I was here for the Annual Celebrity Sweat Flag Football Game featuring Dwight Howard's team vs. Quavo's team, which included athletes, entertainers, and influencers. The stadium is very clean, and the layout makes it easy to get around without feeling chaotic. Parking was smooth thanks to the nearby parking garage, which made arrival and departure stress free. The exterior of the stadium has a classic, almost Rome Coliseum-like vibe that gives it a grand, historic feel as you navigate around. Food wise, I decided to try the chicken tenders with a side of tater tots. The chicken tenders were decent, and the tater tots were too crunchy like it was overcooked. All in all, it's a nice stadium with good facilities, clean spaces, and a beautiful stadium exterior that stands out. It's worth a visit for games and special events, even if the concession food could use some improvement. read more

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We attended a recent CAL game for the home opener and what a cool experience to also checkout the new Oski's Village x Football Fan Fest Zone essentially located right across the street from the Stadium on CAL's campus. Oski's Village is open three hours before kickoff for every home game. Our experience featured a chicken and waffle food truck, local brews from Almanac, an amazing live music performance (and conga line thru the crowd), an Oski appearance, fun kiddo/adult lawn games/entertainment, photo ops, and more festivities. It's been a minute since I've been to this Stadium, and I will say it's a beauty! I dig the local collabs with food and bev, awesome staff, and just nostalgic feels within the interior/exterior. And the marching band...the marching band! We def sat in the nosebleeds, but even the crowd is super cool and kiddo-friendly. There's just something about a hometown college team that you can't do anything but smile and root for..also, my college didn't have a football team so maybe that's a bias :)) All in all, Oski's Village made it quite the experience for everyone..appreciate game day inclusivity for young ones too! We took BART to/from the game, supporting East Bay transpo + athletics thru and thru. Highly recommend purchasing tickets ahead of time! read more

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Great venue. Positive game vibes. Awesome security. Courteous staff. Clean bathrooms. Nice variety of food vendors. read more

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Such a cool historic site! Was a little cold but easy to bear while my nephews team won! Go Bears!! Glad I was able to witness such a cool stadium. read more

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I attended my first ever California Golden Bears football game for Week 3 of the 2024 college football season and it was a lot of fun. It's crazy to think that Cal is now part of the ACC conference considering the ACC consists of a bunch of east coast teams located on the other side of the United States. Cal will definitely be earning their frequent flier miles from here on forward. But for this game, the Golden Bears were playing San Diego State. It was a 7:30pm game. I bought a ticket on TickPick which was a $31 flat fee. So here at California Memorial Stadium, it's located right on campus. I parked 1 mile away at the Oxford Garage which is situated in downtown Berkeley. It was $22 for parking. The outside of Memorial Stadium reminded me of a vintage European style mausoleum. It's a classic venue, opened in 1923. Now a century later, it's still in decent condition. It was hard to judge actually where the front entrance to the stadium was. And there was no signs saying Welcome to California Memorial Stadium. I would have liked that. Instead, the giant exterior of the coliseum is paved in milky white and sits perched above the heart of Cal's campus. A few cool aspects that I noticed outside... - The Golden Bear Statue - great for a picture. - "The Play" Shrine - back in 1982, Cal and Stanford had one of the most unforgettable endings to a game, ever. The Stanford band ran onto the field anticipating Stanford had won and Cal wasn't finished and ran the ball for a touchdown to win. They recognize this moment in history. - Aaron Rodgers Athletic Center - hall of fame NFL quarterback was a Cal alumni and so they dedicated the football center and weight room to him. For this 7:30pm game, they allowed fans inside Memorial Stadium at 5:30pm, a good 2 full hours for me to explore the stands and observe the field. Memorial Stadium consists of 64,000 capacity, yet for this game, it was maybe half full. Entering onto the stands and looking down at the 50 yard line, it was very noticeable how the perimeter is shaped into the ground in one giant bowl. It's similar to the foundation at the Rose Bowl. Not sure if people will agree with that comparison, but the stadium spans 360 degrees. It's colored in Cal's beautiful navy blue and gold colors . You can grab great photos from the visiting side of the field. There, the stands extend higher up off the ground. With that navy blue/gold painted around the stadium, it's a cool setting from my POV. The visiting side also offers plenty of concessions from the top deck. And interestingly, students sit (or actually they stand the whole game, lol) on the visiting sideline to stay loud and distract opponents. For this game, the students were certainly a factor. The remaining sections had fans sitting sporadically. I didn't know this prior to attending, but Cal appears very proud of their band which had a 10 minute introduction prior to kickoff and was featured again during halftime. Introductions were exciting with players running onto the field beside blazing fire bolts. As an exclamation to getting kickoff started, some brief fireworks exploded from the press box where coaches and media were sitting. For a late September evening game, weather was 58 degrees and of course I didn't bring a jacket to stay bundled up. Should have known that being near San Francisco. They sold hot chocolates for $6. Lately now at college football stadiums, they have hype music getting fans involved at the end of the 3rd quarter, yet there was nothing of significance for this game. It was a gradual continuation into the 4th quarter. I was hoping for something energetic but never got it. Last thing, the scoreboards are really small and I barely even looked up at them throughout the game. There are scoreboards located above each end zone. Overall, even though California Memorial Stadium is a throwback in time, it's still rich in heritage and tradition. I appreciated that. I would have liked more attendance at the game, but then again, Cal wasn't exactly playing a conference rival, so it's understandable. But regardless, I'm a fan of college football and arriving in Berkeley and being able to see this game was thrilling. Thank you for having me Golden Bears and hope to return sometime in the future. read more

