 View from southeast end zone in2023 | |
 | |
| Former names | Parker Stadium (1953–June 1999) |
|---|---|
| Address | 2600 SW Western Blvd |
| Location | Oregon State University Corvallis, Oregon, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 44°33′32″N123°16′52″W / 44.559°N 123.281°W /44.559; -123.281 |
| Owner | Oregon State University |
| Operator | Oregon State University |
| Capacity | 35,548 (2023–present) Former capacity: |
| Surface | FieldTurf (2005–present) Former surfaces: |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | September 1952 |
| Opened | November 14, 1953; 72 years ago (1953-11-14)[7][8] |
| Renovated | 2005, 2007, 2016, 2021-23 |
| Expanded | 1958, 1965, 1967, 2005 |
| Construction cost | $1 million ($11.8 million in 2024[4]) $80 million (2005 renovation) |
| Architect | Moffatt, Nichol & Taylor[5] HNTB (renovations) |
| General contractor | Wall, Bertram and Sanford[6] |
| Tenants | |
| Oregon State Beavers (NCAA) (1953–present) | |
| Website | |
| osubeavers.com/reser-stadium | |
Reser Stadium is an outdoor athleticstadium on the campus ofOregon State University inCorvallis, Oregon, United States. The home of theOregon State Beavers of thePac-12 Conference, it opened in 1953 asParker Stadium and was renamed in1999.[9][10] At 12-13 stories and 135 ft (41 m) tall it is the tallest man-made structure inCorvallis andBenton County history and the tallest building betweenEugene, Oregon, and theSalem metropolitan area.
Renovations for a new southwest grandstand decreased theseating capacity to 35,548 starting with the 2023 season.[11] TheFieldTurf playing field runs northwest to southeast, at an approximateelevation of 240 feet (73 m) abovesea level,[12] with the press box above the grandstand on the southwest sideline.
From 1910 to1953, the Beavers played their home games atBell Field (now the site of the Dixon Recreation Center), and also played as many as four games a year at Multnomah Stadium (nowProvidence Park) inPortland.[10] In 1948, Oregon State president August L. Strand,athletic directorSpec Keene, and Portland businessman Charles T. Parker (1885–1977)[13] met to plan a replacement for Bell Field. Parker, a 1907 alumnus,[10] kicked off the stadium fundraising campaign in 1949 and made significant contributions of his own.[10][14] In 1952, construction of the stadium began; for Parker's efforts and contributions, the stadium was named in his honor.[15] The first game was played onHomecoming, November 14, 1953, and the Beavers defeatedWashington State 7–0.[7][10] At the time, itseated 28,000.[16]
Parker was renovated in1958,1965, and1967, reaching a capacity of approximately 40,500 seats, but the architect's full intent never came to fruition.[17] The roof over the main southwest grandstand was approved in 1988,[18][19] and with the completion of the original Valley Football Center behind the northwest end zone, capacity was reduced to 35,362 in1990; the roof and new press box were completed in1991.
The stadium was renamed in June1999 to honor Al and Pat Reser, owners ofReser's Fine Foods.[9][10] The couple both graduated from Oregon State in 1960,[20] and are major donors to the university and Beavers athletics,[9][21] though Al died at the age of 74 in 2010.[22] The Parker name is still honored at Parker Plaza,[9] located between Reser andGill Coliseum, the site of many pregame activities.
The stadium is located on the southwest corner of the Oregon State campus at the intersection of SW 26th Street and SW Western Boulevard in Corvallis. In addition to football,intramural and club sports also use the facility occasionally.
Reser Stadium alternates withAutzen Stadium at theUniversity of Oregon in hosting theannual rivalry game with the Ducks. Since 1954, the games in even-numbered years have been played in Corvallis, odd-numbered inEugene.
Through the1968 season, the stadium's playing surface was natural grass.AstroTurf was installed in1969,[23] and replaced in1974 and 1977.[24][25] The brand was switched to All-Pro artificial turf in1984,[26][27] which was in place for 15 seasons,[27] replaced in1999 with AstroTurf 12/2000. InfilledFieldTurf debuted in2005,[28] and was replaced prior to the2012 season.[21]
Through the2004 season, the official capacity of the stadium stood at 35,362. In2003 theRaising Reser campaign was initiated, which resulted in an increase of seating capacity to 43,300 for the2005 season by way of constructing a new grandstand along the northeast sideline.[21][28]"Phase Two" of theRaising Reser project was completed between the2006 and2007 football seasons; it enclosed the horseshoe in the southeast end zone with continuous seating in the corners. This addition raised totalseating capacity to 45,674 and included the 150-by-30-foot (46 m × 9 m) ProStar Digital VideoPlus Display screen.[21]
During the planned Phase Three, the upper level will extend through the southwest grandstand.
