Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, California)

Capacity: 92,000

Surface: Grass

Opened:  June 1923

Original Cost: $1 million

Original Capacity: 76,000

Record: 397-123-27

2007 Home Record: 5-1

2007 Average Attendance: 87,476 (NCAA Rank #9)

Largest Crowd: 104,953 — Notre Dame at USC (1947)

Atmosphere:   

USC home football games have become quite the Hollywood scene.  Los Angeles is not a great sports city...unless their teams are winning.  USC issues countless sideline passes to their home games to top donors and Hollywood celebs.  The Coliseum is a good place to tailgate since there is ample space around the facility to set up a BBQ and enjoy the game day experience.  Do not venture far, the neighborhood can be very rough.

Student Section: 

Having witnessed a USC/Notre Dame game from the student section I can say that it is a fun environment.  The fans are loud and if you can get past the annoying "Fight On" peace sign they are not all that bad.

Visitor Section: 

You might want to consider bringing a small television if you plan to sit in the visitors section.  Visitors are seated in the upper corner of the stadium near the Olympic Torch.  The best seat in the visitors section is 25-30 yards behind the back of the end zone.  This section gives new meaning to the term nose bleed section.

Location: 

Los Angeles is a great place to visit.  The Coliseum is located just south of downtown and is not an neighborhood you want to take a casual stroll through.  Pay the extra money to get a parking spot near the stadium. Roll up the windows and lock the doors when you are leaving the game.

History:

Only facility to host two Olympics (1932 and 1984), two Super Bowls (I and VII), and a World Series (1959).  Home to the Los Angeles Raiders 1984-1992. 

Overview: 

The Coliseum is a historic venue to watch a game.  The downside to watching a game here (or any game involving USC) is the band.  As everyone knows, they play the same song over and over again.  The bad location and poor views of the field make this trip one I often times consider upgraded seats by watching it from the couch.

Rating Los Angeles Coliseum
Atmosphere
Student Section
Visitor Section
Location
History
Overall Rating

Interesting Fact:

OLYMPIC TORCH: Originally built for the 1932 Summer Olympics. It is 150 ft. above ground level and 182 ft. above field level. The torch is ignited by a flip of a switch located in Coliseum scoreboard control room adjacent to the press box.

Over 115,000 people saw the Los Angeles Dodgers play the Boston Red Sox to mark the Dodgers 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles (2008)