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Great game and fun with the family! We will be back next season ! Kids enjoyed and the food options was great as well ! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

I do recommend coming here and we met some good people especially the tickets boot lady named Ari. She was so helpful. You're so kind. Was so synthetic people customer that would come in that needed help, keep up the good job and thank you. Julio is one of the nicest guys we became across with even shared some goodies Burger and some Hunt link thank you Julio. Keep up the good job. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I attended my first Cal game since'91 and I bad a wonderful time! I will definitely be Attending more games This season!! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

Older stadium(100 yrs old) with cement steps. There was a storm the day before so there was a mud slide and under the seats we'd much and filled with leaves. It was hard getting down the stairs because there was a pile of sandbags at the top of the stairs you have to climb over. Stadium seating. Most were benches without backs. I belive you can rent seat backs, but we didn't see where you could rent them. Sitting on the benches was't bad. That didn't squeeze too many people in so you had your own personal space next to you. On the other hand there wasn't enough space between the rows and you end up bumping into someone's knees from behind you. It also was rough with the mud all over. People were putting their feet and walking on the benches so they were all muddy. We sat in section P seat 1 and 2. It was nice being on the end and not squished between other people.. The student section was to our right if you are facing the field. As time went by the students filled in the extra spaces around us as the student section was full. Thus we didn't want to get up and walk around because we'd loose our seats. Getting into the game was a headache. It wasn't clear what line to get into. We lucked out and found a short line at the top of the hill. We lucked out and were the last in the line to get in that gate. The student line was a mile long and many people deep. Some people waited 2 hours to get in from when the game started. They missed the first 2 touchdowns of Cal. We heard about this the next day from some friends who were students. They had a good variety of food, but the lines were really long. They had poke, whole pizzas, fries, chicken and waffles, popcorn, cotton candy, lemonade, and a variety of other things. They had some hawkers walking around with lemonade kettle corn and cotton candy. I wish they had regular popcorn. read more

Just went to the UM/Cal game at the stadium after an enjoyable time years ago during another UM/Cal game. We sat behind the visitor bench in Section T about 25 rows down from the top. Good view of the field but we had to leave in the third quarter due to the very very loud DJ "music" bein played above that section; easily over 100db and my ears are still ringing. I'll never return unless that nonsense is removed. Let's here the band, the cheerleaders, the fans, the QB barking out signals on the field, not this obnoxious "wall of highly distorted bass heavy sound." Maybe I should have given the experience 1 star but my team won. read more

I can see why Jayden Ott, J. Michael Sturdivant, Femi Oladejo, and Jaivian Thomas all had to go. With how smart Welfare School fans think they are, they built this dump right on the fault line. Genius. The best seats in the house arent even better than being on that hill that's outside of the stadium. Fifth tier stadium for a fifth tier ACC (lol) program. read more

