) 51,655 (1999–2000) 51,808 (1996–1998) 51,748 (1991–1995) 51,463 (1979–1990) 52,005 (1976–1978) 50,516 (1967–1975) 45,000 (1956–1966) 26,000 (1924–1955)
Record attendance	54,972
Surface	Natural grass (1924–1970, 1999–present) AstroTurf (1971–1998)
Construction
Broke ground	January 14, 1924[1]
Opened	October 11, 1924; 100 years ago (1924-10-11)
Renovated	1968, 1976, 2003
Expanded	1956, 1967, 2003
Construction cost	$65,000 (1924)
Architect	Waldo E. Brockway[2] Sink Combs Dethlefs (renovations)
Tenants
Colorado Buffaloes (NCAA) (1924–present)
Website
cubuffs.com/folsom-field

Folsom Field is an outdoor college football stadium located on the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. It is the home field of the Colorado Buffaloes of the Big 12 Conference.

Opened in 1924, the horseshoe-shaped stadium has a traditional north–south configuration, opening to the north. The University's athletic administration center, named after 1950s head coach Dal Ward, is located at the north end.^[3]

The playing field returned to natural grass in 1999 and sits at an elevation of 5,360 feet (1,635 m), more than a mile above sea level.^[4] Folsom Field is the third highest stadium in FBS college football, behind only Wyoming and Air Force of the Mountain West Conference.

Gamble Field was the home of Colorado football for two decades, through the first game of the 1924 season. Opened as Colorado Stadium on October 11, Folsom Field has been the continuous home of Buffaloes football. Through the 2021 season, the Buffs have a home record of 323–181–14 (.637).

The stadium was also unofficially called Norlin Stadium, against the wishes of university president George Norlin himself.^[5] Colorado Stadium was renamed Folsom Field in 1944, following the death of former head coach Fred Folsom. He led the Silver and Gold for fifteen seasons (1895–99, 1901–02, 1908–15), compiling an overall record of 78–24–2 (.760). The stadium was officially rechristened in the 1946 homecoming game.^[5]

In 2008, Folsom Field became the first "zero-waste" stadium in the NCAA by instituting a rigorous recycling and composting program.

When opened in 1924, the horseshoe-shaped stadium had a capacity of 26,000; a major expansion in 1956 raised the height of the stadium, with a new seating capacity of 45,000. The removal of the running track in 1967 added six thousand seats; the track and field team relocated to Potts Field on the East Campus.^[6][7]

A sizable, six-level press box was added in 1968 to the top of the west side grandstand, directly in front of Balch Fieldhouse, the former home of the basketball team. Renovations continued in 1976 when the old, rickety wooden bleachers were replaced with aluminum ones, raising the capacity to 52,005.

In 2003, suites and club seating were added to the east side of the stadium, raising the capacity to 53,750.^[8] Since the 2003 renovation, 137 seats with obstructed views have been removed, lowering the seating capacity to 53,613.^[9]

In 2014, construction for a further expansion started. This expansion included a new indoor practice facility, a high performance sports center, as well as extra seating on the northeast corner of the stadium.^[10][11]

Before the start of the 2016 season, as part of a $156 million dollar initiative, the north endzone was completely rebuilt. Existing bleachers were renovated into large boxes, club level seating & areas.

The most recent renovation replaced the south endzone's video board, in addition to extending the ribbon board. Completed before the start of the 2024 season, the new video board is over five times the surface area of the previous video board.^[12]

From 1924 through 1970, the playing surface at Folsom Field was natural grass. In the summer of 1971, AstroTurf was installed and the first game played on the new surface was a 56–13 win over Wyoming on September 18.^[13] Unranked in the preseason, the 1971 Buffs finished third in the AP Poll behind Nebraska and Oklahoma, for a sweep of the top three spots by the Big Eight Conference.^[14][15] The synthetic turf was replaced in 1978 and again in 1989, with "Astroturf-8."^[16]

After 28 years of AstroTurf, Folsom Field returned to natural grass in the spring of 1999.^[17] The project, which included bio-thermal heating, drainage, and a sub-air system, cost $1.2 million.

The Grateful Dead played at Folsom on September 3, 1972 and as part of their 15th anniversary June 7 & 8, 1980. The September 1972 show has been partially released on Dick's Picks Volume 36.

The Rolling Stones were at the venue on July 16, 1978 and October 3 & 4, 1981.

The stadium played host to a concert, later released on DVD, by the Dave Matthews Band on July 11, 2001. The band were fined $15,000 for playing 15 minutes over the stadium's curfew time. Afterwards, no concerts were held at Folsom Field for fifteen years.^[18]

The stadium hosted Dead & Company for two-night stands during their 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 summer tours. The band holds the record for number of performances at the venue, with 13 shows after the three night stand at Folsom Field for their final Summer Tour in 2023.

The south end zone was featured in the opening and closing credits of the late 1970s television show Mork and Mindy, which was set in Boulder.

Folsom Field is also used as the finish line for the Bolder Boulder, a popular 10K run.

The first Promise Keepers stadium conference was held at Folsom in June 1992.

The largest crowd for a CU football game at Folsom Field was 54,972 in 2005, against in-state rival Colorado State on September 3, in which the Buffaloes won with a 47-yard field goal by Mason Crosby with four seconds remaining.^[36] This early-season, non-conference rivalry game, the Rocky Mountain Showdown, is more often played in neutral Denver at Mile High Stadium and its successor Empower Field at Mile High.^[1]

The largest crowd ever at Folsom Field was in 1977 for a rock concert, one of the popular Colorado Sun Day concert series. The attendance on May 1 was an estimated 61,500 (exceeding the seating capacity by about 9,000) for a show featuring Fleetwood Mac, Bob Seger, Firefall, and John Sebastian.

View from the club level seats before the football Spring Game on April 14, 2007

• 
  Facade built prior to 2003 season on July 13, 2006
• 
  Interior view, 2007
• 
  View to the southwest of the Flatirons in 2016
• 
  A view of the north side of the stadium in 2016
• 
  New video boards were added before the 2012 season.
• 
  Folsom Field's east side as it looked in 2016 after the addition of the Champions Center.

• List of NCAA Division I FBS football stadiums
• List of American football stadiums by capacity
• Lists of stadiums

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Folsom Field.

• Official website
• Facility rental at Folsom Field for events - weddings, birthdays, conferences, etc.