The north end zone is also home to the Valley Football Center, which houses a large weight room, offices and meeting facilities, reserved primarily for coaches and administrators within the football program. In December 2014,Victory Through Valley, an expansion to the stadium and Valley Football Center was announced as part of $42 million in upgrades. The renovations were scheduled to begin in Fall 2015 and were completed by the beginning of the 2016 football season.Victory Through Valley upgrades included a new auditorium, coaches offices, team room, locker room, rehab facilities, and hall of fame. The new additions and upgrades have helped with recruiting, competitiveness, and functionality.
On February 4, 2021, renovations for the outdated 16,956-seat southwest grandstand were revealed to the public.[29] Construction began on December 1, 2021, and will be completed in time for the 2023 football season. Although the renovation ultimately lowered Reser Stadium's total capacity to 35,548, the new grandstand is larger in size than its predecessor.[30]
There is an oversized chainsaw standing in the Reser’s Terrace section. “For us, the chainsaw is an in-venue piece, that goes down well in front of a home crowd at Reser Stadium,” said Sara Elcano, senior associate athletic director of external operations.[31]
Heisman Trophy winnerTerry Baker's number"11" is currently the only retired number hanging on the Valley Football Center overlooking the Reser Terrace section in the north end zone.[32][33] And, although not a retired number Oregon State has"AL" displayed opposite Terry Baker's number"11" for long time donor/philanthropist/contributor Al Reser.
A large statue in the southwest end zone corner of the stadium was placed in 2003 to commemorate the1933 'Iron Men' Team.
On Oct. 21, 1933, using only 11 players the full 60 minutes, Oregon State College held two-time defending national champion and No. 1-rankedUSC to a scoreless tie, thus ending the nation's longest winning streak at 25. It is believed this is the only time in NCAA history that a defending national champion and No. 1-ranked school was toppled from the ranks by a team using only 11 men the entire game.
The sculpture was donated by William "Bill" Tomsheck: The last surviving Ironman member and long-timeCorvallis, OR resident.[34]
Visitors to Reser Stadium are welcomed with two very impressive and eye-catching bronze sculptures of real-life fans celebrating the Oregon State Beavers football team as they enter the east sideline entrance. They literally pop out of the brick towers they are mounted to and the scene is of a celebratory nature, with various people of yelling or smiling, men and women, most likely for a Beaver touchdown. "Beaver Fans 1" is the first of two commissioned pieces, this sculpture was constructed in 2006, by artist and Professor of Art, Emeritus Tom Morandi created as part of a competition he applied for and won for Oregon's One Percent for Art Program. One percent of the cost of new state buildings in Oregon is required to be used towards the purchase of art.[35]
Electric Field is a large metal football sculpture that is defined by linear metal and ornamented by lighted Xs and triangles that sits at an angle atop a brushed metal base in the plaza of Reser Stadium. Dennis Oppenheim completed the Sculpture in 2006, and described his piece, Electric Field, by "using the universally beautiful geometry of the football to contain the dynamic of the game by showing many different strategic movements experienced during a game. These field actions are represented by symbols of the players in the form of geometric shapes and lines of light which connect them."[36]
| Rank | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 24, 2012 | #5 Oregon | L, 48–24 | 47,249[37] |
| 2 | October 6, 2012 | Washington State | W, 19–6 | 46,579[38] |
| 3 | December 4, 2010 | #1 Oregon | L, 37–20 | 46,469[39] |
| 4 | November 29, 2008 | #19 Oregon | L, 65–38 | 46,319[39] |
| 5 | November 3, 2012 | Arizona State | W, 36–26 | 45,979[40] |
| 6 | November 15, 2008 | California | W, 34–29 | 45,969[39] |
| 7 | October 20, 2012 | Utah | W, 21–7 | 45,796[41] |
| 8 | November 29, 2014 | #2 Oregon | L, 47–19 | 45,722 |
| 9 | November 10, 2007 | Washington | W, 29–23 | 45,629[39] |
| 10 | October 30, 2010 | California | W, 35–7 | 45,439[39] |
Apart from use from the Athletic Department, Reser Stadium is occasionally also used for various non-athletic events, particularly events such as commencement, held every June. This has allowed the stadium to hold notable speakers such as astronautJohn Glenn.[42] and former first ladyMichelle Obama.[43]
"Dam Jam" an annual end of the year concert celebration put on for students and community members, by students, was held a Reser Stadium in 2018 and 2019, drawing up to approximately 14,000 to 18,000 people with headlinersAlison Wonderland and Super Duper Kyle in 2018 andAkon andJesse McCartney in 2019.[44][45][46]
In 2005 following the opening game at the newly renovated Reser Stadium country music duoMontgomery Gentry performed.[47]