This stadium has terrible access/parking. They have half the stadium still using outhouses. And the seats are terrible and uncomfortable bench style for most the stadium! And the vision boards are too small! read more

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This is a fun place to watch some Cal Football. I enjoyed the atmosphere which is refreshing for football in general. FTX Field is very clean almost any seat has a good view. The concessions have good drink and food options. read more

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How can I give memorial stadium anything but 5 stars? All seats offer good views of the field. The score board is bright and easy to read. The wooden benches from my college days have been replaced with aluminum bench's. They have decreased the number of seats in a row from 25-20. Cushions with back rests are available for rent. Go Bears! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

I still remember how hard it use to be to have my kids take a picture with a football mascot, but to my surprise, Oski the California Bears mascot appeared in front of me before today's game, and I was able to get a nice picture. My wife delivered a classic statement. She said, "Oski did not know that the picture he took contained a guy who favorite team is USC!" The stadium is always well protected. read more

Sitting on the fault line high above Berkeley, Cal Memorial's renovated digs has a little bit of old school feel on the Eastern side of the field with long benches and port-o-potties on the outer rim with just two hot dog carts and two alcohol stands while the luxury boxes on the western side of the field has a new school feel with sheltered padded seating, all you can eat sushi and hot dogs , Cal sugar cookies Ben & Jerry's ice cream and nice bathrooms as well as access to the school legends who come back to visit and see the carnage of what was once a great football program. On the Eastern side of the field you can sit up on Tight Wad Hill and watch the game for free while enjoying a grand view of the Bay through the trees. On the Western side of the field you can sit out on the observation deck with a totally unobstructed 180 degree view of the campus and Bay that is only rivaled by the California Observatory. These days Cal is deeply entrenched at the bottom of the Pac-12 standings. Their high economic standards, limited athletic budget, and not as famous recent performances make it hard to recruit enough talent and coaching to compete with more gifted teams. But if you close your eyes you might still be able to hear Joe Starkey call "The Play" which this reviewer observed from the Northern end zone before joining the mayhem on the field. You might still imagine Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynvch, Chuck Muncie, Desean Jackson, Ron Rivera, Matt Bouza, Jeremy Newberry, Ray Wershing, Herm Edwards, Tony Gonzalez, Cam Jordan, Joe Kapp, Alex Mack, Wesley Walker, Steve Bartkowski and the legendary Joe Roth during the glory days. "Roll on You Bears"! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

California Memorial Stadium itself is beautiful. It's still quite new and the facilities are state-of-the art, ranging from the field itself to the locker rooms, the weight training areas, etc. As a Cal football fan, you will have fun watching your team play here. Unfortunately, its a big stadium that rarely gets too full - perhaps because the team struggles to win consistently :(. Regardless of what seats you get, you should have a good view of the field. There's also plenty of bathrooms if/when you need to take a break, and its generally a clean and well-maintained ball park. Considering the scope and reputation of Cal, this stadium represents the school well. read more

This stadium is remarkable, and the views are breathtaking! I've had the pleasure of cheering on the Bears with my fellow Yelpers...going on our 3rd year. We love this annual tradition thanks to Yelp. For many of my Yelite friends, it's their Alma Mater. I'm excited just to see them so excited! It's nice to see my East Bay family around this time of year. Our son loves the football games; he's happy to attend any football game (Pac-12 or SEC). Although, he did have an awesome time at LSU, one he will never forget. Can't even compare when it comes to football in the South, it's their religion! https://www.yelp.com/biz/yelps-game-day-special-go-bears-berkeley The evening games at Cal Memorial Stadium can get quite chilly like any other stadium around the Bay, so bring layers just in case. We enjoy the day games, as the sun is out in October (most beautiful time of year in the Bay Area), makes it a nice day with friends and family at the football game. Although, homecoming weekend is challenging with parking. Overall, they did a stellar job renovating this stadium. https://www.yelp.com/biz/yelps-game-day-special-this-is-bear-territory-part-deux-berkeley FYI, if you're planning your next event i.e., wedding, celebration, meetings, corporate event, this venue does it all with spectacular views of the SF Bay and Berkeley hills. What a unique setting to impress your guests! 'Til next time ~ goooooooooo BEARS!!! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yelps-game-day-special-go-bears-berkeley?select=Jht3Mh3dvlr2J1F6pe35qw&userid=5UDpc2CMOgbf3GePS6SGVA https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yelps-game-day-special-go-bears-berkeley?select=eqOTPcgAHRF-XzLL8qA53g&userid=5UDpc2CMOgbf3GePS6SGVA https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yelps-game-day-special-go-bears-berkeley?select=dQ6DkVz65FrQE36ha317cg&userid=5UDpc2CMOgbf3GePS6SGVA https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yelps-game-day-special-this-is-bear-territory-part-deux-berkeley?select=toWAZPzC6IwmDWTHewmyHQ&reviewid=npzWkWmt3EXyw8vlqVKX2g https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/yelps-game-day-special-this-is-bear-territory-part-deux-berkeley?select=jf04QsryBQ2C0S45STofvw&reviewid=npzWkWmt3EXyw8vlqVKX2g read more

