Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.86
Memorial Stadium 701 E 17th St Bloomington, IN 47408
Year Opened: 1960
Capacity: 52,626
Never Daunted
In the history of Indiana University athletics, football has been not much more than what people did until basketball season started – it might be “the other football” (men's soccer) and their eight national championships that many of those in south central Indiana were more gravitated toward.
Though Indiana football has seen pockets of success, it has been difficult for the program to build on it and keep that momentum going. The football Hoosiers enjoyed the bulk of their success under Bill Mallory, who guided Indiana to six bowl games in nine seasons during his thirteen-year tenure in Bloomington. The historic futility of Indiana football has impacted the overall support the program has seen, which in-turn impacts the game experience.
The winds of success do seem to be shifting in Bloomington, however – the hiring of Curt Cignetti as the Hoosier’s head coach has seen a nearly immediate 180-degree turn in the program’s trajectory. The recent success on the field has energized the Indiana University community, as well as supporters near and far.
Food & Beverage 5
Heading into this season, improving food options at Memorial Stadium was a priority for enhancing the fan experience. A new concessions vender expanded options and brought in no less than four local Bloomington restaurants, including Social Cantina which offers walking nachos and ground beef tacos, as well as Aver’s Pizza. In addition, Yogi’s Bar and Grill serves smash burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches, while Buffa Louie’s, a Bloomington favorite since 1987, brings its signature wings in three flavors, along with a vegetarian version, along with their Italian beef sandwich, mozzarella sticks, and breaded pork tenderloin sandwich.
Beyond these local favorites, food trucks provide additional variety, ranging from Latin dishes and BBQ to Mediterranean fare and classic American plates. Dessert options include Bloomington’s beloved Chocolate Moose ice cream and fresh cookies from Baked!, a late-night favorite. Everbowl also offers healthier choices like açaí bowls.
With Coca-Cola soft drinks on offer, along with the typical assortment from Coors’ line of beers, there is also a solid selection of Bloomington craft beers from Upland Brewery, with their Dragonfly IPA, Wheat Ale, and Indiana University branded Hoosier Game Day lager. Vizzy hard seltzers and Happy Tuesdays spiked fruit drinks are also on hand.
Concessions at Memorial Stadium are an example of fans asking for improvements and the powers that be listening to what the fans were asking for.
Atmosphere 3
A common mantra of Indiana football fans has been, “we may have lost the game, but we won the tailgate.” And while the success of the Hoosiers on the field appears to be turning, and the tailgate is no longer the only highlight of the day, the lots on the northern side of campus do provide a top tier tailgating experience that rivals many of those at larger, more traditional football powers. The paved lots around the football stadium and neighboring Simon-Skjodt (pronounced: Scott) Assembly Hall are typically home to more sophisticated alumni gatherings, while students and more festive visitors populate the fields along 17th Street.
Three hours before kickoff, fans gather west of Simon-Skjodt Assembly Hall for a pep rally featuring the IU cheer squads, the Red Steppers dance team, and members of the Indiana University Marching Hundred, in anticipation of the arrival of the Hoosiers team buses for the “Walk to the Rock.”
Architecturally, Memorial Stadium has a striking resemblance to Wake Forest’s Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium and Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium. Since 2005, Memorial Stadium has seen significant improvements that enclosed the stadium, starting with weight training and staff facilities at the north end of the stadium, followed on the south end in 2018 with the completion of The Excellence Academy. However, the east and west stands still feel a bit bare, with exposed walkways on both sides.
Like many other schools at this level, the Hoosiers have a well-orchestrated pregame show featuring the Marching Hundred, a slew of Indiana Hoosier flags waved by the Indiana cheer squad, pyrotechnics, and an occasional flyover.
Throughout the game, timeout entertainment has shifted toward more modern features, such as scoreboard ads, an in-house DJ, on-field contests, and giveaways. The Marching Hundred still provides musical highlights throughout the game, and there are also traditions such as the playing of “National Emblem” on 1st downs, as well as snippets of the beloved fight song, “Indiana, Our Indiana,” after big plays to keep fans engaged.
One of the big points of contention for Memorial Stadium regulars is the stadium sound system does not necessarily meet Power 4 standards; the sound can seem distorted and difficult to hear clearly.
With the recent on-the-field successes of Indiana football, the only thing keeping the experience from moving to the next level is its consistency. All signs point to a continuation of the upward trajectory the football program has seen throughout this season, however, which in turn bodes well for continued improvements to the overall game day experience at Indiana.
Neighborhood 5
Memorial Stadium sits on the northern side of Indiana University’s campus, surrounded by athletic facilities, dorms, and off-campus apartments. While dining options nearby are limited, a few restaurants are within walking distance.
The real center of Bloomington’s social scene is centered on Kirkwood Avenue, which runs from the iconic Sample Gates to Bloomington Square. Kirkwood is home to many of Bloomington’s apparel shops, restaurants, and bars. The most well-known of the eateries, Nick’s English Hut, provides a bit more of a mature bar experience , while Kilroy’s is a bit more student-orientated, and Upstairs Pub is a bit of a happy medium. A secondary cluster of bars and restaurants in proximity to downtown Bloomington Square includes Kilroy’s Sports, Yogi’s Bar and Grill, music joint The Bluebird, and Video Saloon, which is a popular spot for many of Bloomington’s locals.
