2026-09-19. Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI…read more
Welcome to the Big House! The largest stadium in the USA with a seating capacity of 107,601 and a total capacity of over 110,000. This was my first experience and it was my beloved Wolverines facing off against UTEP Miners.
A couple of things to note is that you cannot pull up into the parking lot a pay for parking. The lots around the stadium are sold by the season. If you plan on attending individual games and you want to park in one of the adjacent blue lots, you'll need to buy a parking spot from a 3rd party site, and trust me, you don't want to do that. These spots go for well over $100 per game. Don't feel so bad, if you buy a seasons parking spot, it still works out to $60 per game. You best bet is to park, well anywhere else really, and follow the crowd to the stadium. The closest public lots are about 0.8mi from the stadium, but prices are a lot cheaper. I found street parking (free) about 1.3 miles out at the opposite end of campus and completed the casual walk in about 25 minutes. If you don't care to walk the campus at all, don't worry, there are much closer streets where you can park and walk, you just need to be lucky and/or patient.
The other thing to note is that NO BAGS can be brought with you into the stadium, not even the clear ones. You are allowed to bring your phone, jackets, ball caps, seat cushions, and a towel, but no umbrellas or large bulky items.
Today was overcast and the rain has been on and off all morning. The afternoon is as if the city was drowned in an invisible fog, clear visibility yet a perpetual light mist surrounding the air around you, enough to wet you, but not enough to get you wet.
We had amazing seats, 30 rows up and by the end zone. The stadium's sheer grandeur is breathtaking and it was another solid turn out despite the wet weather. Games are always sold out before the season even begins, so the real testament to school spirit are the gate rings; the number of tickets scanned at the gates. Today's official attendance rang in at 110,668. The seats are also equipped with complementary UofM cushions. These cushions hang over the bench seat when not in use, and you just flip them over if you want to use them. This was perfect as they were kept dry when hanging and not in use. Not sure if this is only with the lower level seats, or all seats, but it was a nice touch!
Food and drink consists of all your usual suspects for any sports venue, minus the peanuts, you can't get those here, and prices rival those of Comerica Park (5/3 Park?), Ford Field, and Little Caesar's Arena with domestic beer at $12.5 and import beer at $14. Most snacks are under $10, but if you get 'em fancy, then you're looking at about double the price. The menu tops out with some fully loaded nachos at $23.00. With the way the economy is going, don't hold me to these prices, but today they are:
Popped Maize: $6.50
Nachos: $8.00 (+$2.00 for cheese cup)
Soft Pretzel: $7.00 (+$2.00 for cheese cup)
Hot Dog (Dearborn Brand): $7.25
Stadium Sausage / Beyond Sausage: $8.00 - $8.25
Foot-Long Coney / Currywurst: $14.00 - $16.00
Pizza (Four-Square): $16.00
Smashburger / Mitten (Olive) Burger: $16.00 - $18.00
Michigan Stadium Nachos: $23.00
Overall, if you've never been to the Big House, it's definitely an experience. The crowd is electric and the sense of unity and comradery that fills the air is truly remarkable. And in case you're wondering, the game started off slow and tight with the Miners leading most of the first half. The Wolverines took the lead for the first time after kicking a field goal with 5 seconds left, and the Wolverines went into half time leading 17-14. They came out the 2nd half aggressively defending their territory in true Wolverine fashion and romped to a 52-17 victory.
If you'd like to experience more, come dine-with-me.yelp.com I'd love to have your company... Go Blue!