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Traveled here for a football game and luckily we took an uber since a lot of the streets were closed. Now I know why there were seat rental cushions, the seats weee uncomfortable. Stood in line 20 deep for a pretzel only to be told when I go the the front that it would be 20-25 minutes. WTF. I got the cheese fries instead and it was terrible. Nice that my team won. read more

Cal Memorial Stadium is definitely your quintessential on-campus facility that is steeped in tradition. I've been to Memorial Stadium a few times over the years to cheer for the Huskies, but my last visit back in October was the first time since the remodel. An aside: I was quite bummed that we lost! I like that it is basically the same - some things should not change! Sightlines to the field is really good no matter where you are at. I've only sat in the visitors section, but you won't get any complaints for me! I didn't partake in stadium concessions, but there was a really great variety available - especially on the concourse behind the student section! Parking is problematic here, so public transportation to campus is the way to go! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Go Huskies! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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The Big Game! Cal vs Stanford! North Bay vs South Bay. It's the Bay Area college football rivalry that has spanned over 120 years. Having never witnessed this rivalry in person, I was thrilled that my two Cal alumni friends invited me to Memorial Stadium to the 121st Big Game. Due to the traffic and parking on game day, my friends recommended taking BART. We met and walked into campus to the Stadium. We followed the crowd and arrived in about 15 minutes. My friends said the Stadium recently had a major renovation. Having our tickets scanned, we were in the Stadium. No metal detectors like in pro-sporting events. We were seated on the 10th row on the home end zone section of the stadium. It appears that all seats in the stadium offered a good view of the field. It was exciting and spirted as the cheerleaders fired up the crowd with Cal cheers. At the end, it was not to be as Stanford won again and maintained possession of "The Axe". Until next year, Go Bears! read more

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Really nice stadium! I came to watch a Friday game to see the Berkeley beat Washington State! The lines to get in went by quite fast. The facilitator itself is very clean and looks new. The stadium is quite small so even if you have crappy tickets, you still feel like you are close to the field! However, the seats are not the most comfortable. Bring seat cushion or you can rent one for your convenience. Parking: come early and you can find some street parking (free after 6pm at most places). You would have to walk about 1 mile or so. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

I recently attended a Cal Game at the new stadium. It's a beautiful facility. The Food Concession stands are pretty good. Pizza , Chicken Fingers, Burgers and Sausages are offered for sale. The Bleachers offer great views of the field. The Restrooms are Nice and Spacious and Clean. I'm a fan . read more