For those with a bit of a finer palette, they might want to visit to Oliver Winery just north of town, or make reservations at Janko’s Little Zagreb, which is renowned for their steaks.
Fans 3
For years, Indiana football struggled not only to win games, but also to draw fans from tailgates into Memorial Stadium. In the mid-2000s policies were even introduced to clear tailgating areas of non-attendees. The 2024 hiring of Curt Cignetti marked a turning point, bringing new expectations for both the program and the fan base – Coach even called out fans for the passive interest they showed, even after a 5-0 start, saying:
“We need you there for the opening kick. We need you there in the stands being loud in the first quarter…And, most importantly, in the fourth…The tailgates can wait. The parties can wait. If you need to study, that can wait too.”
Time will tell if the Hoosier fans support of Indiana football is here to stay. If the success of year one under Cignetti is any indication of future fan support of Indiana football, however, the increased attendance numbers and fan involvement in the game will only serve to improve the overall game atmosphere at Memorial Stadium.
Access 3
The completion of Interstate 69 connecting Evansville to Indianapolis made accessing Bloomington much easier than when it was just State Road 37, a divided highway, connecting the two cities. Coming from the east can be a bit more challenging, though, as two-lane rural State Road 46 can be a bit slow going.
When typical attendance numbers fought to scrape into the lower end of 40,000, the facilities here were adequate to accommodate the crowd without much difficulty. Now though, with the norm bringing in 50,000+ fans per game, there certainly are new obstacles to consider – lines for bathrooms and concessions get extremely backed up, impeding the flow of those simply trying to navigate the concourse. Another challenge is that the stands do not have any sort of hand railings in the seating area, which certainly creates difficulties in navigating the stairs, especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Indiana does all it can do to make getting to, around, and from the stadium as convenient as possible, but there definitely are some areas it could improve on. There has even been chatter about the possibility of expanding the stadium, which could help alleviate some of the backups, for example if the Easternmost confines of the stadium were pushed closer to the parking lots. At the moment, however, the long concession and bathroom lines, especially on the stadium’s eastern side, can create quite the hinderance for those simply trying to move about the stadium. On the plus side, though, recent trends indicate the Athletics department is listening to fans, and is focused on improving the overall fan experience at Memorial Stadium.
Return on Investment 4
This season, tickets for non-conference games start at $30, and go up to $45 for conference matchups. Time will tell if the Hoosiers recent success will see an increase in ticket prices going forward, but at the moment ticket prices do not seem exorbitant.
Parking in lots around the stadium can get a bit pricey, but for early arrivers who are willing to walk, free parking is available in the Poplars Garage on the corner of 6th Street and N. Dunn Avenue. Shuttles to the stadium begin 2 hours prior to kick off and run 90 minutes following the game. With free parking on campus widely available, it adds another perk for savings that can be found in attending a football game at Indiana.
Some value is lost however when it comes to concessions, specifically at the more traditional stands – paying $6 for a typical-sized hot dog does seem to be a bit much. The best food values seem to come from the local options; though they are a touch more expensive, the quality and portion sizes are worth the higher prices.
Extras 4
As legend goes, shortly after Terry Hoeppner was hired as head coach in 2005 he found a massive limestone boulder on campus; he had it moved and mounted at the north end of Memorial Stadium where the team would rub it for luck as they took the field. Hoeppner would pass away in 2007 and “The Rock” would take on a whole new meaning. Renamed “Hep’s Rock” in 2010, it would find a new home to start the 2024 season, just outside Memorial Stadium’s east entrance. This location makes “Hep’s Rock” accessible to all IU football fans, being located at the end of the Hoosiers “Walk to the Rock”, where they rub it for luck just before entering the stadium.
Outside the north entrance of the facility is a statute of George Taliaferro, paying tribute to the first Black player drafted into the NFL.
Between the stadium’s southern end and 17th Street, B-Town Boulevard is set up to give fans an area to play games, pose for photos, or listen to a rotating performance of musicians while grabbing a bite to eat and/or a drink from the nearby food trucks.
The main level concourse around the north end of the stadium is home to the Hoosier Red Zone – during pregame this area is billed as a “family fun zone”, mainly geared towards children, to test their football, basketball, and soccer skills. Visitors can also get photos taken with an oversized IU football helmet or football, or with mannequins dressed in the complete collection of Indiana uniform styles. One of the interactive displays in this area is a partnership between IU Sports Properties and Damar, a non-profit organization that supports people with Autism. The area includes color changing lights, textures, audio inputs, and noise canceling headphones, along with a 10,000-piece Lego wall to help fans who struggle with sensory overload and may need a bit of a reset.
Final Thoughts
In what might have previously best been described as a morgue of college football, Memorial Stadium has seen a remarkable turnaround fueled simply by winning, as well as a new head coach who has expectations of excellence not just from players, but from the University’s community as well. If the current trend of success for Indiana football continues, expect the game atmosphere here to only continue to improve, with an extremely festive atmosphere fed by a long anticipated winning product on the field. On the other hand, if for whatever reason Hoosier football were to revert back to its historic inconsistencies, it certainly would be a major blow to the progress seen on the gridiron in Bloomington.
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