The stadium is showing some of its age. Walking around the concession floor for a drink, there's not a lot of variety of food..similar to bar fare without the bar :( Please don't expect alcohol to be served on this stadium. Seats.. I love how the views are pretty good.. the stadium isn't so big that you can't see the plays .. there are only 2 big creeps at each end of the touchdown. Their team stores are stands, not exactly a big gift shop- it was a little disapproving since I love to shop :) Overall.. this place has a great vibe. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Cal Staduim with my fellow Yelpers! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I attended this stadium for the first time to watch homecoming football between Cal and Washington (unfortunately Cal lost 31-7 but that's OK since I am alum of both!). It's an outdoor stadium with bleachers but you can rent one of those rubbery seats. There are plenty of concession stands selling typical stadium food including hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches, etc. They have runners selling water ($4) and lemonades ($6). Some tips from my experience: 1. No backpacks into the stadium - I didn't have one but still good to know. 2. No in and out privileges once you leave ticketed area 3. On a sunny day, wear a hat and sunscreen - I didn't and got a free tan sitting in section T behind the 35-yard line. 4. Gate 10 was a bit hard to find - it's way on top of the hill! One of those golf cart drivers was kind enough to give me a lift up. Overall, a nice stadium with great marching band performances and well-behaved crowds. I sat next to both UW and Cal fans. Just wished the game was more competitive and exciting - it got one-sided by halftime. read more

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It's a beautiful stadium, no doubt about that. So beautiful, I go off on a political rant in my head walking by this place that public education shouldn't have to support NCAA arenas (even with boosters and fundraising) more grandiose than many private-league ones. Once I can silent the niggling college career counselor in my brain, though, it's easy to sit back and enjoy Memorial Stadium's gorgeous renovations. The snack concessions are fairly reasonable if you don't have time to grab dinner before the game - $6 for a brat isn't too terrible. The bathrooms are spacious and clean, and it's pretty easy to find your seat. There are ushers scattered around that can help you if you're lost. Minus one star for the freezing cold aluminum benches. Plan ahead and bring a blanket or one of those portable chairs all the smart parents have. It will mean the difference between a happy night or feeling like you're sitting on an iceberg. :-P This is a great stadium for bringing the fam - lots of students and cheerleaders rah-rah-ing keep the energy high, and the gorgeous views of the Bay as you leave are hard to beat. :-) read more

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Go bears!!!! Most beautiful stadium ever!!!! After the newly constructed stadium was opened I could not wait to see it. O man was it a beauty! I love my golden bears! That is all. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

This review is specifically to help people who attend Spring Commencement here in the future. First, I highly recommend ordering lei's and flowers from Moe's Flowers on Durant ahead of time so you don't get price gouged on your way into the stadium ($25-30 vs $40+). That said, if you forget or decide to buy more last minute, they are available and most vendors take credit cards. I also recommend making your restaurant reservations for lunch or dinner as far in advance as you can for a place within walking distance of campus because the traffic getting away from the area will be horrendous. Just be sure to give your group plenty of time to get there. The morning of, definitely plan to get there by 8:00am when parking opens if at all possible. Pick up breakfast on your way into Berkeley, because Caffe Strada will be really packed. If you miss breakfast, they do sell food at the stadium. Also, bring snacks and water (water in the stadium is $5) and don't forget the sunscreen! We were in the line of cars inching towards the stadium by 8:00am but by 8:30 we had moved a block and a half and the stadium lot was full, they were turning people away. We parked a couple blocks down Bancroft Way in a $10 lot between Bowditch and Barrow Ln opposite side of the street from campus. The entrance is a steep downward but nondescript driveway which probably explains why it still had plenty of spaces available. As long as you don't need the shuttle service that picks up from campus lots, this is a great option. The walk to the stadium is not too bad for the able-bodied, but anyone needing assistance should really get there extra early. For this commencement, bags (purses, cameras, etc) were permitted, but were searched. Tickets need to be printed with a readable bar code so make sure you do that in plenty of time to account for running out of ink or other technical problems (I speak from experience folks). A line to get in forms fairly early, but once the stadium was open, crowds of people moved towards the entrance and the line was a moot point. Also, feel free to move to the far right and continue up the stairs to gate 5, there's no need to wait forever to get into the first gate. Where to sit? Up to you, but if I could do it again, I would sit in the shade under the big screen on the South end of the field. For Spring 2018, the temperature was great, but there was no cloud cover at all and the sun was out in full force. It was so harsh that we got burnt even though we were covered in sunscreen. I definitely recommend that you wear hats and bring fans just in case (umbrellas will not be allowed). The other nice thing for people sitting on the ends of the stadium instead of the middle, their graduates were able to leave their seats and let their families take photos of them in the end zones while their fellow grads were still filing in. My graduate was on the opposite side from us so we couldn't get over there. If I had known better, I would have sat on that side and told my graduate to stay in the far right line to be seated in the far right section. The four seating sections on the field correspond to the line they are in (far left line sits in the far left section, etc) but it's very easy for them to get into the line for the section they want to sit in. Lots of grads even jumped from one line to another, it wasn't really a big deal. You should also have your grad text you when they are about to enter the field so you know when to look for them. Also, tell them if they see a camera to mug for it. Some shots are shown on the big screens and those generally make it into the final commencement video. The line closest to the audience tended to get cut off in the video FYI, but if your grads linger after the ceremony a bit, they can find a camera that's still recording and wave to it, do a dance, whatever. The ceremony will start right about 10. The first hour is mostly the graduates walking into the stadium from the North tunnel. Then all the speeches begin. The ceremony generally lasts about 3 hours but can be cut short due to weather, protesters, etc. For Spring 2018, it started pretty close to 10:00 and even with the ceremony being cut short by an hour (don't know why), we barely made it to our 3:00pm restaurant reservation in Alameda due mostly to extremely heavy traffic getting out of the area. It can take quite a while to get out of the stadium and find your graduate, you will literally hit a wall of people. Our grad stayed on the field with friends to take more pictures then met us outside gate 5 once the staff forced them off the field. They are told to egress to the campanile, but you can make whatever meeting arrangements you want. People flooded campus and Southside immediately. Cars were at constant gridlock everywhere. If I knew this would be the case, I would have made a reservation within walking distance which is why I suggest that to you here. Congratulations on making it! Go Bears!! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Spring Commencement - Under this big screen was the only shade! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Meh, I've experienced better UC Berkeley started a beer garden inside the grounds of California Memorial Stadium for the 2018 football season, to generate revenue. Although it's nice to grab a drink during the game, this beer garden is totally lame. First, it's on the exterior of the stadium, so far from the action. Second, there's no audio or TV monitors for one to follow the game. You either have to pick between grabbing a drink or watching the game: LAME! read more

Awesome day with the wife and my homie Phil. The stadium is awesome for football. Good sightlines and great sound. I love coming here. Go Bears! read more

California Memorial Stadium - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

Came to Cal Memorial stadium for Cal vs UC Davis game. We had handicapped placard and yet we were told while the lots had handicapped spots we could not park in them without a permit. We were also told that the street handicapped parking was off limits on game day too by UC Berkley Campus police per street signs. As visitors we never expected Cal to be violating ADA Requirements at their game read more

California Memorial Stadium - Handicapped parking off limits on game day? - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

I have been here a couple times, once for a football game and then another time for a graduation and both times the layout of the place was pretty smooth. There are various openings you can go in through, there are a lot of staff to help you find where your section is and vendors all over the place for food and bathrooms with plenty of stalls, so it is a really nice set up. Also the stadium from the outside doesn't look like your typical football stadium, it has a really nice exterior. Parking both times is a mess kind of, if you get there early enough you can find parking in the surrounding areas and then walk about 15 minutes or so. I do admit that at the graduation ceremony, there could have been a better system to make people go to the outer openings of the stadium, there was a back log of people up the stairs, but otherwise, it was really smooth. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Graduation starting - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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My three experiences here at Memorial Stadium have been with the Yelp Football event. I have enjoyed the games. The seats are not the most comfortable, and often cold with the wind whipping up the Wazuu (I just saw Cal upset #8 Washington State). The stadium has a clear bag policy, and while inconvenient for the first time visit, it totally makes sense these days. Want a hot chocolate? $5 Hot dog? $6 What did I learn today? King Pin doughnuts nostalgia has worn off. read more

California Memorial Stadium - Go Cougars! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

11.14. We listened to speech of College of Journalisms and Haas School of Business. We also met Steve Kerr. I sat in the back row so I did not see clearly. On 11.15 morning we went to Plug and Play. At first we listened to introduction and then a pitch contest. 24 Companies presented their startups ideas. We did not listen to all of them at left at the 20th because of time. There were many VCs. The startups were biotech, healthcare, agriculture tech, food, etc. There were coffee, tea snd water. read more

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I've been attending Cal games for years, starting when I attended graduate school in the mid-1980s and continuing when I moved to the East Bay in the early 1990s. However, I'm sad to report that before the recent Cal-Washington game, I had not previously watched a live game after the Stadium was completely remodeled. However, I've never forgotten to cheer Roll On You Bears! I must also confess that I'm also an alum of the University of Iowa (Hawkeyes - Big Ten) and Texas A&M (Aggies, aka real ones unlike UC Davis - SEC). As such, I can tell you that Cal fans are a bit mellow in comparison to going to an Iowa or A&M game. For example, do you think Bear fans would crowd the field like Hawkeye fans did when we beat Michigan this season? And could a Cal fan stand the entire game like I did at A&M? I think not. At the same time, I'm a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, and the Bears are my team, as long as Iowa or Texas A&M are not involved. As such, I had a great time at the Cal - Washington game, although it was a bit a blow out. Gayle came with me and had a nice time as well. Our only complaint is that with a nationally televised game, the network timeouts make the game way too long. By the time halftime arrived, it was already a 2 hour game! We also figured out that what looked like a tomahawk chop by Huskie fans was them yelling Mush! As for the stadium, it looks great. It has a similar look and feel to the old version, albeit with all the luxury pavilion stuff on the West Side. Even the benches were more comfortable than the old wood versions. It's quality entertainment, but can we get a winning team soon? read more

My wife and I attended the Cal-Grambling State game yesterday (Cal won 73-14). California Memorial Stadium has always been a great venue to watch a football game. I was anxious to see how the stadium looked (renovations that began at the end of 2010 were completed at the end of August 2012). My wife and I used to go here regularly, but we had last been to a game on September 11, 2010. Some portables remain (there's a long row of them at the back of the stadium), but some restrooms were finally added. The one I used was huge, but oddly designed (the paper towel dispensers aren't really close to the sinks). There could also be more room to move around (I was dodging men left and right, like when I go to a gay bar). The main food kiosks now sell a slightly more diverse array of items. There are also some large condiment areas now. I wanted some BBQ, but I wasn't going to walk halfway around the stadium (I assume that the booth is still around). The lines are organized better now (form-a-line ropes are now used). In the past, people in line to buy food were totally in the way (the congestion was just like what you'll often find at A's games). A little change can make a big difference. Some Prices: Hot Drinks (ex: hot chocolate): $2. Bottled Water: $4. Souvenir Soda (32 oz.): $5. Pizza (Papa Murphy's): $10. Hot Link Sandwich: $6. Nachos: $5. I only counted 4 vendors around the stadium (lemonade and popcorn were mainly sold). Only 1 of them really visited our section (it has always been strange to me that there aren't more vendors at the games). Pizza: 7.5/10. My pizza was somewhat filling, and so I didn't feel too ripped off. There could have been more pepperoni, though, and Papa Murphy's pizzas generally taste better. Nachos: 8/10. You're given a lot of chips (they're pretty good), but not enough cheese. The cheese, though, is tasty and hot. My wife choked on a chip, but was otherwise pleased. Her nachos were filling. We spent $30 on food, but next time I won't get a pizza. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/california-memorial-stadium-berkeley-3?select=Q43brgZAorYjxTXcdmzKQQ: The deal with Internet media games company Kabam expires at the end of 2028. KABAM appearing on the scoreboards is cartoonish, and I like the graphics that appear at the back of the end zones more (Touchdown! flashes across the screens with a waterfall effect in the background). We entered through Gate 3. A very nice gym can be seen when you approach the stairs (in the past, getting to our seats was more straightforward). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/california-memorial-stadium-berkeley-3?select=uRpb9Ld-mlhVKmANhIkZhQ: The scoreboards once featured all the main stats of the game (ex: a team's total yards). The time also used to be given. I like how the new scoreboards look, but I preferred the ones in the past. Smile Cam; Bear Hug Cam; Flex Cam; Emoji Cam (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0H-y75mVyc): The Smile Cam could use some tweaking. It's hard to see fans who are smiling because there's a huge graphic of a smile (what you're really seeing is a large set of teeth). Almost no one flexed their muscles for the Flex Cam. Nothing happened during the Emoji Cam moment. :( The Bear Hug Cam made some fans hug each other. Overall, though, there was not a lot of love in the air. A new stadium wall was built (it surrounds the field). It looks taller and stronger than the old wall. Kabam Field, quite simply, looks gorgeous. Our Regular Reserved tickets were $30 each (we actually got to go to the game for free). In the past, they were typically $20 or $22. Anyway, we had "Benchback" seating (most of the stadium seats don't have backings). We appreciated the backings, but we were too close to others (the stadium seating in general is intimate- the stairs going to and from seats could also be wider). I was elbowed in the right knee a few times, and I could tell when the fans behind me were moving around (I didn't look, but I'm guessing that they were a little heavy). On the plus side, we were in the shade most of the time (most seats are "out in the open"). The two guys on my left were loud and annoying (they came late and appeared out of nowhere- it's possible that they were supposed to be sitting somewhere else). The one next to me looked and sounded like Rush Limbaugh (I knew that both guys were going to be slow to get out of our way- like a lot of fans, we left the game early). http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/california-memorial-stadium-berkeley-3?select=uv-_rjsrUpHM0KgoBhiWYw: I love the Cal Marching Band, but their halftime performance sucked (I was shocked). They were saddled with a lame Guardians of the Galaxy skit. The fans around me groaned and sat down (everyone was on their feet for the Grambling State University Tiger Marching Band). Some things could be better, but the stadium looks like a million bucks. The atmosphere here is also light and fun. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcX82rf9Wdw read more

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Night and day at least how the old versus the new stadium looks like now. I haven't been back to see a game in the stadium since I was in school so I didn't know how the new stadium would be and it's so pretty. There's a great view from any height. The only thing that hasn't changed is the student section. They were still chanting the same cheers and songs which brought back memories. The Cal Band was still great. It was great to also be there with my bf who never saw a Cal game when he attended school! Overall fantastic venue. Hope to come back again with free tickets! read more

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The best stadium to watch a football game in California! The setting is just beautiful. There's not a bad seat in the house (Bear Territory!). Reasons Memorial Stadium is not 5 stars? - no parking and areas to tailgate - outhouses in west side of stadium (renovations for the west side had to be tabled). - For the stadium's $321 million renovation and a new $153 million Student-Athlete High Performance Center, the university incurred a controversial $445 million of debt which it planned to finance with the sale of special stadium seats in the Endowment Seating Program. Nevertheless, tell me there is a better stadium in California. Stanford? 49ers? Raiders? Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum? Rose Bowl Stadium? Well, maybe the Rose Bowl, pretty awesome location. I love going to Cal games! No better place to watch a game. I love the school spirit and supporting the University. If we can only get Cal's Haas School of Business involved in solving their stadium debt situation. Go Bears! read more

California Memorial Stadium - It's always a great day when the Bears win! - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Berkeley, California

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I saw a lot of people carrying seat cushions. Some were fancy with a back holder too. I didn't think anything of it until I sat on the bench for over an hour and my booty started hurting. Then my lower back started to feel dippy where I wanted to just sprawl out onto the bench and lay there, even if there were people sitting on it. I was just tired! I needs me one of those fancy seat cushions with a back holder! The outside of the stadium was pretty nice. However...they have portal potties, which always grosses me out. The food stalls were plenty and wowza wowzies $$$$! And the bench seating...well, you know, it was owie to my booty. Security is high, so, no bags/purses bigger than 5x8, if it is bigger, then it better be see through because those guards are not going to let you through. However, there is a luggage check in but for myself, I hate to leave my purse into the hands of a stranger! So, if I ever come back, I have to remember to bring a smaller purse. I did enjoy the college energy and crowd. It was pretty fun watching a game in the flesh. read more

Apparently college football isn't anything like professional football. However, I am not a football fan but I do know that this stadium is well maintained and clean. I'm not too sure where people park but I was fortunate enough to catch a good street spot. Just keep a look out for places to park and where not to park (fines double on game days). I visited for a Yelp Game Day Event a day after the French bombing (Friday 13, 2015) so security was high. I was glad to see this because I was kinda... gonna... make some type of excuse to not come the night I did but I was glad I did and that nothing happened. Great for the family, just bring a nice jacket, and perhaps something soft to sit on. read more